Probably born in Kashmir, Naraharipaita [fl. 1235-1250] appears to have lived in many different parts of India, collecting together information for his pharmacological work.

Biographical references: Chattopadhyay, A., Biographical dictionary of Indian scientists: From ancient to contemporary, 2000. 1597 p., illus. [ISBN 81-7167-669-3.]: p. 899-900.

1. German, 1882 [First edition].
Die | Indischen Mineralien, | Ihre Namen | Und Die Ihnen Zugeschriebenen Kräfte. | Narahari's Râ{\'g}anighantu Varga XIII | Sanskrit Und Deutsch | Mit Kritischen Und Erläuternden Anmerkungen | Herausgegeben Von | D^r. Richard Garbe | a.o.Professor An Der Universität Königsberg. | [rule] | Leipzig | Verlag Von S. Hirzel | 1882.

8°: [i]-x, [1]-104 p.

Contents: [i-ii], Title page, verso blank.; [iii], Dedication.; [iv], Blank.; [v]-x, "Vorwort."-signed R. Garbe, may 1882.; [1], Sectional title page.; [2], Blank.; [3]-94, Text.; [95]-104, "Indices."

Very rare. Narahari's treatiseRâ{\'ga-Nighantu} or Abhidhana Chudamani is an elaborate pharmacological work, giving the names and preparations for a large number of animal, plant and mineral prescriptions. He provided names of the drugs in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Apabhramsa, and other regional dialects. Seven considerations for each drug are given: usage, effect, regional names, form, similarity, effect, and place of occurrence. Originally written in Sanskrit, which is also included, here the noted Sanskrit scholar Garbe has translated the mineralogical portion into a good German rendition. Narahari's work is a significant monograph is divided into metals, non-metals, and precious stones. It contains notes on nomenclature, synonyms, occurrences, uses, magical properties, etc. and is a valuable addition to the knowledge of minerals in the India subcontinent in ancient times. This 1882 edition is apparently a very rare book.

Facsimile reprint, 1974: Richard Garbe Die indischen Mineralien, ihre Namen und die ihnen Zugeschriebenen Kräfte. Hildesheim, Verlag Dr.H.AGerstenberg, 1974. [3], x, 104 p.

Richard von Garbe. (Born: 1857; Died: 1927) German orientalist & historian. Garbe was a professor of languages at the University of Königsberg and a noted Sanskrit scholar.

Bibliographical references: Biswas, Gems and Minerals in Ancient India, 1997. • Biswas, Minerals and Metals in Ancient India, 1996. • Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 4691. (Garbe) DBA: I 368, 339-340. • WBI.