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Journal of Ayurvedic and Herbal Medicine 2017; 3(4): 222-224

Research Article Significance of Puta in Bhasmikarana with special reference to


ISSN: 2454-5023 Sankha Bhasma
J. Ayu. Herb. Med.
2017; 3(4): 222-224 Dr. Sreeja Kaimal V1, Dr. Vineeth PK2, Dr. Ramesh NV3, Dr. K Unnikrishna Pillai4
© 2017, All rights reserved 1 PG Scholar, Department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, School of Ayurveda, Amrita University,
www.ayurvedjournal.com Amritapuri, Kerala, India
Received: 01-10-2017 2 Assistant Professor, Department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, School of Ayurveda, Amrita University,
Accepted: 02-11-2017 Amritapuri, Kerala, India
3 Professor, Department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, School of Ayurveda, Amrita University, Amritapuri,
Kerala, India
4 Professor, Department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana, School of Ayurveda, Amrita University, Amritapuri,
Kerala, India

ABSTRACT

Rasashastra is the branch which deals with drugs of metals and mineral origin. According to Rasashsastra, procedures
like shodhana and marana are employed to detoxify the metals and minerals. Traditionally Puta is used in the marana
procedure used to obtain bhasma. Sankha is an animal product which is included in sudha varga. Main chemical
constituent of sankha bhasma is calcium carbonate. Sankha bhasma is done usually through puta process which is the
best method as per our Acharyas to enhance its therapeutic efficacy.

Keywords: Rasashastra, Marana, Puta, Sankha bhasma.

INTRODUCTION

Rasashastra is the branch of Ayurveda which was developed in the medieval period. It mainly deals with
the drugs of mineral origin. Various impurities and toxins are present in these minerals. In order to
eliminate these toxins and to make them therapeutically suitable for internal administration procedures
like shodhana, marana are done. The process by which metals and minerals are converted into bhasma
form is called Marana. Puta plays a vital role in bhasmikarana of metals and minerals. For proper
attainment of paka of Rasadi dhatus an ideal quantity of heat is required which should be neither less nor
more, that is called puta [1]. By utilising puta as a device, one can judge whether Samyak Paka of the drug
have been achieved or not. The fire generated with the cow dung cakes help to achieve this Paka [2].

Sankha (Conch shell) is the shell of a marine creature called Turbunella rapa. It belongs to the Mollusc
group. Its chemical composition is CaCO3. They have no bone and are covered by a hard shell. Sankha is
used from vedic period itself. A good Sankha should be round, smooth, with a small opening, bright like
full moon, long and heavy. Rasa kamadhenu says that sankha has katu and kashaya rasa, laghu guna, na -
ushna virya, and properties likekaphaghna, lekhana and raktapittahara [3]. It is used in diseases like
amlapitta, swasa, agnimandya, atisara.

Although the knowledge of Sankha is available from vedic period acharyas included it under different
varga in Table 1.

Table 1: Vargas of Sankha according to different acharyas.

Grantha Varga
*Corresponding author:
Susrutha Samhita [4] Anupa varga
Dr. Sreeja Kaimal V
[5]
PG Scholar, Department of Rasaratnakara Sweta varga
Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Ayurveda prakasa [6] Uparasa varga
Kalpana, School of Ayurveda,
Rasendrasarasangraha [7] Uparasa varga
Amrita University, Amritapuri,
Kerala, India Rasa tarangini [8] Sankhadi varga
Email:
sreejavijayakumarakaimal[at]gmail.com

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Definition of puta Opinions of different Acharyas about the Shodhana and Marana
procedures of Sankha bhasma are described briefly in the table 3 and
The process by which mercury etc. drugs are levigated with herbs, 4.
made into small rounded cakes or pellets, dried and exposed to heat is
altogether called puta. Table 3: Different Shodhana procedures of Sankha bhasma

