🔘MOOSHA

 MOOSHA:-

👉🏻 Definition:-

• मुष्णाति दोषान मूषा या सा मूषेति निगद्यते ।

- Which removes the dosha(s) (from various metals and minerals) is known as Moosha.

- They are specially designed for preparing bhasma; and for extraction of satva from dhatu.

👉🏻 Synonyms:-

मूषा हि कुमुदी ख्याता प्रोक्ता कुमुदिका च सा ।

क्रोञ्चिका वह्निमित्रा च पाचनी च निगद्यते ।।

- Kumudi / Kumudika:- Looks like lotus

- Kraunchika:- Looks like Krauncha bird

- Paachani:- It does paachana of mala dravya

- Vahnimitra:- It is made to bear intense heat

👉🏻 Description Availability of Moosha in Classics:-

- For some of the mooshas constituent material, shape, method of preparation, heat resistant power, uses are available.

- For some mooshas shape and uses are available, but constituent material, method of preparation and heat resistant power are not available.

👉🏻 Basic Constituent Materials:-

- Mruttika and Loha

- Dagdha Tusha(Burnt Husk)

-  Kupi Churna (Powder of Glass Bottle)

- Shweta Mruttika (White Clay )

- Shana (Jute)

- Pashana Churna (Powder of stone)

- Shukti Churna(Powder of Conch Shells)

- Rakta Mruttika (Red Clay) 

- Vida Salt

- Angaara (Burnt Charcoal)

- Ishtika Churna (Brick Powder)

- Valmika Mruttika (Hill Rock Soil)

- Bhunaga mruttika (Soil of worms)

- Loha kitta (Iron Slag)

- Krushna Mruttika (Black Soil)

- Shwetashma (Lime Stones)

- Bhunaga Satva (Essence of worms)

- Dagdhagaara (Burnt Clay)

- Jala (Water)

👉🏻 Parts of a Moosha:-

1. Upper part(Pidhanaka):-

- Covers the mossha and protects material to flow from it.

2. Lower basal part(Moosha):-

- Used for keeping materials for heating

👉🏻 Classification of moosha:-

1.According to Shape:-

- Gostani

- Manduka

- Vruntaka

- Gola

- Musala

2.According to Material used for preparation:-

- Gaara(Dagdha gaara)

- Bida-yoga

3.According to purpose of use:-

- Vajra

- Vajra dravini

- Pakwa

- Raupya

👉🏻 Moosha Apyayana:-

- During the heating process,

- when the material is mixed or molten properly,

- at that time, moosha is to be taken out from the heat for a moment.

- It is known as Moasha Apyayana

- To increase the heat resistance capacity of moosha

- to protect moosha from over heating

- to avoid burning of material

👉🏻 Names of Moosha:-

1. Samanya Moosha

2. Gostani Moosha

3. Vajra Moosha

4. Maha Moosha

5. Yoga Moosha

6. Vruntaaka Moosha

7. Malla / Pakva Moosha

8. Silica Crucible

9. Platinum Crucible

👉🏻 Sandhi Bandhanam:-

मूषादीनां तु यत्सन्धौ किट्टाद्यैः स्याद्विलेपनम् ।

तत्सन्धिलेपनं ख्यातं तच्चोक्त सन्धिबन्धनम् ॥

- When two vessels are joined from their ends, this process is known as Sandhi Bandhana.

- Paste of lohakitta, mruttika etc applied for sandhi bandhana.

👉🏻 Mudra:-

- Mudra is a procedure in which two vessels are sealed tightly for checking (stopping) the loss of materials inside the vessels.

- Description about Mudra from the book- Rasa Kamadhenu

- Generally it is used for sealing the joint of two vessels to check the loss of mercury during the process (in paarada karma)

1. Madana Mudra:-

- Audumbara ksheera:- 1 pala

- Vata ksheera:- 1 pala

- Laksha:- 1 pala

- Chumbaka lauha:- 6 pala

- Atasi taila:- q.s.

