Pancha Mrittika: Ingredients, Benefits, Areas of Use

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Meaning of Pancha Mrittika

Pancha = five

Mrittika = mud / earths (sacred or alchemical earths)

Pancha Mrittika are a specific group of five kinds of muds or earths described in the ‘Rasa Ratna Samuchchaya’ treatise.

These muds or earths are extensively used in the field of Ayurveda Rasa Shastra, a field which uses purified metals and gems in the treatment of many diseases. They are essential for traditional Indian alchemical and metallurgical processes which are part and parcel of Rasa Shastra.

Members of Pancha Mrittikas

इष्टिका गैरिकं लवणं भस्म वल्मीकि मृत्तिका ।
एतत् पञ्चमृत्तिका प्रोक्ता मृद्-पञ्चकमिति स्मृतम् ॥ (Rasa Jala Nidhi)

Pancha Mrittikas comprises of the below mentioned types of Earths –

1. Ishtika = bricks
2. Gairika = red ochre
3. Lavana = salt
4. Bhasma = ashes and
5. Valmika Mrittika = ant hill soil / termite mound soil

The reference of Pancha Mrittika is specifically found in ‘Rasa Jala Nidhi’ a text book of Rasa Shastra. Pancha Mrittika is also called as Mrt-Panchaka. It is also described in the Rasatarangini treatise.

Main benefits include –

1. Shodhana – purification of metals
2.   Suvarna Patra Shodhana – purification of gold leaves

Related AIAPGET Question

1. Pancha Mrittika includes – (Ra.Ra.Sam.10/81)
2. Ishtaka Churna, Bhasma, Valmika Mrittika, Gairika and Lavana
3.   Pita Mrittika, Lohita Mrittika, Krishna Mrittika, Mrita Lauha and Valmika Mrittika
4. Gairika, Pita Mrittika, Krishna Mrittika, Ishtika Churna and Valmika Mrittika
5.   Lohita Mrittika, Gairika, Shweta Mrittika, Krishna Mrittika and Valmika Mrittika

Ans – a. 

(This question was asked in – Banaras Hindu University – PGET – 2013)

Other possible questions

2. Which among these is not an ingredient of Pancha Mrittika?
3. Gairika
4.   Ishtika Churna
5. Kasisa
6.   Lavana

Ans – c. Kasisa.

Do we have a description of Pancha Mrittika in Brihat Trayis?

Ayurveda has given importance to Pancha Mahabhutas i.e. five elements of nature. Prithvi i.e. earth is one among the five Mahabhutas. It is involved in the process of creation of the world and also individuals. So, prithvi or mud is an integral part of our system. It is one of the elements forming us. The human body is called Parthiva Sharira – a physical body predominantly formed by the earth element.

 

Mrt is the synonym of Prithvi. Mrt has been used in certain therapies and for treatment of some conditions and is minimally mentioned in Ayurvedic texts. But we do not find the description of Pancha Mrittika in Brihat Trayis (Charaka, Sushruta and Vagbhata) as is described in the texts of Rasashastra.

Contextually we can see that Mrittika vis-a-vis mud / earth / clay has been used in the treatment of many diseases like Vrana, Visha, Pandu etc. for Shodhana, as Pradeha or Lepa etc in Ayurveda treatises.

Traditional Benefits Pancha Mrittika as used in Rasashastra practices

Shodhana – Basically, the Pancha Mrittikas are used for purification of metals and minerals. They are used as a medium for rubbing, roasting and purifying potent metals like gold and minerals with the purpose of removing their impurities. The combo is specially used to purify swarna patras i.e. gold leaves / plates.

Pancha Mrittika was used as a purification or detoxifying agent. The combination of these five earths when used would absorb impurities and facilitate purification, especially in Rasakriya. The doshas, vishas and malas (impurities, contaminants, toxins) and undesirable qualities present in the metals and minerals are removed with the help of Pancha Mrittika.

Preparing Mushas – Mushas are crucibles used in abundance for many purposes in Rasa Shastra practices. The Pancha Mrittikas are used as core ingredients for preparing and crafting the Mushas and also as coatings for the same. They help the Mushas to retain and withstand extreme high temperatures while melting and calcining the metals owing to their natural heat resistance.

Sealing the Yantras – Yantras are alchemical apparatus used for many purposes in Rasa Shastra Practices. The Pancha Mrittika are used for sealing the joints in apparatus used for distillation and heating purposes. They are applied in the form of pastes prepared by mixing them with cow dung and other binding agents. The sealing is very much essential so as to prevent the escape of vapors and gases during these complex chemical procedures, particularly with Parada – mercury and its preparations.

Vishaghna – Pancha Mrittika has vishaghna property. Certain medicinal Mrittikas are described as helping in neutralizing the toxins when used externally. Pancha Mrittika helps in this purpose. They absorb the toxins and irritants and thus remove them.