Types of puta Sl.No Name of text Procedure Bhavanadravya Time


1. Rasa tarangini [9]
Sankha is made into Jambira 12 hours
Puta can be classified into 3 types i.e.; Surya puta, Chandraputa and
small pieces, tied it into Jayanti 3 hours
Agni puta based on the nature of heat given. Based on the intensity of
a poultice and subjected Kanji (sour gruel) 3 hours
heat given Agni puta is again divided into 3 that is Mrdu
to boiling in dolayantra Tanduliyaka 3 hours
agni,Madhyama agni and Tivra agni. Lavaka puta and Kapota Puta can
and wash with hot Nimbukamla 1.5 hour
be included under Mrdu agni, Kukkuta Puta and Varaha puta included
water.
under Madhyama Agni and Gaja Puta and Maha Puta under Teevra
2. Ayurveda Swedana (boiling) in Amla dravya 3 hours
Agni.
prakasa [10] Dola yantra Kanji
Name of puta according to classical texts, its dimension (classical and 3. Rasendrasarasan Swedana in dola yantra Kanji 3 hours
metric system) and the maximum temperature attained by each puta graha [11]
are shown in table 2. 4. Rasamitra [12] Swedana in dolayantra Amla dravya 3 hours
Nimbu swarasa
Table 2: Dimension and temperature attained by different puta Kanji
5. Rasajalanidhi [13] Swedana in dolayantra Amla dravya along
Sl.No Name of the Dimension Max.Temp with kanji
Puta 6. Rasa vaidyaka [14] After heating wash with Mixture of cow’s 6 hours
Classical Metric system (cm3)
water urine, salt and
1. Mahaputa 2 hasta 91x91x91 1000°C for 1 hr.
lemon
2. Gaja puta 1Rajahasta 57x57x57 1000°C for 1 hr.
3. Kukkuta puta 2 vitasti 46x46x46 1000°C for 1/2 hr Table 4: Different Marana procedures of sankha bhasma.
4. Varaha puta 1 Aratni 42x42x42 1000°C for 1/2 hr
Sl. Name of text Procedure Name No. of
5. Laghu puta 8 Upala 23x23x23 800°C for ½ hr
No of puta puta
6. Bhudhara puta - 20x20x20 140°C for ½ hr 1. Rasa tarangini puta vidhi Gaja 2
7. Gorbara puta 1 Vitasti (Ht) 23x23x23 400°C for 4 hr puta
8. Bhanda puta Brihat Bhanda - 400°C for 8 hr 2. Ayurveda Puta vidhi – bhavana with Laghu -
9. Valuka puta Brihat Bhanda - 400°C for 6 hr prakasa Nimbu swarasa puta
3. Rasendra sara Along with tankana heat it in- -
Parts of puta sangraha andha musha and stir by danda
yantra (khalva yantra)
Samputa, upala and chakrika are the materials used in the procedure 4. Rasamitra Burning in heat Gaja 3
of Puta. The place where pellets or chakrikas are kept during the
Puta vidhi – bhavana with puta
incineration is called Samputa. According to various procedures
kumari swarasa
different samputas are utilised which include Sharava samputa,
Kamsya samputa, Lavana samputa, Suranakanda samputa, Patra 5. Rasajala nidhi Along with tankana heat it in - -
samputa etc. An ideal samputa should be inert, neither too thick nor andha musha
too thin, heat stable and not a good conductor of heat. 6. Rasavaidyaka Puta vidhi – along with ghrita Gaja 1
kumari. puta
Upala is used to generate heat in Putas. The synonyms of upalas are 7. Bhaishajya Along with tankana heat it in - -
Pistaka, Chana, Chagana, Utpala, Upala, Girinda, Upalasthi, Karisa and
ratnavali [15] andha musha and stir by danda
Vanopala. In small putas, gorvara (the dried cow dung powder and
husk of paddy) can be used instead of upalas. yantra
8. Yoga ratnakara Sodhana by amla dravya - -
After levigation, the material is made into uniform round shape which [16]

