K Ayastha chAmuNDa

Kayastha Camunda and Nigama Kayasthas

Kayastha Camunda was a prominent 15th Century alchemist and tantra practioner.His Rasasanketakalika is considered a pioneering work on Rasayanas,their purification and different uses .

In Rasasanketakalika Camunda gives an esoteric description of the origin of Mercury and the reason behind its potency. Apart from Rasasanketakalika and Jvaratimirabhaskar,a text on fevers and their cures.He also wrote a prominent Tantra text “Varnanighanta”

Camundas life is shrouded in mystery but it is known that he was born in a Nigama Kayastha family.His fathers name was Kumbha. He was a great devotee of Siva,all of his works start with paying obeisance to Lord Siva. He wrote under patronage of King Rajamalla of Mewad(1474-1509AD)

Nigama Kayasthas have had ancient association with profession of medicine. We find evidence of this in Dabok Inscription. The Dabok inscription of Maurya Dhavalappadeva period (644AD) records construction of temple of Mahesvara by Nigam Kayastha Giyaka, he was a vaidya (physician)by profession.Giyaka also donated two fields to two separate temples.