Difference between revisions of "Mercury or Parada (पारद)"

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Pārada (Samskrit: पारद), as mentioned in various Rasashastra texts of ancient India, means Mercury in English. It is a chemical element with atomic number 80 and chemical formula 'Hg (Hydrargyrum)'. Mercury (Hg), a metallic chemical element belonging to the zinc group (Group 12 [IIb] of the periodic table), is the only elemental metal that is liquid at room temperature. Mercury is silvery white, slowly tarnishes in moist air, and freezes into a soft solid like tin or lead at −38.83 °C (−37.89 °F). The chemical symbol Hg derives from the Latin ''hydrargyrum'', “liquid silver.”<ref>Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "mercury." Encyclopedia Britannica, August 20, 2024. <nowiki>https://www.britannica.com/science/mercury-chemical-element</nowiki>.</ref> It is also called Quick Silver, as it appears like silver having the property of flowing.
 
Pārada (Samskrit: पारद), as mentioned in various Rasashastra texts of ancient India, means Mercury in English. It is a chemical element with atomic number 80 and chemical formula 'Hg (Hydrargyrum)'. Mercury (Hg), a metallic chemical element belonging to the zinc group (Group 12 [IIb] of the periodic table), is the only elemental metal that is liquid at room temperature. Mercury is silvery white, slowly tarnishes in moist air, and freezes into a soft solid like tin or lead at −38.83 °C (−37.89 °F). The chemical symbol Hg derives from the Latin ''hydrargyrum'', “liquid silver.”<ref>Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "mercury." Encyclopedia Britannica, August 20, 2024. <nowiki>https://www.britannica.com/science/mercury-chemical-element</nowiki>.</ref> It is also called Quick Silver, as it appears like silver having the property of flowing.
  
According to Ayurveda [[Rasashastra (रसशास्त्रम्)|Rasashastra]], ''Rasa (रस)'' is the term used to denote Parada. Mercury was known to Indian alchemists for several millenniums.<ref>Sekhar Reddy, P. ''A textbook of Rasashastra''. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Orientalia (pp.72-)</ref>
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According to Ayurveda [[Rasashastra (रसशास्त्रम्)|Rasashastra]], ''Rasa (रस)'' is the term used to denote Parada. Mercury is one of the metals which attracted wide attention of ayurvedic chemists and physicians.<ref>Sekhar Reddy, P. ''A textbook of Rasashastra''. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Orientalia (pp.72-)</ref>  
  
 
== परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==
 
== परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==
''Parada'' (mercury-Hg) is one of the important core ingredients in ''Rasa'' (metals and minerals) ''Aushadhi'' (medicine). Most of ''Rasa'' formulations have mercury as an important ingredient. It is evident that raw mercury has many toxic effects such as severe gastrointestinal irritations, peripheral circulatory collapse, metallic taste in mouth, excessive salivation, inflammation of gums, etc.<ref>Bhinde SS, Patgiri BJ. ''[https://journals.lww.com/jdra/fulltext/2021/06020/quantification_of_mercury_after_samanya_shodhana.2.aspx Quantification of mercury after Samanya Shodhana (purifying process): A preliminary analysis.]'' J Drug Res Ayurvedic Sci 2022;6:65-71.</ref>
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''Parada'' (mercury-Hg) is one of the important core ingredients in ''Rasa'' (metals and minerals) ''Aushadhi'' (medicine). Most of ''Rasa'' formulations have mercury as an important ingredient. It is evident that raw mercury has many toxic effects such as severe gastrointestinal irritations, peripheral circulatory collapse, metallic taste in mouth, excessive salivation, inflammation of gums, etc.<ref>Bhinde SS, Patgiri BJ. ''[https://journals.lww.com/jdra/fulltext/2021/06020/quantification_of_mercury_after_samanya_shodhana.2.aspx Quantification of mercury after Samanya Shodhana (purifying process): A preliminary analysis.]'' J Drug Res Ayurvedic Sci 2022;6:65-71.</ref> But Mercury has therapeutic qualities similar to that of ambrosia. Mercurial medications prepared from purified Mercury can readily treat even Asadhya rogas (incurable diseases). Thus, Parada (Mercury) is the heart of Rasasastra. Recent world wide discussions on hazardous nature of Mercury have led to the global ban on Mercury. through the Minamata Convention, a global treaty on Mercury.<ref name=":0">Ram, Guttikonda S., Mahadev, B., & Chalapathi, R. (2016). [https://ayushdhara.in/index.php/ayushdhara/article/view/172 A LITERARY REVIEW ON MERCURY W.S.R. TO ITS MEDICINAL ASPECT.] ''AYUSHDHARA'', ''1''(1). Retrieved from <nowiki>https://ayushdhara.in/index.php/ayushdhara/article/view/172</nowiki></ref>
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The rasa (taste), Virya (potency) and Vipaka (taste at the end of digestion) of Mercury has been quoted as similar to ambrosia in Rasarnavam. Mercury possesses all the qualities of Animadi astaguna (eight qualities) which are required for the accomplishments of human life. There is no other thing in the earth than Mercury to attain salvation. It imparts glory to human body by eradicating old age according to the text Rasendra mangalam by Kaviraja H. S. Sharma.<ref name=":0" />
  
