Concept of Yantra and their modern correlation

Concept of Yantra and their modern correlation

1. Concept of Yantra BY: DR. PAVAN V H 2 nd Year pg scholar dept. of rsbk amv , hubli

2. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION DEFINITION OF YANTRA NUMBER OF YANTRAS IN VARIOUS TEXTS NOMENCLATURE DETAIL EXPLANATION OF YANTRAS ARTICLE CONCLUSION DISCUSSION

3. INTRODUCTION Rasashastra deals with metallic, mineral and poisonous drugs. These drugs are pharmaceutically processed and rendered fit for internal administration. For the various processing of rasa,uparasadi dhatus and for the preparation of medicines, specific apparatus called 'Yantras' are needed. Metals and minerals are required to undergo certain processes like shodhana , jarana , marana , satwapatana etc before they could be administered into the body and all these processes could only be achieved with the help of yantras .

4. DEFINITION OF YANTRA

5. NUMBER OF YANTRAS IN VARIOUS TEXTS S.N Classical Reference NO.Of Yantras 1 Rasarnavam 5 2 Rasendra Choodamani 30 3 RasaRatna Samuchaya 32 4 Rasendra Sara Sangraha 9 5 Rasa Tarangini 20

6. NOMENCLATURE Based on shape- Damaru yantra , Kachapa-yantra . Based on function- Svedana yantra , Jarana-yantra , Patana Yantra . Based on material- valuka yantra, Lavana -yantra Based on the designer of Yantra – Vidyadhara Yantra by saint Vidyadhara .

7. Ulukhala yantra Shape: A deep vessel shaped Made with: Wood/Stone/Iron Height: 16 angula Width: 10 angula Depth: 13 angula Structure: Soft, Shiny, Strong Pestle ( Peshini )Made With: wood/Stone/Iron length: 20 angula Usage: Pounding different herbals (Leaves, roots, tubers etc ) Minerals ( Rasoparasa and loha )

8. Khalva yantra Shape : Circular or elliptical Made with : Stone or iron Structure : bigger, strong (Inner surface soft & smooth) Types : Vartulaakaara , Droniroopa Usage : Pounding or triturating different types of herbal and mineral drugs

9. Vartula Khalva yantra Shape: Circular Made with : Stone/Iron Height: 11 angula Width: 12 angula Thickness (wall): 2 inch Depth: 09 angula Structure: body should be uniform, soft & of neelakamala varna Pestle ( Peshini ) Made With: Stone/Iron length: 14 angula Usage: Pounding & trituration

10. Dronirupa Khalva Yantra Shape: Elliptical Made with: Stone/Iron Height: 7 angula Length :16 angula Width: 12 angula Thickness (wall): 2 inch Structure: body should be uniform, soft Pestle ( Peshini ) Made With : Stone/Iron length: 12 angula Usage:Pounding & trituration

11. Tapta Khalva Yantra Made with: Iron/carbon steel Height: 6 angula Length: 9 angula (18cms) Width & depth: 6 angula (12cms) Pestle ( Peshini )Made With: Iron/carbon steel length: 8 angula (16cms) Usage: Parada shodhana this khalva yantra is placed over an iron stand specially meant to place this yantra . While trituration process is carried out, the 'glowing charcoal' are placed in a ' sarava ' & kept beneath the khalva yantra . The heat generates below keeps the yantra warm and assists

12. Dola Yantra A pot of required size is half filled with water/ drava dravyas . Neck of the pot is pierced so that 2 holes are produced exactly opposite to each other. A firm rod is passed through holes, to the middle of which pottali is hung with strong thread. Use: Swedana and Shodhana of Rasa aushadha

13. PATANA YANTRA The ' Patana procedure & the ' Patana yantra ' are the rudimentary forms of present-day 'distillation process' & 'simple distillation apparatus'. As per our classics there are 3 types of ' patana yantra ' as mentioned below: 1. Urdhva Patana Yantra 2. Adhah Patana Yantra 3. Tiryak Patana yantra

14. Urdhva Patana Yantra For the construction of Urdhwapatana yantra a toyadhara measuring 10x8x4 angulas should be constructed over the bottom of an earthen pot of 16 angula diameter, kept upside down. Material for distillation is taken in another pot, whose mouth should fit properly in to 1st pot. Joint should be sealed with mixture of buffalo-milk, slaked lime, powder of mandura and phanita Use : Upward sublimation of mercury from hingula and patana samskara of parada

15. Adhah Patana Yantra If the same set up is used for conducting a down ward distillation, the apparatus is called adha patana yantra . External surface of bottom of upper pot is heated using cowdung cakes so as to supply heat to substances pasted inside. Water has to be taken in the lower pot. Use : Downward sublimation of mercury from hingula and patana samskara of parada

16. Tiryak Patana yantra Parada triturated with specified medicinal drugs is taken in an earthen pot which is connected to a long tube at its neck. Direction of this tube should be diagonally downwards. This tube is inserted into long neck of another pot and the both joints are sealed with mud. Pot containing Parada is strongly heated from below, while other pot contain cold water. Importance of Patana Samskara : To remove the naga , vanga , doshas from parada

