Copper
Copper has been favoured since ancient times as a pure metal endowed with
special sanctity, for use in rituals. Mention is made in the Satapatha Brahmana
for the use of copper razors in shaving ceremonies and for slaughter in the
Ashvamedha sacrifice. The ritual use of copper is also well reflected in the
Grihyasutra, Srautasutra and Dharmasutra texts. The use of copper and alloyed
articles in the Grihyasutra texts is noted in the rituals connected with the
tonsure, studentship and marriage ceremonies. The
terms used for copper here are loha and lohayasa.
Among Buddhists, Pali literature (Cullavaga and Mahavagga) is unambiguous on the desirability of copper bowls being used by monks and nuns. The Jain canon (Acarangasutra) while forbidding the use of bowls of tin, lead, iron, silver, gold, brass, and a mixture of gold, silver and copper, allowed food that was offered on a copper plate vessel to be accepted.
The Puranic literature considered copper to be of great significance in rituals. The Narayanabali ritual required the image of Rudra in copper and vessel. The power of copper to ward off evil is underlined by the Markandeya Purana (50.82), which enjoined the presence of copper images in the house to keep away evil powers. Copper instruments were also in use in the sraddha or funerary rituals.