 
== पर्यायाः ॥ Synonyms of Parada used in Ayurveda ==
 
== पर्यायाः ॥ Synonyms of Parada used in Ayurveda ==
 
According to Rasatarangini, the alternative names used for Parada are  
 
According to Rasatarangini, the alternative names used for Parada are  
  
रसो रसेन्द्रः सूतश्च रसेशश्च रसेश्वरः । चपलो रसराजश्च पारदश्च शिवाह्वयः ॥ १।।
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रसो रसेन्द्रः सूतश्च रसेशश्च रसेश्वरः । चपलो रसराजश्च पारदश्च शिवाह्वयः ॥ १ ॥
  
 
रसनादभ्रकादीनां धातूनां कीर्तितो रसः । अभ्रकाद्यधिराजत्वाद्रसेन्द्र इति कथ्यते ॥२॥
 
रसनादभ्रकादीनां धातूनां कीर्तितो रसः । अभ्रकाद्यधिराजत्वाद्रसेन्द्र इति कथ्यते ॥२॥
  
देहलोहभयीं सिद्धिं सूतेऽतः सूत उच्यते । स्वभावाच्चपलो यस्मात् ततोऽसौ चपलः स्मृतः ।।३।।
 
  
आतङ्कपङ्कमग्नानां पारदानाच्च पारदः | अभ्रादिरसराजत्वाद्रसराजः स्मृतो बुधैः ॥४॥  
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Etymology
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देहलोहभयीं सिद्धिं सूतेऽतः सूत उच्यते । स्वभावाच्चपलो यस्मात् ततोऽसौ चपलः स्मृतः ॥३॥
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आतङ्कपङ्कमग्नानां पारदानाच्च पारदः। अभ्रादिरसराजत्वाद्रसराजः स्मृतो बुधैः ॥४॥
  
 
== इतिहासः ॥ History ==
 
== इतिहासः ॥ History ==

Revision as of 22:40, 13 October 2024

Courtesy: Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "mercury." Encyclopedia Britannica, August 20, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/science/mercury-chemical-element.

Pārada (Samskrit: पारद), as mentioned in various Rasashastra texts of ancient India, means Mercury in English. It is a chemical element with atomic number 80 and chemical formula 'Hg (Hydrargyrum)'. Mercury (Hg), a metallic chemical element belonging to the zinc group (Group 12 [IIb] of the periodic table), is the only elemental metal that is liquid at room temperature. Mercury is silvery white, slowly tarnishes in moist air, and freezes into a soft solid like tin or lead at −38.83 °C (−37.89 °F). The chemical symbol Hg derives from the Latin hydrargyrum, “liquid silver.”[1] It is also called Quick Silver, as it appears like silver having the property of flowing.

According to Ayurveda Rasashastra, Rasa (रस) is the term used to denote Parada. Mercury is one of the metals which attracted wide attention of ayurvedic chemists and physicians.[2]

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

Parada (mercury-Hg) is one of the important core ingredients in Rasa (metals and minerals) Aushadhi (medicine). Most of Rasa formulations have mercury as an important ingredient. It is evident that raw mercury has many toxic effects such as severe gastrointestinal irritations, peripheral circulatory collapse, metallic taste in mouth, excessive salivation, inflammation of gums, etc.[3] But Mercury has therapeutic qualities similar to that of ambrosia. Mercurial medications prepared from purified Mercury can readily treat even Asadhya rogas (incurable diseases). Thus, Parada (Mercury) is the heart of Rasasastra. Recent world wide discussions on hazardous nature of Mercury have led to the global ban on Mercury. through the Minamata Convention, a global treaty on Mercury.[4]

The rasa (taste), Virya (potency) and Vipaka (taste at the end of digestion) of Mercury has been quoted as similar to ambrosia in Rasarnavam. Mercury possesses all the qualities of Animadi astaguna (eight qualities) which are required for the accomplishments of human life. There is no other thing in the earth than Mercury to attain salvation. It imparts glory to human body by eradicating old age according to the text Rasendra mangalam by Kaviraja H. S. Sharma.[4]

पर्यायाः ॥ Synonyms of Parada used in Ayurveda

According to Rasatarangini, the alternative names used for Parada are

रसो रसेन्द्रः सूतश्च रसेशश्च रसेश्वरः । चपलो रसराजश्च पारदश्च शिवाह्वयः ॥ १ ॥

रसनादभ्रकादीनां धातूनां कीर्तितो रसः । अभ्रकाद्यधिराजत्वाद्रसेन्द्र इति कथ्यते ॥२॥


Etymology

देहलोहभयीं सिद्धिं सूतेऽतः सूत उच्यते । स्वभावाच्चपलो यस्मात् ततोऽसौ चपलः स्मृतः ॥३॥

आतङ्कपङ्कमग्नानां पारदानाच्च पारदः। अभ्रादिरसराजत्वाद्रसराजः स्मृतो बुधैः ॥४॥

इतिहासः ॥ History

Legends about Parada

स्वरूपम् ॥ Characteristics

References

  1. Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "mercury." Encyclopedia Britannica, August 20, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/science/mercury-chemical-element.
  2. Sekhar Reddy, P. A textbook of Rasashastra. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Orientalia (pp.72-)
  3. Bhinde SS, Patgiri BJ. Quantification of mercury after Samanya Shodhana (purifying process): A preliminary analysis. J Drug Res Ayurvedic Sci 2022;6:65-71.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Ram, Guttikonda S., Mahadev, B., & Chalapathi, R. (2016). A LITERARY REVIEW ON MERCURY W.S.R. TO ITS MEDICINAL ASPECT. AYUSHDHARA, 1(1). Retrieved from https://ayushdhara.in/index.php/ayushdhara/article/view/172