17. Kachapa yantra In a large pan water is filled. A slight smaller pan which can float is kept in water. In this inner pan a crucible containing medicine ( parada , gandhaka etc.) is kept which is covered with a strong dome shaped earthen lid. The edge of the lid is properly sealed with wet mud. Heat is to be applied to the lid from all sides using coal prepared from khadira , kola, etc. Use : This yantra is prominently used for Gandhaka jarana

18. Damaru yantra Damaru yantra is named as it resembles like the musical instrument of Lord Shiva Apparatus in which one pot is kept inverted over the other and the joint sealed, is termed as damaru yantra . The lower vessel is filled with medicinal drugs. Vessel is placed over fire for desired period. Uses : Upper sublimation of mercury, arsenic etc Preparation of Hingulotta parada and rasa bhasma

19. Palika yantra A round iron container with long vertical handle bend at the end is called palika yantra. Used for taking out oil, jarana of  gandhaka  etc. Darvika Yantra • A bigger spoon like structure with deeper head and long handle is  Darvika  Yantra. Lavana yantra If Lavana (salt) is used in place of sand in Valuka yantra then the apparatus is called  Lavana  yantra.

20. Valuka yantra Narrow mouthed and long neck glass bottle is taken and is enwrapped with mud smeared cloth 7 times. The bottle is 2/3rd filled with drug and is placed at the center of strong iron bucket and filled from all sides with sand upto the neck. Vessel is placed over Bhatti and required heat is given. Used for preparation of majority of Kupipakwa   rasayana .

21. Bhudhara yantra Medicine enclosed in a sealed crucible is buried in a pit which is filled with two- angula thick sand from all sides. It is heated with specific number of dry cow dung cakes from above. This is called Bhudhara  Yantra. Usd for preparation of Rasa bhasma

22. vidyadhara yantra • Material to be heated is taken in a pot. • A second pot filled with water is kept upright over the first and the joints are sealed. • Lower pot is heated from below. • Used for the extraction of pure mercury from cinnabar.

23. Patala Yantra A wider cylindrical pit is made (about 18 inches depth).Walls of pit is cemented, so that mud does not sip in. A porous metallic vessel with drugs is placed over an open vessel. An inverted mud pot is placed over the metallic vessel. The base of pot is properly sealed with edges of pit. Required number of cow dungs are ignited over the base of pot. This is Patala yantra. It is used to extract oil from herbal drugs. Eg :- Bhallataka Tail patana , Karanja Taila   Patana  etc.

24. Tula Yantra • Two even sized brinjal shaped vrintak mushas are connected and sealed their neck. • Suddha parada and gandhak are put one in each musha and closed with lids. • Entire apparatus is kept over Valuka yantra and heated. • This yantra is called Tula yantra. Used for Gandhaka jarana in Parada.

25. Swedani Yantra • A wide mouthed pot is filled with water.and placed over fire. • The mouth of vessel is tied with clean cotton cloth. Over the cloth drug is placed and covered with sarava . • The pot is placed over fire and drug is exposed to hot water  vapour . Used for Swedana of drug material with hot water  vapours .

26. Sthali yantra • A pot containing metal or mineral drug is closed and sealed with a suitable lid. • The pot is placed over the fire, such yantra is  sthali  yantra. Ghata Yantra • A pot with capacity of 4 prastha (3 litr .) and which has neck of 4 angula circumference, is called as  Ghata  Yantra.

27. Ancient and modern Machinery and Equipments Ancient equipment Modern equipment Chullika , Angara kosthi Gas stove, electric heater Khalva yanytra Juice expeller,wet grinder Ulukhala yanta Pulverizer Tiryak yantra Simple distillation Dry in shade or hot sun Hot air oven Manual rolling of pills Tablet making machine Mrtpatra,sarava Wooden drums, Glass jar ,Stainless steel

28. Conclusion : From a review of yantras said in classics, it can be seen that even before the advent of modern instruments currently being used in the pharmacies, acharyas have devised yantras specific to meet the needs of each and every processes described. And all these were designed suitably to unravel the therapeutic potentials of various metals, minerals and drugs.

29. Discussion In Rasa Tarangini there are 20 Yantra names are referenced and a large portion of the yantras are utilized in various drug systems of the text with their underlying depiction. Naming of these yantras are based on shape, material utilized for their arrangement and the techniques for those they are utilized. In Rasashastra, many of the medicinal substances used for treating various ailments are derived from metals like mercury, lead, and gold. Yantras are often used during the process of sodhana (purification) to ensure that these metals become suitable for medicinal use. There are various types of yantras used in Rasashastra, and each serves a different purpose based on the type of medicine being prepared such as the Kubera Yantra for wealth and prosperity or the Vajra Yantra for strength and healing. There is nadika yantra is additionally referenced for the water refining.

30. Conclusion Yantras play an important role in parada samskara and rasoushadhi nirmana . As per Rasasastra , metals and minerals needs to undergo specific procedures like shodhana , marana etc before they could be administered into the body. All of this could be achieved with the help of yantras. Beyond their medicinal use, yantras are considered to have a spiritual dimension, connecting the practitioner with higher consciousness or divine energies. The use of yantras reflects the Ayurvedic philosophy of treating the body, mind, and spirit as interconnected. This holistic approach enhances the healing power of the medicines prepared through Rasashastra.