As already stated, the Sunar obtains some social distinction from
working in gold, which is a very sacred metal with the Hindus. Gold
ornaments must not on this account be worn below the waist, as to do
so would be considered an indignity to the holy material. Maratha and
Khedawal Brahman women will not have ornaments for the head and arms
of any baser metal than gold. If they cannot afford gold bracelets
they wear only glass ones. Other castes should, if they can afford it,
wear only gold on the head. And at any rate the nose-ring and small
earrings in the upper ear should be of gold if worn at all. When a
man is at the point of death, a little gold, Ganges water, and a leaf
of the _tulsi_ or basil plant are placed in his mouth, so that these
sacred articles may accompany him to the other world. So valuable
as a means of securing a pure death is the presence of gold in the
mouth that some castes have small pieces inserted into a couple of
their upper teeth, in order that wherever and whenever they may die,
the gold may be present to purify them. [645] A similar idea was
prevalent in Europe. _Aurum potabile_ [646] or drinkable gold was
a favourite nostrum of the Middle Ages, because gold being perfect
should produce perfect health; and patients when _in extremis_ were
commonly given water in which gold had been washed. And the belief
is referred to by Shakespeare:
Therefore, thou best of gold art worst of gold:
Other, less fine in carat, is more precious,
Preserving life in medicine potable. [647]
The metals which are used for currency, gold, silver and copper, are
all held sacred by the Hindus, and this is easily explained on the
grounds of their intrinsic value and their potency when employed as
coin. It may be noted that when the nickel anna coinage was introduced,
it was held in some localities that the coins could not be presented
at temples as this metal was not sacred.