2. Hatha mudra:-

- Chumbaka lauha:- 1 part

- Varaha Rakta:- 1 part

1) Samanya Moosha:-

• Constituent Materials:-

- Mruttika:- 4 parts

- Dagdha Tusha (Burnt Husk):- 1 part

- Shikhitraka (Burnt Charcoal Powder);-1 part

- Laddika (Horse Dung):- 1 part

- Shana(jute):- 1 part

• Method of Preparation:-

- Ingredients are pounded well to make fine powder

- Levigated with Bhavana Dravya till paste becomes soft, smooth and sticky

- Appropriate shape is given by strong heat

• Uses:-

- Satva Paatana of Shilajatu and Vimala

2) Gostani Moosha:-

• Constituent Materials:-

- Not specifically mentioned, so material of samanya moosha can be taken here also.

• Method of Preparation:-

- Ingredients are pounded well to make fine powder

- Levigated with Bhavana Dravya till paste becomes soft, smooth and sticky

- Appropriate shape is given by strong heat

- Pidhaanaka is prepared having a Shikha la projection / handle) at its top middle portion.

• Uses:-

- Shodhana & Satva Paatana of Abhraka, Vaikranta, Makshika, Shilajatu, Vimala

3) Vajra Moosha:-

• Constituent Materials:-

- Black Soil:- 3 Parts

- Shana small pieces:- 2 Parts

- Horse dung:- 2 parts

- Wood ash:- 1 part

- Loha kitta:- 0.5 part

• Method of Preparation:-

- Ingredients are pounded well to make fine powder

- Levigated with Bhavana Dravya till plaster becomes soft, smooth and sticky

- Appropriate shape is given by strong heat

• Uses:-

Sattva Patana of Minerals

4) Maha Moosha:-

• Constituent Materials:-

- Not specially mentioned

• Method of Preparation:-

- Ingredients are pounded well to make fine powder

- Levigated with Bhavana Dravya till paste becomes soft, smooth and sticky

- Appropriate shape is een by strong heat

• Shape:-

- Lower portion of Moosha is like elbow joint with gradually broadening towards upper portion

- Round and Fat Base having big and broad mouth

• Uses:-

- Satva Paatana of Loha, Abhraka, Makshika & Satva draavana

5) Yog Moosha:-

• Constituent Materials:-

- Dagdha Tusha (Burnt Husk):- 1 part

- Shikhitraka (Purnt Charcoal):- 1 part

- Bida:- 1 part

• Method of Preparation:-

- Ingredients are pounded well to make fine powder

- Levigated with Bhavana Dravya til paste becomes soft, smooth and sticky

- Appropriate shape is given and painted with the mentioned drugs

- Strong heat is given to make the same heat resistant

• Uses:-

- Rasa Siddhi

6) Vruntaka Moosha:-

• Constituent Materials:-

- Not specifically mentioned

• Method of Preparation:-

- Prepared of broad base and narrow at the upper end like brinjal

- The mouth of Moosha is attached with one Nala (hollow pipe) having diameter of mouth of Nala is 8 angula and 12 angula lengthy and shape is Dhattura Pushpa shape

• Shape:

- It looks like Vruntaaka (Brinjal)

• Uses:-

- Sattva Paatana of Mrudu drugs like Kharpara

- Used in pair in Jaaranartha Tula Yantra

7) Malla Moosha:-

• Constituent Materials:-

- Not specifically mentioned

• Method of Preparation:-

- Two earthen saucers are joined together and sealed properly

- The ingredients of the earthen saucers are taken as per samanya moosha

• Shape:-

- It looks like sharava samputa

• Uses:-

- Preparation of Parpati Rasa

8) Pakva Moosha:-

• Constituent Materials:-

- Not specifically mentioned

• Method of Preparation:-

- It is moulded in the appropriate shape and strong heat is given to make the same heat resistant

- The ingredients of the earthen saucers are taken as per samanya moosha

• Shape:-

- It looks like a Bhaanda(a pot)

• Uses:-

- Pottali Paachana

👉🏻 Modern Crucibles:-

- Crucible is a ceramic, graphite or metal container;

in which, metals or other substances can be melted or calcinated to high degree of heat.

👉🏻 Materials Used for Preparing Crucibles:-

- Silicon carbide and Clay graphite

- Porcelain

- China clay, Kaolin, Silicon dioxide

- Alumina, Zirconia, Magnesia (Different varieties of

ceramics) - tolerate the highest temperatures

- Earliest uses of platinum was to make crucibles

- More recently, nickel and zirconium have been used

👉🏻 Uses of Modern Crucibles:-

- To heat or melt the metals, glass etc

- To heat chemical compounds in analytical laboratories