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Line 133: − + − + − The reason for such a classification is not very clear. According to tradition, the maharasas and the uparasas are classified in the order in which they find their usefulness with reference to mercury (rasendra). There is also a view that mercury alone has the appellation of rasa, and all the others are called uparasas. Some of the texts differ from one another in the number of maha- and uparasas as well as the substances comprising them. While the Rasaratnasamuccaya gives the above classification, the Rasaprakasasudhakara, considers rajavarta (lapis lazuli) as a maharasa in the place of capala. +
→Classification of Chemical Substances
The well-known rasashastra texts like the Rasahrdaya, the Rasarnava, the Rasaratnasamuccaya and the Rasaprakasasudhakara have classified the chemical substances into<ref>Bose, D. M., Sen, S. N., & Subbarayappa, B. V. (1971). A concise history of science in India. New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy. pp. 322-326</ref>
The well-known rasashastra texts like the Rasahrdaya, the Rasarnava, the Rasaratnasamuccaya and the Rasaprakasasudhakara have classified the chemical substances into<ref>Bose, D. M., Sen, S. N., & Subbarayappa, B. V. (1971). A concise history of science in India. New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy. pp. 322-326</ref>
# '''Maharasas''': They are eight in number, abhraka (mica), vaikranta (a precious stone having eight surfaces and six angles, probably tourmaline), maksika (copper pyrites), vimala (iron pyrites), silajatu (bitumen), sasyaka (copper sulphate), capala (a compound of bismuth or selinium) and rasaka.
# '''Maharasas''': They are a group of minerals which have been recognized as most useful for the potentiation of [[Mercury or Parada (पारद)|Mercury or Parada]].<ref name=":9">Bhagwat, V. S. R., Kurkute, B. R., Shinde, B. T., & Tapare, S. K. (2017). CLASSIFICATION OF RASADRAVYAS IN RASASHASTRA. ''World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research'', ''6''(4), 792–802. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.20959/wjpr20174-8226</nowiki></ref> They are eight in number, abhraka (mica), vaikranta (a precious stone having eight surfaces and six angles, probably tourmaline), maksika (copper pyrites), vimala (iron pyrites), silajatu (bitumen), sasyaka (copper sulphate), capala (a compound of bismuth or selinium) and rasaka.
# '''Uparasa''': The eight uparasas are: gandhaka (sulphur), gairika (red ochre), kasisa (iron sulphate), tuvari (alum), talaka (orpiment), manah-sila (realgar), anjana (collyrium; compounds of antimony) and kankustha (probably tinstone or cassiterite).
# '''Uparasa''': The eight uparasas are: gandhaka (sulphur), gairika (red ochre), kasisa (iron sulphate), tuvari (alum), talaka (orpiment), manah-sila (realgar), anjana (collyrium; compounds of antimony) and kankustha (probably tinstone or cassiterite).
# '''Dhatu''': Here usually seven metals are named: svarna (gold), rajata or tara (silver), tamra (copper), loha (iron), naga (lead), vanga (tin) and yasada (zinc). But, the three alloys (misraloha), viz. brass (pittala), bell-metal (kamsya) and a mixture of five metals (vartaka), also come under the category of dhatu. There are textual differences of which metals comprise metals. Rasarnava mentions six metals including copper but Rasaratnasamuccaya not according a place to copper among the dhatus.
# '''Dhatu''': Here usually seven metals are named: svarna (gold), rajata or tara (silver), tamra (copper), loha (iron), naga (lead), vanga (tin) and yasada (zinc). But, the three alloys (misraloha), viz. brass (pittala), bell-metal (kamsya) and a mixture of five metals (vartaka), also come under the category of dhatu. There are textual differences of which metals comprise metals. Rasarnava mentions six metals including copper but Rasaratnasamuccaya not according a place to copper among the dhatus.
# '''Ratna''': The ratnas generally are precious gems. The principal gems used by the rasavadins are: vaikranta (also classed under maharasa), suryakanta (sun-stone; aventurine feldspar mainly containing silicate of sodium and potassium with disseminated particles of red iron oxide which cause fire-like flashes of colour), candrakanta (moon-stone; a type of feldspar containing silicates of aluminium, sodium, potassium, calcium, barium, etc., which possesses a bluish pearly opalescence), hiraka (diamond), mauktika (pearl), garudodgara (emerald), rajavarta (lapis lazuli), marakata (topaz), nila (sapphire) and padmaraga (ruby).
# '''Ratna''': The ratnas generally are precious gems. The principal gems used by the rasavadins are: vaikranta (also classed under maharasa), suryakanta (sun-stone; aventurine feldspar mainly containing silicate of sodium and potassium with disseminated particles of red iron oxide which cause fire-like flashes of colour), candrakanta (moon-stone; a type of feldspar containing silicates of aluminium, sodium, potassium, calcium, barium, etc., which possesses a bluish pearly opalescence), hiraka (diamond), mauktika (pearl), garudodgara (emerald), rajavarta (lapis lazuli), marakata (topaz), nila (sapphire) and padmaraga (ruby).
# '''Visha'''
# '''Visha'''
# '''Sadharana rasas''': It is explained only by Rasaratnasamuchaya. They are Kampillaka (Mallotus philippinesis Muell-arg), Gouripashana (Arsenious oxide; As2O3), Navasadara (Ammonium chloride; NH2Cl), Kapardika (Cowries), Agnijara (Amber), Girisindura (Red oxide of mercury; HgO), Hingula (Cinnabar; HgS), Mruddarashringa (Litharge; PbO).
# '''Sadharana rasas''': It is explained only by Rasaratnasamuchaya.<ref name=":9" /> They are Kampillaka (Mallotus philippinesis Muell-arg), Gouripashana (Arsenious oxide; As2O3), Navasadara (Ammonium chloride; NH2Cl), Kapardika (Cowries), Agnijara (Amber), Girisindura (Red oxide of mercury; HgO), Hingula (Cinnabar; HgS), Mruddarashringa (Litharge; PbO).
According to tradition, the maharasas and the uparasas are classified in the order in which they find their usefulness with reference to mercury (rasendra). There is also a view that mercury alone has the appellation of rasa, and all the others are called uparasas. Some of the texts differ from one another in the number of maha- and uparasas as well as the substances comprising them. While the Rasaratnasamuccaya gives the above classification, the Rasaprakasasudhakara, considers rajavarta (lapis lazuli) as a maharasa in the place of capala.
=== Yantras ===
=== Yantras ===