HIRANYAM = AS DEALT IN RASARNAVA

                                           

Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi is said to be the embodiment of Hiranyam or Gold.  In the Vedic lore, the Sri Suktam praises her thus "हिरण्यवर्णां हरिणीम्" .  The Vajanseyi samhita notes that Gold was Hiranya, Iron was Syama (also Syama Ayas), Lead was sisa, Tin was Trapu, Lohita Ayas was Copper, because of its red color. There are many synonyms for Gold in Sanskrit – Hiranyam, Hemam, Kanakam, Kancanam, Hatakam, Jataroopam, Suvarnam etc.

A Sanskrit reference from the Chāndogya Upaniṣad in the form of a simile, dealing with joining of gold pieces by solid state diffusion bonding without the use of any external filler metal, is discussed.

Sources of Gold

The book Rasarnavam on metallurgy says that (VII-99)

रसजं क्षेत्रजं चैव लोहसङ्करजं तथा। त्रिविधं जायते हेम चतुर्थं नोपलभ्यते॥

Gold is obtained from chemicals, mines and mixture of Metals.

Gold Mining By Ants

MahaBharatam the great epic points outs that (II-52.54)

 तद्वै पिपीलिका नाम उद्धृतं यत्पिपीलिकैः। तद्रूपं द्रोणमेयमहार्षुः पुञ्जाशो नृपाः॥

That gold by name Pipilika, taken out by ants, kings and representatives of subjects gave in a measure of Drona to Yudhishthira.

Used In Paintings

Gold is denoted by another Sanskrit term Kanaka and represents one of the materials used to make colours in the ancient Indian tradition of Citras (paintings) according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy. In the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, various materials are seen to be used to make colours. e.g., Gold (kanaka). Also, five colours are regarded as the primary ones, (viz., white, yellow, colour of vilomata, black, dark blue.). A painter can create hundreds or thousands of colours by amalgamating the primary colours.

In Iconography

The Golden complexion is associated with Indra in iconography.  According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, the image of Śakra or Indra should be golden in complexion and should wear blue garments. The statue of Śakra should be placed on an elephant which have four tusks. Thus it is clear that the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa offers a great field of knowledge regarding the nuances of Indian art of Image making [e.g., the golden complexion of Indra] during 10^th-11th century A.D.

Medicianl Properties of Gold

The another work Rasa Ratna Samucchayam on metallurgy describes that (V-3 & V-20)

आयुर्लक्ष्मीप्रभाधीस्मृतिकरमखिलव्याधिविध्वंसि पुण्यं

भूतावेशप्रशान्तिस्मरभरसुखदं सौख्यपुष्टिप्रकाशि।

गाङ्गेयञ्चाथ रूप्यं गदहरमजराकारि मेहापहारि

क्षीणानां पुष्टिकारि स्फुटमतिकरणं वीर्यवृद्धिप्रकारि॥

स्निग्धं मेध्यं विषगदहरं बृंहणं वृष्यमग्र्यं यक्ष्मोन्मादप्रशमनमपरं देहरोगप्रमाथि।

मेधावृद्धिस्मृतिसुखकरं सर्वदोषामयघ्नं रुच्यं दीप्तिप्रशमितरुजं स्वादुपाकं हिरण्यम् ॥

Gold enhances life-span, wealth, body complexion, intellect and memory, eradicates the evil spirit and is good aphrodisiac, brings about a sense of well-being, provides nourishment to the body, it is unctuous, is a good brain tonic, cures Yakshma, Unmada and many other like diseases, improves the retention power, grasping power, cures the diseases originated from there doshas (Kapha, Vata & Pittha), improves the taste and digestive powers, It is sweet in cooking and it wards off all types of diseases.

(This blog post is a part of Blogchatter's #BlogchatterA2Z2023)