KOSTHI
Koşthi/Koşthika- definition:
सत्त्वादिपातनाद्यां द्रव्यढाल-नसाधिका।
वहिसन्यानिका या तु कोष्टिका सा निगद्यते ।।(R. T. 3/24)
For extraction of dravya sattva and for the purpose of dhalana, the special ovens used are
called as 'koșthika'. Since all the four sides will be covered in this 'kosthika', the intensity
of the fire will be more.
Cullikä/Angāradhānikä:)
The 'cullika' or the 'oven of charcoal' is called with different names such as;
'angāradhānika', 'hasanti', 'hasantika", "ańgāraśakați' and 'hasani". The soft drugs (mrdu
dravya) are heated and melted over this special oven. It is useful in melting vanga (tin),
näga (lead) etc during their śodhana/dhalana.
Sattvapātana koşthi:
For the purpose of liquefying the metals and minerals or for the extraction of their essence
(sattva), different types of 'koșthi' were prepared in olden days and were called
'sattvapātana koşthi' in general.In classics we find, 'Pātāla-koşthi', 'Gāra koşthi' and
'Angāra-kosthi explained in detail. But other than these three, different types of 'kosthi' are
also constructed and used. On a broder basis, the "kosthi" can be categorized
into two types as below:
1. Kosthi (simple oven)
2. Bhastrikä kosthi (ovens fitted with blowers or vankanala)
Vańkanäla:
करप्रमाणं यनालं पित्तलादिविनिर्मितम्। यहाँ
फूत्कारदानाय वङ्कनालं तदुच्यते ।।(R. T. 2/46)
A metallic pipe of roughly one "hasta" (18 inches) length, made of any suit-able
metal (brass, iron, copper etc), used for blowing the fire to intensify the heat is
known as 'vankanala' (blower). It is also called as 'vaktranala' as it is used for
blowing through mouth. This 'vaktranäla" is still in use where the cooking is
done over firewood.Note: Bhastrikä were traditional manual blowers used in
olden days to main-tain the high intensity of heat in ovens. Now a days the
"blowers' (either manual or mechanical) have replaced them.
1. Pātāla-koşthi:
वितस्तिविस्तृतं गर्त भूमौ कुर्याद्विधानतः । तन्मध्ये
वर्तुलं छिद्रं निम्नवेशे प्रकल्पयेत् ।। गर्तमध्यगते
छिद्रे तिर्यङ् नालं निवेशयेत्। नालवक्त्रे च भखाया मुखं
सम्यङ् निरोधयेत् ।। द्रव्यमूषां कोष्ठिकायां निधाय
भत्रया धमेत्। पातालकोष्ठिका होषा मृदुद्रव्यप्रसाधिका
।।(R. T. 3/29-31)
A cylindrical pit measuring 12-angula length (1 vitasti) is made inside the earth. At the base of
this pit, another smaller cylindrical pit measuring 4-angula length is made. The base of the
smaller pit is fixed with one end of a strong tube that runs out through the earth to the surface
by the side of the larger pit. The other end of the tube is connected to a 'vańkanāla' (bellows/air-
blower) placed by the side of the pit on the ground.Now, the top of the smaller pit is fixed with
a strong mesh (lattice) and the larger pit base is filled with one layer of good quality charcoal.
Over that, the drug filled and sealed crucibles are firmly placed. Above them, another layer of
charcoal is filled and ignited. The air blow is regulated with the help of bellows (air blower) to
the smaller pit. The ash from the larger pit trickles down through the mesh and gets collect at
the base of the smaller pit. The bhatti constructed in this manner is called as 'pätäla-koşthikä".
This kosthi is used for 'sattvapatana' of the selected mrdu dravya (soft drugs)
2. GÄRA KOŞTHI:
द्वादशाङ्गुलनिम्ना या
प्रादेशप्रमिता तथा।
चतुरङ्गुलतबोध्वं वलयेन
समन्विता ।। भूरिच्छिद्रवतों
बक्री वलयोपरि निक्षिपेत्।
शिखित्रांस्तत्र निक्षिप्य
प्रथमेद्वङ्कनालतः ।।
गारकोष्ठीयमाख्याता
मुष्टलोहविनाशिनी ।।(R. R. S. 10/43-
44)
A quadrangular oven measuring 12-angula height
and "one pradesa' (enough) length and width is
made either inside the earth as a pit of on a plane
ground. At the base of this pit, about 4 angula
above from the base a strong iron sieve is strongly
fixed in the walls of the koşthi.Above this iron
sieve, the charcoal are filled, sampuțita ausadha
dravya is placed and ignited. The heating process is
kept intense with the help of blower (vankanala).
This type of special oven are called as 'Gara
kosthi". This koşthi is used for melting gold, silver,
copper etc with the intention of removing the
minor alloy metals in it.
3. ANGĀRA-KOŞTHI
नृपहस्तमितोत्सेधे तदर्धायामविस्तृता।
मद्यतश्चतुरस्रा च मृदा च परिलेपिता ।।
चतुरङ्गुलमानेन रन्प्रेण परिशोभिता।
नालिकां समकोणाञ्च रन्ने तिर्यङ्
निवेशयेत् ।। नालिकाया मुखे चैव
भरत्रावक्त्रं निवेशयेत् । आपूर्य
कोकिलैः कोष्ठीं द्रव्यमूषान्वितां धमेत्
।। अङ्गारकोष्ठिका ख्याता
द्रव्यढालनसाधिका। सत्त्वानां पातने चेयं
विशेषाद्विनियुज्यते ।।(R. T. 3/25-28)
A fireplace (bhatti) is built on a plane ground using bricks with an
empty space of one nṛpahasta (räjahasta; 22 inches) height and half
nṛpahasta (11 inches) length and width inside. See that the empty place
inside is not round but quadrangular. Which means that all the four
corners inside, should comply with above said height, length and width.
Now, the inner and the outer walls of the bhatti are evenly covered with
fine soft clay, so that the fire/heat from inside do not escape out. Now a
round opening of 4-angula diameter is created at the base of any
sidewall. In this opening, a metal pipe of required length is fixed. The
outer opening of the pipe is connected with a blower.Now, the bhatti
base is filled with one layer of good quality charcoal. Over that, the
drug filled and sealed crucibles are firmly placed. Above them, an-other
layer of charcoal is filled and ignited. The bhatti constructed in this
man-ner is called as 'angära-koşthika'. This koşthi is used for 'dhalana'
or 'sattvapatana' of the selected drugs.
