Rasayana

This article is part of a series on
Alternative and pseudo‑medicine
General information Alternative medicine Alternative veterinary medicine Quackery (Health fraud) History of alternative medicine Rise of modern medicine Pseudoscience Antiscience Skepticism Skeptical movement National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Terminology of alternative medicine
Fringe medicine and science Acupressure Acupuncture Anthroposophic medicine Apitherapy Applied kinesiology Aromatherapy Auriculotherapy Bach flower remedies Bates method Biorhythm Black salve Bodywork Bonesetter Bowen technique Breathwork Camel urine Cow urine Cancer treatments Greek cancer cure Charcoal cleanse Chiropractic Chiropractic treatment techniques Vertebral subluxation Christian Science Chromotherapy Colon cleansing Coffee enema Colorpuncture Craniosacral therapy Crystal healing Cupping therapy Detoxification Foot baths Duesberg hypothesis Ear candling Energy medicine Esoteric energy Therapeutic touch Facilitated communication Feldenkrais Method Functional medicine Hair analysis Herbal medicine Holistic dentistry Hologram bracelet Homeopathy Biological terrain assessment Hypnotherapy Iridology Ionized jewelry Lightning Process Lymphotherapy Medical intuitive Mesmerism Magnet therapy Manual therapy Megavitamin therapy Mind–body interventions MMS Myofascial release NAET Naturopathy Oil pulling Orgone Orthomolecular medicine Orthopathy Osteomyology Osteopathy Parapsychology Phrenology Psychic surgery Psychodermatology Radionics Rapid prompting method RBOP Reiki Reflexology Rolfing Scientific racism ThetaHealing Thought Field Therapy Urine therapy Urophagia Vaginal steaming Vision therapy Vitalism Young blood transfusion Zero balancing
Conspiracy theories Anti-fluoridation/Water fluoridation movement Anti-vaccination Vaccines causing autism Big Pharma conspiracy theory GMO conspiracy theories HIV/AIDS denialism Discredited HIV/AIDS origins theories OPV AIDS hypothesis
Classifications Allopathic medicine Alternative medical systems Mind–body intervention Biologically-based therapy Manipulative methods Energy therapy
Traditional medicine African Muti South African Ayurveda Ayurvedic acupressure Dosha Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health Balneotherapy Brazilian Bush medicine Cambodian Chinese Blood stasis Chinese herbology Dit Da Gua sha Gill plate trade Meridian Moxibustion Pressure point Qi San Jiao Tui na Zang-fu Chumash Curandero Faith healing Iranian Jamu Kambo Japanese Korean Mien Shiang Mongolian Prophetic medicine Shamanism Shiatsu Siddha Sri Lankan Thai massage Tibetan Unani Vietnamese
Diagnoses Adrenal fatigue Aerotoxic syndrome Autistic enterocolitis Candida hypersensitivity Chronic Lyme disease Electromagnetic hypersensitivity Heavy legs Leaky gut syndrome Multiple chemical sensitivity Wilson's temperature syndrome Wind turbine syndrome
v t e

In early ayurvedic medicine, rasāyana (Pali and Sanskrit: रसायन, "path of essence") is the practice of techniques for lengthening lifespans and invigorating the body.^[1] It is one of the eight areas of medicine in Sanskrit literature.^[2] In Vedic alchemy, "rasa" also means "metal" or "a mineral".^[3]

The 11th-century Persian scholar Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī noted an Indian science named Rasāyana, focused on restoring health and rejuvenation through plant-derived medicines. Nagarjunacharya conducted experiments in his laboratory called "Rasashala" and authored Rasaratanakaram, detailing alchemical transformations of metals. Al-Bīrūnī conflated the earlier rasāyana practices with rasaśāstra alchemy.

Rasaśāstra utilized alchemical processes involving substances like mercury and cinnabar. This practice extended beyond metals, incorporating the preparation of medical tinctures from plants. Rasaśāstra's goals included longevity, health, cognitive enhancement, virility, and extraordinary abilities. Its historical influence was evident in the Ajanta and Ellora cave paintings, the Vishnustambha monument, and the Kondivade caves' processed wood sample.

In contemporary times, rasāyana remains relevant through modern formulations combining herbal wisdom and scientific knowledge, reflecting a continued pursuit of well-being and vitality.

History

The more general name for the Indian science of alchemy or proto-chemistry is Rasaśāstra (रसशास्त्र in Sanskrit), or "The Science of Mercury," in Nepali, Marathi, Hindi, Kannada and several other languages.

Early Indian alchemical texts discuss the use of prepared forms of mercury or cinnabar (see samskaras). However, there is also ample mention of the preparation of medical tinctures in the early science of Indian alchemy.^[4]

Significant progress in alchemy was made in ancient India. An 11th-century Persian chemist and physician named Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī reported

[the Indians] have a science similar to alchemy which is quite peculiar to them. They call it Rasâyana, a word composed with rasa, i.e., gold. It means an art which is restricted to certain operations, drugs, and compound medicines, most of which are taken from plants. Its principles restore the health of those who were ill beyond hope, and give back youth to fading old age...^[5]

Two known examples were Nagarjunacharya and Nityanadhiya. Nagarjunacharya, was one of the prominent chemists in the history of Indian alchemy. He ran many experiments in his laboratory known as the "Rasashala".^[6] His book, Rasaratanakaram is a known example of ancient Indian medicine, in which he describes the procedure of transmuting base metals like mercury, into gold. Due to his contributions and insight in chemistry, he was appointed as chancellor in the university of Nalanda.^[3] From the 14th century onwards, many materials from rasāyana and rasaśāstra were translated and integrated in the Persian texts written by Muslim scholars in South Asia.^[7]

Aim and types

Rasayana therapy enriches rasa with nutrients to help one attain longevity, memory, intelligence, health, youthfulness, excellence of luster, complexion and voice, optimum development of physique and sense organs, mastery over phonetics, respectability and brilliance.

