Rasa Sanketa Kalika of Kayastha Camunda

Introduction :

It was my longing desire to translate, atleast one book on Merucury. My grandfather, Rasacarya Civukula Satyanarayana Sastry used to mention this book Rasa Sanketa Kalika often. Hence, I had a liking to this book. While I was preparing for Vaidya Vidwan, in 1970's I read the original text, which was Greak and Latin to me at that time. I first, transliterated it into Telugu to quench my desire temporarily. Later I started understanding the Yogas by comparing them with Hindi commentaries of Rasa Yoga Sagara & Bharata Bhisajya Ratnakara along with Telugu translations. I also used to comapare with other yogas with the same name. I jotted down all the information. Later, I compiled all my jottings and translated the entire book into Telufu with the blessings of Lord Tryambakeswara at Nasik, when I happened to stay there for a week. I found that this small work of kayastha Camnnda filled this book with all his life time experiences for the welfare of Ayurvedic fraternity. I am at loss to know that why this treasure was not translated even to Hindi till 1984. It was a difficult task for me in finding appropriate words in English for Sanscirt terms. Hope, learned readers will forgive for the mistakes, if any. I will correct them in the next edition, if intimated. I preferred to give the Latin names for the herbs to make them known to all, avoiding the confusion in identifying them with the local names. I have also tired to give these names along with the original Sanscrit names for better understanding. I also tried to give my own explanation to the names of the formulae and also at few other places, where it demanded. Though, it was my desire to present the pictorial explanations to all the Yantra (apparatus), Kosti (furnaces) Puta , Mortar etc., I could not do so due to few constrains. I gave Glossary of sanscrit terms used in the text for the benefit of the readers. I have taken the help of the books at items 06, 07 & 08 of the List of "Books consulted" for rendering the Botanical equivalents of drugs and book under item no. 09 for rendering modern medical equivalents for the diseses/ailments. Though the translation was done three and half years back, for some reason or other, the typing and computer type setting could not be done. At last now it is ready for publication by the grace of Rasesvara without whose blessing this could not have been done.

About the Author: Born : 29th June, 1940 at Nuzvicd, Krishna, Andhra Pradesh. Parents : Vaidya Pammi Suryanarayana Murthy and Smt. Devidatta. Maternal Grandfather: Rasacharya, Mahamahopadhyaya, Ayurveda Sathapaka, Pandita Chivukula Satyanarayana Sastry. Paternal Grandfather: Pandit Pammi Peri Sastry. Educational Qualification: Licentiate in Electrical Engineering and Vaidya Vidwan. Felicitations : Awarded "Uttama Vaidya" by Pranacharya Prof. Divi Rangacharya Centenary Committee on 04.07.1999 Responsibilities held : In Government: Asstt. Electrical Engineer, in Railways (Retired). In Ayurveda : Ex. Hon. Associate Editor- *Indian Medicine *Indian Medicine House Journal Secretary : Harita Ayurved Kendram (Regd.) Managing Trustee : Dr. Achanta Lakshmipathi Ayurveda Library Trust (Regd.) treasurer : Rasacharya Trust