Yantra prakarana

 

Yantra Prakarana

 

Meaning of term Yantra (यन्त्र).—n.

A machine in general, any implement or apparatus

Ref:  Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

 

 

"Yantra" in rasashastra are the those instruments/apparatus designed by the acharyas as a result of contrivance obtained from their experinces. These instruments help the practioners to do various processing of rasaushadhi in a controlled mechano-thermal activities. The ingredients and raw materials used for crafting of these yantras are so specific that to obtain ultimate optimum yield and quality. Apparatus with same principle are being used even now a days,with some basic modifications.

1.       Dolayantra

2.       Damaru Yantra

3.       Swedani YAntra

4.       Sthali Yantra

5.       Palika Yantra

6.       Urdhwa patina Yantra

7.       Adha patina Yantra

8.       Tiryak Patana Yantra

9.       Valuka Yantra

10.   Kachapa Yantra

11.   Vidyadhara YAntra

12.   Ullukhala Yantra

13.   Tula Yantra

14.   Patala Yantra

        Dolayantra

Meaning of Term Dola

According to sanskrit dictionary

 

Dola (दोल).—[dul-ghañ]

1) Swinging, rocking, oscillating; वेलादोलानिलचलम् (velādolānilacalam) Mb.1.21.1.

2) A swing, litter.

DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

 

According to Budhism

dolā : (f.) a swing; palanquin

BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

 

According to Shilpa shastra

Dolā (दोला) or Dolāhasta refers to “dangling” 

Shodhganga: The significance of the mūla-beras (śilpa)

 

 

Introduction

Dolayantra , is one of such apparatus which are in frequent use even now a days .

In the present era; even though there are slight modifications have happened in the material used, but the basic concept or the basic structure of this apparatus remained same.

 

When we go through the above references (Meaning) it can be understood that the as ,here in this apparatus , the drug is suspended on a wooden rod inside the mud pot resembling the shape of Swing/Pendulum/palanquin ,it is name as Dola Yantra

 

 

Reference

द्रवद्रव्येण भाण्डस्य पूरितार्धोदरस्य च।

मुखस्योभयतो द्वारद्वयं कृत्त्वा प्रयत्नतः ॥

तयोस्तु निक्षिपेद्दण्डं तन्मध्ये रसपोट्टलीम्।.

बध्वा तु स्वेदयेदेतद्दोलायन्त्रमिति स्मृतम्

                                                                                (Ra ra sa /9/3-4)

 

Diagram

 

 

Construction

A clean mud pot of sufficient size is taken and filled half with dravadravya (Drava dravya is the liquid used as media while processing the drug , it can be any of the liquid media Kashaya, Swarasa,gomutra,godugdha etc, Type of dravadravya defers as per the nature of drug to be processed)

Two holes are made at the neck portion of the mud pot which are at opposite to each other

Through that holes one small wooden rod is placed and a pottali is tied at the middle of the rod in sucha a way that pottali must be susupended at the centre of the mud pot

The whole apparatus is placed over a furnace / Stove and heated in mandagni

While dong paka

The pottali should neither touch the botoom of the vessel nor it must be susupended above the dravadravya coloumn

Mandagni should be maintained through out the process

When the process isdone for longer duration, the dravadravya must be replenished as per need

 

Use

To do swedana of various drugs

Shodhana of VAtsanabhi

Shodhana Of Shanka

Swedani Yantra

 

 As the name suggest , this Yantra or apparatus is used for doing Swedana of drugs , the term meaning of “Swedani” in Monier and Williams dictionary is given as , boiler /cooking Here in this apparatus drug is subjected to vapours of the dravadravya for specific time.

Reference

साम्बुस्थालीमुखाबद्धे वस्त्रे पाक्यं निवेशयेत् ।

पिधाय पच्यते तत्र स्वेदनी यन्त्रमुच्यते

                                                                                Ra ra sa 9/5

 

Diagram

Construction

·         A pot is taken and it is  filled with liquid.

·         It is covered with a cloth which is fastened with a strong thread at the neck of the pot.

·         The material to be subjected for purification is spread on the cloth and closed with a sarāva (earthen plate ) joints are sealed with mud-smeared cloth pieces.

·         After the sealing is dried, the set is kept on the stoveaand  heated up to the time mentioned

·         Later after cooling , the pot is taken from stove and the processed drug is collected carefully

While doing paka

·         Mandagni must be maintained

·         If the dravadravya as drugs like ksheera, gomutra etc then its is better to fill half to avoid the spillage

 

Use

Guggulu shodhanam

 

Damaru Yantra

 

Introduction

Damdaru is an muscical instrument used for percussion. It is believd that Lord Shiva have been using this instrument during his Tandava Dance. As the shape of the apparatus resembles that of this Damaru vadya, this Yantra is named as Damaru Yantra. This Yantra has been used for Various karmas in Rasashastra

Reference

यन्त्रस्थाल्युपरि स्थालीं न्युब्जां दत्वा निरुन्धयेत् ।

यन्त्रम् डमरुकाख्यं तद्रसभस्मकृते हितं ॥

 

Explanation

 Two mud pots of similar shape and size are selected

In one mud pot the raw material to be processed are placed and second mud pot is place over the first one upside down, in such a way that mouth/orifice of both mud pots joints together

The joints are sealed with mud smeared cloth (sandhi bandhana with Mrit vastra) and the dried in shade

Whole apparatus is taken and place over a furnace carefully (mud pot which contains the drug (lower mud pot ) must come in contact with agni)

Paka is done for the prescribed time period , and after that it is allowed to cool and drug is collected form the inner part of upper pot.