This principle is applicable when Panchamrittika is used in Rasa Shastra and also when Mrittika with medicinal properties is externally used on the body, to purify the toxins.

Other benefits of Mrittika

Daha Shamana – Certain Mrittikas are known for their cooling action and hence reduces daha i.e. burning sensation and related heat, when administered externally. Mrittikas can thus be said to have anti-inflammatory action.

Kleda Shoshana, Shothahara – It also dries of excessive moisture and brings about kleda shoshana (absorbing off excessive fluids and moisture) and thus helps as remedy in swellings, especially when applied externally. Mrittikas are known to absorb moisture and fluids.

Vrana Shodhana – Mrittika has been used for cleansing the wounds and reducing the discharges from the same. They are also used for reducing the inflammation around the wounds and also as a remedy for localized swelling. Thus, Mrittikas have surface cleansing and anti-microbial properties. They can alter pH and impact on ionic exchange.

Mineral Supply – When clay or medicated muds are applied as a part of therapy, they would supply minerals like silica, iron, calcium and magnesium and can thus be considered as external mineral supplements.

Ingredients of Pancha Mrittika, their properties and actions and modern understanding of their actions

Ingredient of Pancha Mrittika	Property / Purpose  of usage and their actions in Rasa Shastra	Modern equivalent / understanding
Ishtika – brick powder	Shoshana – Absorbant, Drying	Removes oily or impure matter, Provides Silica rich adsorbent surface
Gairika – Red Ochre	Stambhana – stabilizing effect / blocking, Rakta-Pitta Shamaka – pacifies rakta and pitta	Rich in Iron Oxide – Has cooling effect, Mineral support
Lavana – salt	Sukshma / Marganusari – penetrative in nature, helps processing	Ionic action, helps penetration / extraction & removal of impurities
Bhasma – ash	Shodhana – cleansing action like Kshara or alkalis	Alkaline effect / purification
Valmika Mrittika – Ant-hill soil	Vishaghna – anti-poisonous property, Shodhana – cleansing in action	Mineral-rich porous soil / porous absorbent

The combination of these five earths is used in the field of Rasa Shastra for Shodhana i.e. purification of metals. 

Pancha Mrittika and Swarna Shodhana (purification of gold)

Ref – Rasa Jala Nidhi – Vol 3.

Pancha Mrittika is used mainly for Swarna Shodhana – purification of gold.

Pancha Mrittika is mixed in jambira swarasa (lime juice) or aranala / kanjika (sour fermented liquid) i.e. basically in an acidic medium. The resultant paste is smeared over Gold Leaves which are meant to be purified. Later, these gold plates are subjected to Putapaka i.e. concealed and controlled heating / internal cooking. This is medicinal purification of metals so as to purify the gold of its impurities and toxins and is a superior method for this purpose.

Benefits and mode of action

Shodhana – application of mixture of pancha mrittika and jambira swaras or aranala removes the doshas i.e. undesirable qualities, wastes and toxins from swarna – gold plates.

Agni Samskara – Rubbing and subjecting the ingredients to puta i.e. contact of fire and concealed heating helps in transforming material properties of gold and bestow best qualities in the same, so that the gold can be used for medicinal purposes in later time.

Kshara-Amla – The interaction between alkalis and sour substances in the process would facilitate sukshmikarana i.e. subtle processing.

Modern Perspective

The above said process would help in removal of impurities from the metal (gold in this context) and surface oxidation. The overall method will help in abrasive cleaning and thermal purification of gold apart from effecting chemical alterations in the surfaces of gold plates and make them suitable for medicinal usage.

Reference of Pancha Mrittika from Rasaratna Samucchaya Treatise

इष्टिका गैरिकं चैव लवणं भस्म वल्मिकम् ।
एतत् पञ्चमृदा प्रोक्तं सर्वकर्मसु पूजितम् ॥ (RasaRatnaSamucchaya, Chapter 5, LohaVijnaniya)

Alternative verse from some editions / commentaries

इष्टिका गैरिकं लवणं भस्म वल्मीकि मृत्तिका ।
एतत् पञ्चमृत्तिका प्रोक्ता मृद्पञ्चकमिति स्मृतम् ॥ (RasaRatnaSamucchaya)

Context – Shodhana and Lepa for metallic or mineral processing, mainly used in Suvarna Shodhana and other Rasa procedures.

We can observe that the explanation is similar to that available in RasaJalaNidhi that we discussed earlier. There is also no change in the mention of ingredients

The verses say –

‘Ishtika, Gairika, Lavana, Bhasma and Valmika together constitute Pancha Mrt (Pancha Mruttika). Together, they are used and praised in all the procedures (related to metal purification etc).’ They are also called Pancha Mrittika or Mrud Panchaka.