is called chakrikas or pellets. These pellets should be dried under shade


in order to avoid very fast loss of moisture and hence cracking. DISCUSSION

Puta vidhi Acharyas have described various methods for the preparation of
Sankha bhasma. But of these Gaja puta is said to be the best method
Drug should be collected first. In order to remove the chemical and for the preparation of Sankha bhasma. The ideal temperature for the
physical impurities Shodhana should be done. Churnikarana of the bhasmikrana of sankha is around 8000 C which can be achieved easily
material should be done for decreasing the particle size. After through Gajaputa [17].
Churnikarana, Bhavana (Trituration) of the drug should be done with
juices or decoctions of herbs. Then small, flat, round, pellets called The properties of bhasma prepared through puta includes Curnatva -
Chakrikas are made, dried and kept inside an earthen plate (sarava) Breaking the material to a powdered state by providing external heat
and closed with another. Clay smeared cloth should be utilised for to the metal, Laghuta – Lightness, Apunarbhava – Unable to regain its
sealing the earthen plates and should be kept for drying. Then with the original form, Gunadhikya - Potentiation, Agrata – Making the drugs to
help of cow dung cakes the sealed earthen plates are heated. its best form, Anapsu Majjanam –The obtained bhasma will not sink in
water, Rekhapurnata - Occupying the inter ridge spaces of the finger,

223
Sighravyapti - Spreading and occupying very rapidly, Dipanam - 7. Sri. Gopalakrshna Bhatta, Rasendra Sara Sangraha with rasavidyotini Hindi
Increasing the appetite [18]. commentary, Editor Dr. Indradeva Tripathy, 3rd ed., Chaukhambha
orientalia, 2003; 1(119):30.
Previous studies show that there is a marked reduction in the particle 8. Sri. Sadananda Sarma, Rasatarangini, Editor Pandit Kasinatha Sastri, Delhi,
MotilalBanarasidas, 11th edition, 1979; 12(1):285.
size after each and every puta when it is given in proper quantum. The
9. Sri. Sadananda Sarma, Rasatarangini, Editor Pandit Kasinatha Sastri, Delhi,
review of chemical analysis, indicates that percentage of Acid insoluble MotilalBanarasidas, 11th edition, 1979; 12(6-11):285-286.
ash gradually decreases and percentage of Acid soluble ash gradually 10. Acharya Sri Madhava, Ayurveda prakasa, Editor Shri. Gulrajsharma Mishra,
increases as the number of Puta increases indicating its conversion to Chaukhambha Bharati Academy, 1999; 2(264):323.
more assimilatory form [19]. Bhasmas are considered to reduce the 11. Sri. Gopalakrshna Bhatta, Rasendra Sara Sangraha with rasavidyotini Hindi
particle size which increases the bioavailability of the drug. commentary, Editor Dr. Indradeva Tripathy, 3rd ed., Chaukhambha
orientalia, 2003; 1(252):65.
Thermodynamics of puta 12. Trayambak Nath Sharma, Rasamitra, Varanasi, Chaukhamba Sanskrit series
office, 2007; p140-141.
13. Bhudeb Mookerjee, Rasa jala nidhi, 4th ed., Varanasi, Chaukhamba
Different kind of Laws can be utilised for explaining the
publishers, 2004; p.220.
thermodynamics of puta. By using Mechanism of conduction heat flow 14. Vaidya Rameswara Dayala Vajpeyi, Rasavaidyaka, Varanasi, Chaukhambha
in puta can be explained. Heat flows from a hot surface to a cold krishnadasa academy, 2006, 1st chapter, p26.
surface when there is a temperature gradient. Fourier’s law can be 15. Govindadasasen, Bhaishajya ratnavali, Editor Dr. KanjivLochan, vol.1,
used to explain the conduction of heat through the pellet.The area and reprint, Varanasi,Chaukhamba Sanskrit Sansthan, 2008; 2(90):36.
the temperature gradient is proportional to the rate of heat flow 16. Vaidya Lakshmipati Sastri, Yogaratnakara with Vidyotini Hindi
through a uniform material. So the shape of pellets is very much commentary, 7th ed., Varanasi, Chaukhamba Sanskrit Sansthan, 1999;
important. It should be flat in shape, and thickness must be standard to p.164.
17. Aphale Richa, Kadam HM, Kadam SS, Paradakar AR. Studies on Sankha
facilitate the easy flow of heat. Hess’s law of thermodynamics can be
bhasma. I Antacid activity evaluation of Sankha bhasma. Indian journal of
used to explain the exchange of heat from the puta to the pellets pharmaceutical sciences. 1997; Sep-Oct:254-256
inside the sarava samputa.Whether the process takes place in one or 18. Dr. Ashok D Satpute, Rasaratnasamucchaya Sanskrit text with English
several steps, the amount of heat evolved or absorbed in a chemical translation, Delhi, Chaukhambha Sanskrit Pratishthan, 2003; 10(48-
change is the same. Several chemical changes take place to the 50):234.
material inside the putaand it gets changed into compound form. The 19. Jayant Kumar, Pramod Kumar, Puja Sansare, Sanjay Kumar.
energy of heat absorbed by the material and the energy required for Pharmaceutico-analytical study of shankha bhasma prepared by classical
thechemical change are the same inside the earthen plate during and contemporary method. Anveshana ayurveda medical journal. 2015;
1(4):220-225.
putapaka [20].
20. Prashant Sarkar. A comparative pharmaceutico-pharmacoclinical study of
Lauha bhasma and Mandura bhasma W.S.R. to its Pandu-hara effect, RSBK
Nowadays, muffle furnace is used as an alternative for puta. They are Department, IPGT&RA, G.A.U, Jamnagar, p.240-241
of two type Front loading (horizontal) and top loading(vertical).
Generally, muffle furnace has a maximum working temperature of
1100°C – 1200°C. It helps to provide a uniform temperature HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE
throughout the process. Kaimal VS, Vineeth PK, Ramesh NV, Pillai KU. Significance of Puta in
Bhasmikarana with special reference to Sankha Bhasma. Journal of Ayurvedic
CONCLUSION and Herbal Medicine 2017; 3(4):222-224.