Diagram

 

 

Uses

Parada bhasmeekarana

Rasapushpa Nirmaana

Pātana Yantra

 

According to the text Budha Sassana, Concise Pali-English Dictionary, meaning of term Pātana is mentioned as Falling/ bringing down /killing. According to the text book “The Alchemical Body  by David Gordon white, Pātana, the “sublimation” or “distillation” of mercury refers to the three processes by which mercury is distilled upwards, downwards, or transversally.

This apparatus is very much used in processing of Parada, especially in the Paatana Samskara (one of the samskara in Ashtasamskara). This apparatus is mainly used to separate parade from other ingredients. When the mixture of drug is processed in this apparatus parada will sublimated and separates out.

There are three types of Pātana Yantra

a )Urdhwa patana Yantra

b) Adha patana Yantra

c) Tiryak Patana Yantra 

 

these instruments are names as per the direction in which the separation (patana) takes place. In urdhwa patana yantra  during the process parade will get separated to upward direction and will get settled in the upper part of the apparatus while in the other two it is in towards the downward direction and sidewards subsequently.

 

Urdhwa patana yantra

 

Reference

अष्टाङ्गुल परिणाहमानाहेन दशाङ्गुलं ।

चतुरङ्गुलोत्सेधं तोयाधारम् गलदधः ॥

अधोभाण्ड मुखं तस्य भाण्डस्योपरिवर्त्तिनः ।

षोडशाङ्गुलविस्तीर्णपृष्टस्यास्ये प्रवेशयेत् ॥

पार्श्वयोर्महिषिक्षीरचूर्णमण्डूर फाणितैः ।

लिप्त्वा विशोषयेत् सन्धिं जलाधारे जलं क्षिपेत् ।

चुल्ल्यामारोपयेदेतत्पातनायन्त्रमुच्च्यते

Ra ra sa

 

Two mud pots of same size and shape are taken

In one mud pot (lower pot ) raw drug to be processed  is placed and second mud pot (upper pot ) is placed over the lower pot upside down and joints are sealed properly wih mrit vastra(mud smeared cloth)

 

 

On the external part of upper pot a construction of 8 angula width and 10 angula length  and 4 angula height is constructed carefully.

Joints of pot and the qualdrilateral tank (Toyadhaara) constructed must be sealed with , mahishi dugdha bhavita combination of  Quicklime ,Mandura and Phanita.

Care fully this whole apparatus is place over chullika/Stove, water is filled in the Toyadhara and then paka is done theekshnagni for specific time.

Diagram

Uses

Urdhwapatana of Parada

 

 

 

 

Adhapatana Yantra

Introduction

Adhapatana Yantra is one among three types of Patana yantra.

In this yantra the raw material to be processed is placed in the upper pot and the separation takes place in downward direction.

Reference

अथोर्ध्वभाजने लिप्तस्थापितस्य जले सुधीः  ।

दीपतैर्वनोपलः कुर्यादधः पातं प्रयत्नतः ॥

                                ra ra sa 

Two mud pots of same size and shape are taken

In one mud pot (lower pot ) water  is filled up to half of its capacity  and second mud pot (upper pot ) is placed over the lower pot upside down in which the inner portion is applied with the paste of raw material to be processed and joints are sealed properly wih mrit vastra(mud smeared cloth).

The whole apparatus is place in a pit dug is as per the diameter and height of appararus ,pit must be dug in such a height that the small portion of upper pot must be exposed out on which the Upalas are ket of ignited.

Process is continued for specific time and after which the apparatus is carefully taken (after cooling ) and product is obtained from the bottom portion of lower pot.

Diagram 

Tiryak Patana Yantra

 

Introduction

Tiryakpatana Yantra is one among three types of Patana yantra.

In this yantra the raw material to be processed is placed in the upper pot and the separation takes place in sideward direction.

Distillation apparatus is often compared to this yantra, or rather Tiyakpatana yantra can be considered as the primitive stage of Distillaion apparatus

Reference

क्षिपेद्रसं घटे दीर्घे नताधोनालसंयुते ।

तन्नालं निक्षिपेद्न्यघट कुक्ष्यान्तरे खलु ॥

तत्र रुध्वा मृदा सम्यग्वदने घटयोरधः ।

अधस्ताद्रस कुम्भस्य ज्वालयेत्तीव्रपावकम् ॥

इतरस्मिन् घटे तोयं प्रक्षिपेत्स्वादु शीतलम् ।

तिर्यक्पातनमेतद्धिः वार्त्तिकैरभिधीयते ॥

 

 

Two mud pots are taken here ,one is bigger one with elongated shape (neck portion is longer than normal )second pot is smaller pot

Rasa /Parada to be processed is placed in deergha ghata (big pot) and at the neck portionof the pot a small hole is made carefully

Through which a appropriate sized hollow bamboo reed is inserted and the second end of reed is place to the centre of second small pot

Both mud pots are closed with lids and all the joints are sealed with mud smeared cloth

Paka is done to bigger pot (Pot which contains parada)

Smaller pot is cooled down frequently by sprinkling sheeta jala over it.

After processing for prescribed time, small pot is taken carefully a lid is removed and parada is collected

Diagram

Uses 

Parada samskara