collyrium stick// Guru Gita vs. 34

[Allen Thrasher]

The collyrium or other ointments used to anoint the eyes are I believe 
regarded as medicinal as well as cosmetic.  In addition to ordinary 
anjana there are special ones for medical conditions and also for occult 
powers (seeing through walls, becoming invisible, etc.). But the everyday 
ones are regarded as improving the eyesight.


Allen W. Thrasher

Senior Reference Librarian
Southern Asia Section
Library of Congress
Washington, DC 20540-4744
tel. 202-707-5600
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On Thu, 25 Jan 1996 seemc000 at goofy.zdv.Uni-Mainz.de wrote:

> On 25 Jan 96 at 18:51, Bridgman at aol.com wrote:
> 
> 
> > I have always wondered what a collyrium stick is?  Is it something like the
> > philosophers stone?  I have heard references to this stick in Jnaneshwars
> > Gita as well.  Is there any one out there who can enlighten me in this? 
>  
> Well, as far as I know, collyrium is nothing more than a 
> kind of ointment which is (or rather was?) used by ladies to paint their eyes 
> for cosmetic reasons, as they often do in kaavya literature.
>  I suppose the Sanskrit word is anjana?
> For example, it occurs in a stanza from Kaalidaasa s Meghaduta, 2nd 
> part (Uttarameghah.), st. 35, (beginning with "ruddhaapaangaprasaram...")
> where "anjanasnehashuunyam" just means something like "without the 
> moisture from collyrium", refering to the eyes of the yaksha s 
> beloved. So the collyrium stick should mean the instrument which is 
> used to apply the ointment. 
> Considering the effect the colour makes, one can easily imagine that 
> the eyes of the lady look more "open" this way, which seems to be the 
> meaning which is also -poetically- refered to in the cited stanza. 
>  
> I hope this is of some help?  I d be interested to hear if it does 
> indeed mean anything  miraculous.
>   
> Christine Seemann
>                               
> 
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