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=== Legends about Gandhak ===

=== Legends about Gandhak ===

In Samudra manthan the menstruate of Goddess Parvati came out then its strong smell hypnotized all demons, so named as Gandhaka.<ref>Sharma Dharmanand (1999) ''Rasa Ratna Samuchhaya'' New Delhi: Motilal Banarasidas Publications (pp.39-41).</ref> According to Āyurveda Prakāśa when Devī Pārvatī was playing near Kṣīrābdhi, she menstruated. The Raja was very fragrant and beautiful. The cloth which was wet with Raja was then washed in the ocean. That Raja when mixed with the water converted into Gandhaka.<ref name=":4" />

In Samudra manthan the menstruate of Goddess Parvati came out then its strong smell hypnotized all demons, so named as Gandhaka.<ref>Sharma Dharmanand (1999) ''Rasa Ratna Samuchhaya'' New Delhi: Motilal Banarasidas Publications (pp.39-41).</ref> According to Āyurveda Prakāśa when Devī Pārvatī was playing near Kṣīrābdhi,<ref>Shankarlal Harishankar, (2019) ed. ''[https://archive.org/details/rasa-ratna-samucchaya-of-vagbhatacharya-shankar-lal-hari-shankar/page/n79/mode/2up Rasaratna Sammuchhaya by Acharya Vagbhata]'' Bombay: Khemraj Srikrishnadas Prakashan</ref> she menstruated. The Raja was very fragrant and beautiful. The cloth which was wet with Raja was then washed in the ocean. That Raja when mixed with the water converted into Gandhaka. When Deva and Dānava started churning of ocean at that time Gandhaka came out along with nector and that Gandhaka having characteristic smell pleased Deva and Dānava. Hence Deva’s gave the name Gandhaka to it.<ref name=":4" />

In other version, during Samudra manthana, on every pulling by Vasuki-naga exhaled poisonous and inflammable air, which caused the melting of demon King Bali’s fat. The fat was having peculiar smell, called as Gandhaka and also called Bali Vasa.<ref name=":3" /> When Deva and Dānava started churning of ocean at that time Gandhaka came out along with nector and that Gandhaka having characteristic smell pleased Deva and Dānava. Hence Deva’s gave the name Gandhaka to it.<ref name=":4" />

In other version, during Samudra manthana, on every pulling by Vasuki-naga exhaled poisonous and inflammable air, which caused the melting of demon King Bali’s fat. The fat was having peculiar smell, called as Gandhaka and also called Bali Vasa.<ref name=":3" />

Mercury is considered an element of Shiva, whereas sulphur, an element of Parvati and the product that was created from their union in asafoetida was called ras sindur, which was considered the essence for longevity.<ref>Soni, Suresh. India's Glorious Scientific Tradition. </ref>

Mercury is considered an element of Shiva, whereas sulphur, an element of Parvati and the product that was created from their union in asafoetida was called ras sindur, which was considered the essence for longevity.<ref>Soni, Suresh. India's Glorious Scientific Tradition. </ref>