Goals

This section is in list format, but may read better as prose. You can help by converting this section, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (August 2023)

The historical aims of rasāyana were diverse, but the effects attributed to a treatment were typically either longevity, health, intellect, sexuality or magical abilities.^[2]

• Lifespan and ageing
  • Lengthen the lifespan
  • Stay young; stop and reverse ageing and its signs, like wrinkles and greying
• Health
  • Renew or retain functions and senses of the body
  • Overcome diseases, particularly serious and challenging diseases associated with old age
• Cognitive power
  • Remember more
  • Get smarter
  • Understand more
• Virility
  • Boost sexual stamina
  • Get stronger
  • Become more fertile
• Special powers
  • Gain magical powers to manipulate the world
  • Gain supernatural abilities in strength, agility, constitution and longevity

In essence, rasāyana promotes aspects of vitality.^[8]

Types of rasayana

1. Kamya Rasayanas are promoters of normal health. These boost body energy levels, immunity and general health.
   • Pranakamya – Promoter of vitality and longevity
   • Medhakamya – Promoter of intelligence.
   • Srikamya – Promoter of complexion.
   • Naimittika Rasayanas help to fight a specific disease.

In pursuit of these matters, herbal prescriptions with many herbal substances, preserved in ghee and honey are given. Chyawanprasha is one of the traditional rasayanas. Specific adaptogenic herbs are also included in rasayanas including haritaki, amla, shilajit, ashwaganda, holy basil, guduchi and shatavari. Several rasayana herbs have been tested for adaptogenic properties.^[9]

Rasayana formulae

Puri^[10] has given detailed account of classical formulations such as Amrit Rasayana, Brahm Rasayana, Jawahar Mohra, Kamdugdha Ras, Laxami Vilas Ras, Laxman Vilas Ras, Madanoday Modak, Makrdhawaj vati, Manmath Ras, Mukta Panchamrit Rasayana, Nari Kalyan Pak, Navjeevan Ras, Navratna Ras, Navratnakalp Amrit, Panchamrit Ras, Paradi Ras, Ramchuramni Ras, Rattivalbh Pak, Shukar Amrit Vati, Smritisagar Ras, Suvarn Malini Vasant, Suvarn Vasant Malti, Swapanmehtank, Vasant Kusmakar Ras, Visha Rasaayana, Vrihda Vangeshwar Rasa.

These classical Rasayana formulas, contain a large number of ingredients, including minerals, pearl, coral and gems, and include a specially processed mercury (the word Ras indicates mercury as an ingredient). Because of negative publicity and cost factor, the use of the classical rasayana formulas has declined considerably, and most of the preparations available now have herbal ingredients with a couple of mineral and animal products. The non-availability and wild life protection act has made the use of musk, amber, and parts of wild-life animals nearly impossible.

The current Rasayana formulas are based on such ingredients as amla (Emblica officinalis) which, if fresh, has high content of vitamin C, Terminalia belerica, Terminalia chebula, Shilajit, Long pepper, Black pepper, Ginger, processed Guggul, Guduchi, Ashwaganda, Shatavari and similar ingredients.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• A History of Hindu Chemistry, a two-volume book by Prafulla Chandra Ray published in 1902 and 1909
• History of metallurgy in the Indian subcontinent
• Rasashastra
• Raseśvara
• Siddha medicine

References

Further reading

• Balasubramani, Subramani Paranthaman; Venkatasubramanian, Padma; Kukkupuni, Subrahmanya Kumar; Patwardhan, Bhushan (2011). "Plant-based Rasayana drugs from Ayurveda". Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine 17 (2): 88–94. doi:10.1007/s11655-011-0659-5. PMID 21390573. 
• Puri, H. S. (2006). Ayurvedic Minerals, Gems and Animal Products for Longevity and Rejuvenation. Delhi: India Book Store.  Scientific details of all the ingredients other than herbs used as rasayana in ayurveda are given.
• Tillotson, Alan Keith; Tillotson, Nai-shing Hu; Abel, Robert Jr. (2001). The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese, Western, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments. Kensington press. ISBN 978-1-57566-617-4. 
• Vayalil, Praveen K.; Kuttan, Girija; Kuttan, Ramadasan (2002). "Rasayanas: Evidence for the Concept of Prevention of Diseases". The American Journal of Chinese Medicine 30 (1): 155–71. doi:10.1142/S0192415X02000168. PMID 12067090. 
• Winston, David; Maimes, Steven (2007). Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief. Healing Arts Press.  Contains monographs and information on health benefits for rasayana herbs that are identified as adaptogens.

0.00 (0 votes) Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasayana. Read more