collyrium stick// Guru Gita vs. 34

[seemc000 at goofy.zdv.Uni-Mainz.de]

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