Rasendra Mangalam of nagarjuna

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Academic Career— Studied and in 1951 and 1953 graduated and post graduated from Government Ayurvedic College Jaipur respectively with first position throughout and obtained gold medals.

Acquired Highest Proficiency in Ayurveda i.e. first class in first in the first batch of H.P.A. from Jamnagar (Gujarat) in 1958.

Service Career— Served in Government of Rajasthan as a physician and worked as Divisional inspector, Jodhpur during 195 455. Appointed as first post graduate Assistant Professor for Dravyaguna in 1958. Taught Rasahãstra, Bhaishajya Kalpana etc. and guided 400 compilations on single herb/drug, more than 150 P.G. and 7 Ph.D. dissertations. Retired in 1995 as Dean cum Hospital Superintendent, Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar (India).

After retirement living as permanent resident of Japan for the development of Ayurvedic Education and working as Patron, AIIHIORE PRATISTHANAM, OSAKA AYURVEDA KENKYUSHO.

Framed— HINDI SAMAJA in 1960 in Jamnagar under which a Shishu Vihära Hindi High School is in function.

Served on deputation— for 2 years as Director- Principal and framed the National Institute of Ayurveda at Jaipur during 1979-81.

Rasa-sãstra is a new development in Ayurveda as it is not mention in traditional eight specialties. Primarily its objective was to make the fragile human body stable so as to enable one to strive for worldly enjoyment and salvation. This was known as Deha-Vedha later extended to treatment of various disorders. The ancient texts of Rasaãstra such as Rasari:iava and Rasa Hdaya-Tantra contain materials of Deha Vedha only and no treatments of diseases as found in Rasa Ratna Sammuchaya.

Rasendra-Maiigal, apart from describing the Sarhskãras of pãrada describes certain formulations applicable in diseases like Gulma, Kãmalä etc. Moreover, in the beginning it has been said that one who follows this text would not fail in treatment of diseases as Nagarjuna himself declared. It indicates two things. First, the text is of later origin and secondly that the author is different from Nägarjunas mentions here and there and it is also difficult to say definitely which Nagãrjuna was the author of this text. The editor of the present text has already enumerated several Nagarjunas.

The text was published in 1924; it is not clear what manuscript it was based on. This published text contains 1-4 chapters. The present edition is based on two other manuscripts one from Jamnagar and other from Bikaner. But still the text remains incomplete because the entire text contains eight chapters. It is learnt that chapters 5-8 are available in manuscript with the Wellcome Institute of History of Medicine, London. In this way, the present edition may be called as the first part while the remaining four chapters would make the second part, then only the text can be taken as complete. It is expected from the editor that he would not take rest until the remaining second part is duly edited and published.

Kaviraja Han Shankar Sharma is a well known name in the field of Rasa-sãstra. He has profound scholarship and long experience in the subject and has ably edited this present text. I congratulate him for this important contribution to Ayrvedic literature with a request to complete the second part as early as possible.

Nagarjuna’ s Rasendramangalam was originally written in Sanskrta. The copies of this manuscript are available in Telugu, Malayãlam, Devanagari and other scripts. The text was edited only once and published by l3huva nehvari Pitha, Gondal (Gujarat) in 1924. In this edition many misprints and incomplete portion of verses are kept as it is without any attempt to complete the verses. Presently the book is out of print.

The work has eight chapters. But only first four chapters were available in the published edition and manuscripts. I have compared this published edition with manuscripts obtained, from the Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar and Rajasthan Prãcya Vidyã Pratisthãna, Government Office, Bikaner. The first four sections are ready and presented here with. English and Hindi translations and notes. However the Bikaner ms. has been mainly followed by me and the left-out portion has been completed with the other edition and Jamnagar copy.

About the Manuscript Following information on manuscripts will be of interest

1. Verses in Jamnagar copy have no serial numbers, but the verses are given chapter wise.
2. Verses in Bikaner copy are serially numbered irrespective of chapters which run unto folia 15 and verse 216. Thereafter the serial number is given according to the subject and not according to verses.
3. There are 37 folia in Jamnagar manuscript, 56 folia in Bikaner manuscript.
4. Names of drugs available in the manuscript are written in Roman script
5. Copier’s mistakes are corrected, proper titles of the subject are also supplied where the copier is silent.
6. As far as I know the remaining four chapters are available in the custody of the Welcome Institute of History of Medicine, London. NWI/2BN 183 EUSTON Road, on receiving remaining 4 chapters, the leftout project will be completed.

Authorship

There were many Nagarjunas referred to in the history of sciences of India. The originator of Mahyna cult following Bauddha Mdhyamika philosophy is referred to as Nagarjuna. He is perhaps the writer of kakaputa who seems to have followed the Bauddha cult and its theory of Prajiiaparamitã. The Kakaputa also refers to a conversation between Ratnaghoa and Vata yaksini which took place in the presence of Nagarjuna. Conversations between Nãgarjuna and Salivähana are also quoted in Kak.aputa. Site of conversations was, Srtraila which is situated in Andhra Pradesh near Hyderabad and Nagarjunakoiida.

The originator of Unyavãda and Madhyamika cult under Bauddha tradition flourished in SAlivãhana kingdom during 2nd century A.D. This Nägarjuna seems to be a different person from the author of Rasendramangalam. Dalhaiãcarya, the commentator of Sugruta refers to one Nãgarjuna as editor of Suruta. He is also a different person.

Pandit Kumãrajiva has written in 401 A.D. in Sanskrta on the life of one Nãgarjuna. It was translated into Chinese language and is now available. The letter written by Nãgarjuna in Sanskta (Pali) entitled ãrya nãgãrjuna bodhisattva suhrllekhã, was translated into Tibetan and Chinese languages. He was Arya Nagarjuna. A PrAkrta story book, Lilävati quotes about NAgärjuna Pottta and Kumãrila during the kingdom of ãtavãhana. This is again a different Nagarjuna.

Nagãrjuna, the author of Rasendramangaiam, is supposed to have written another work entitled Rasaratnãkara. But he is not the author of Kakaaputa Tantram and Arogya Mañjari, though these texts are wrongly attributed to him,

Nagarjuna, as quoted in the text of Rasendramangalam (1.1) prays, “natvà surendram iivasaukhyddãyakam”, and chapter 4-49, 728 and in his various yogas, effects of formulas were given in the name of Brahmã, Viu and Rudra, etc. of Hindu cult proves him to be of HINDU DHARMIN. Therefore it is presumed that Nagãrjuna, the writer of Rasendramangalam was a aiva, different from the author of Kaksaputa. Possibly he also belonged to Siddha cult. The treatise Prabandha Cintãmaiii quotes about him. The Nãgãrjuna was also a disciple of Pãdalipta SUn. He was successful in Dhãtuvãdq for conversion of lower metal into noble metal. He was also a good physician. He is believed to have flourished during 7-8 century A.D. He has collected few references from other authors also as on chapter: l/19,21;31154,156 and 4/37 etc.

It proves the presence of other subject experts on mercurials and mercury before and during the time of this writer so cal1d Nagarjuna.

He has given a universal factor for procuring drugs to make mercury under different processes of Khoa, Bandha, CUrna, Vedha etc. as quoted at chapter 4-78 as “Yatha-labha+usadhi-Ghrstam, Sabijam Sütabandhanam” and “Samyag guru prasãdena”“Dravyaih sthãvara-jangamaih” 4-81 etc. references. It supports the broad mindedness of this Nagarjuna for research work.

Let scientists apply their mind and do needful to win the poverty and ailments of mankind.