Puta is one of the ancient methods utilised by our Acharyas for the
conversion of metals and minerals into bhasmas. Bhasmas which are
considered to have nanoparticle size are more bioavailable than their
original form. Particle size analysis shows that as the number of puta
increases, particle size decreases, making it more fine. The ideal
method explained to obtain bhasmas is through putas. Various
methods are told by Acharyas for the preparation of Sankha bhasma
but among these methods puta is the best method for the preparation
of sankha bhasma. So puta has a significant role in bhasmikarana of
sankha bhasma.

Source of Support: Nil.

Conflict of Interest: None Declared.

REFERENCE

1. Dr. Ashok D Satpute. Rasaratnasamucchaya Sanskrit text with English


translation, Delhi, Chaukhambha Sanskrit Pratishthan, 2003; 10(47):233.
2. Sri. Sadananda Sarma, Rasatarangini, Editor Pandit Kasinatha Sastri, Delhi,
Motilal Banarasidas, 11th edition, 1979; 3(32):35.
3. Vaidyavara Sri Chudamani, Rasakamadhenu, Editor Vaidya Yadavaji
Trikamji Acarya, 2nd ed., Varanasi, Chaukhambha publishers, 2001;
2(165):233.
4. Susruta, Susrutasamhita with Nibandhasangraha commentary, Editor
Vaidya Yadavaji Trikamji Acarya, Varanasi, Chaukhamba Sanskrit sansthan,
Sutrasthana, 46(108), p224.
5. Nityanath Sidha, Rasaratnakara Rdhikhanda with Shasiprabha hindi
annotation, Chaukhambha orientalia, 1991; 2(6):13.
6. Acharya Sri Madhava, Ayurveda prakasa, Editor Shri. Gulrajsharma Mishra,
Chaukhambha Bharati Academy, 1999; 2(1):252.

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