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Nagarjuna was the son of a wealthy Brahmin of Vidharba region. He was an expert in all branches of science, particularly chemistry. We can call him Father of Chemistry and Father of Alchemy; and Father of Magic as well.
He was born under an Arjuna Tree and his Guru was a Naga and hence he was called Nagarjuna.
His achievements according to Chinese, Tibetan and Indian historians were:
Finder of Gold Mines in South India
Founder of Mahayana Buddhism
Made gold out of base metals and wiped out famine
Built dykes to save Gaya from flooding
Wrote several books dealing with many different subjects.
Invented many medicines; Nagarjuna was the discoverer of several eye medicines and of the elixir of life which strengthens the weakening forces of men in old age. He prolonged the life of many kings.
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Described colouring and alloying metals; extraction of copper from pyrites, use of metal oxides as medicines.
Famous historian Dr Raghuvira says he belonged to the same age which produced the non rusting Iron Pillar of Delhi.
The earliest datable of account of Nagarjuna is given by Kumarajiva in 405 CE. Chinese Traveller I-Tsing places Nagarjuna in the First Century CE. So we can conclude that he lived 2000 years ago.
All his works were preserved in China and not India. Muslims burnt the libraries in Nalanda University and we lost all the literary treasures of India. Fortunately Chinse translated all his works when they came to study in Nalanda.
Nagarjuna was the Vice Chancellor of Nalanda University for some time. At an early age, at the suggestion of the High Priest Sri Saraha Bhadra of the Nalanda University, he entered Buddhist order. After Saraha Bhadra’s death he became the President (V.C.) of the University.
The Tibetan tradition preserved the name of his teacher Rahula. Chinese Traveller Hiuen Tsang mentioned one of his pupils Arya Deva.
Strange stories are told about this philosopher cum scientist:
“A legend relates that he was skilled in magic and was able thereby to prolong his own and a Southern Indian King’s life indefinitely. This caused great grief to the mother of the heir- apparent, who instigated her son to ask Nagarjuna’s for his own head. Nagarjuna complied with his request and cut his own head off with a blade of Kusa grass, nothing else has the power of injuring him “– Monier Williams- Buddhism , P.196
The following is a list of works ascribed to Nagarjuna:
In Medicine:
Rasa ratnakara,
Lauha sastra
Kaksaputa Tantra of Siddhanta Mangala
Arogya Manjari
Yoga Sara
Yoga Sataka
Rasendra Mangala
Rasakachaputa
Yoga Manjari
Varta mala
Cittanandapatisyasi
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In the Secondary Baudhdha Philosophy
Siddhanagarjuna or Madhyamika karika
Mukti swastika and its commentary
Vigrahavyavartini karika
Vigrahavyavartini karika Vrtti
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In Spiritual Knowledge
Prajnadanda
Tattvaprakasa
Paramarahsyartha
Samayamudra
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In Sexology
Ratisastra
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In Magic
Yogaratnamala ; also called Ascharya yogamala
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In Tantra
Taratantra
Kacchaputa Tantra
Siddha Camunda tantra
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In Therapy based on Tantra
Nagarjuna Cikitsa
Nagarjuniya Yoga
Nagarjunanjana
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In Art
Suhrlekha
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Many writers have pointed out that all these books were not written by one single author; may be written by others with the same name.
Caraka used only leaves, roots, barks etc. as medicines in the field of Cikitsa. Using Rasas for cikitsa was a new thing. Nagarjuna proposed many rasa cikitsa.
In India we find many scholars to have written so many books. Vyasa, Adi Shankara, Kshemendra and Bhojaraja have written several treatises. So Nagarjuna could have produced these works.
Cakrapanidatta and Vrnda, authors of medical treatises have referred to Nagarjuna in their books. They have referred to many prescriptions in their treatises. Several times he was called by the name of Muni.
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Even today Nagarjuna is well remembered in Tibet . Nagarjuna’s two famous quotations are:
“I shall draw out the world from poverty if I am successful in preparing the Rasa”.
“On getting success in the preparation of the Rasa, I shall make the world bereft of death and old age.
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It is amazing to see that one individual thought of wiping out poverty from the face of earth through his chemical preparations. In the West we see people inventing medicines to make more money; in India Siddhars and Vaidhyas did it for saving people without expecting any money.
–subham—
Tags – books, Nagarjuna, Quotes, Father of Chemistry , Father of Magic, Father of alchemy.
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