Become A Member

Background: Vetal Rasa (Betāla Rasa) is a classical Ayurvedic herbomineral formulation described in the Rasendra Sara Sangraha. Contrary to its frequent misclassification, it is a Kharaliya (Khalviya) Rasayana — prepared entirely by trituration on the stone slab (śilāyāṁ mardayet) — and is not a Kupipakwa preparation; it involves no sealed-bottle heating, no puṭa, and no prolonged bhāvanā schedule. It has been employed principally in the emergency management of severe Sannipātaja Jwara. Objective: To consolidate the authentic classical description — source reference, ingredient profile, śodhana and preparation protocol, pharmacological rationale, and clinical application — and to correct compositional and procedural errors that have propagated in secondary literature. Methods: The primary classical description in the Rasendra Sara Sangraha (śloka 168–171) was taken as the authoritative reference and cross-read with Rasa Tarangini (for the individual śodhana procedures of the constituents), the Parada Samhita, and modern pharmacological and analytical literature indexed in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Results: Vetal Rasa is a five-ingredient formulation in which all constituents are taken in equal parts (samāṁśika): Shuddha Parada (purified mercury), Shuddha Gandhaka (purified sulphur), Shuddha Vatsanabha (Aconitum ferox), Shuddha Haratala (purified and incinerated orpiment, arsenic trisulphide), and Maricha (Piper nigrum). Parada and Gandhaka are first triturated to Kajjali, after which the remaining three fine powders are incorporated and triturated until the whole mass is uniformly black. Documented pharmacological activities of the actual constituents include analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, cardioactive, and central-nervous-system activity. Conclusion: Vetal Rasa is a potent, narrow-indication Rasa formulation containing both mercurial and arsenical constituents alongside aconite. Faithful representation of its classical composition, correct pharmaceutical classification, adequate śodhana, and modern standardization and pharmacovigilance are essential to its safe study and use.

Keywords: Vetal Rasa; Rasendra Sara Sangraha; Rasa Shastra; Kharaliya Rasayana; Parada; Vatsanabha; Haratala; Sannipataja Jwara; Herbomineral; Traditional Medicine