Collyrium, Guru Gita verse

[unknown at example.com]

            Re: Collyrium Stick & Guru Gita verse 34
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I believe the verse is an analogy. In Tamil Nadu/ South India,
when sthapatis make idols of Hindu Gods from stone or bronze,
they are considered "lifeless" and not fit for worship.
On the Kumbabishekam day, with chanting of mantras, the sthapathis
open the eyes of idols using collyrium stick, injecting life
of a particular mUrthi into that pratimai.

In the Guru Gita verse, the guru is like the sthapati, collyrium
is knowledge, the blind idol is the student before his contact
with the guru.

May be art historians here like Dr. M. Rabe can shed more light.
A recent book is out there. I have not seen it yet.
Jan Brouwer, The makers of the world: caste, craft and mind of South
Indian artisans. Oxford UP, 1995.

Regards,
N. Ganesan
nas_ng at lms461.jsc.nasa.gov


>From indology-request at liverpool.ac.uk Thu Jan 25 13:00:40 1996
>Return-Path: <indology-request at liverpool.ac.uk>
>From: Bridgman at aol.com
>Subject: collyrium stick// Guru Gita vs. 34
>
>Greetings fellow indologists,
>I have been chanting the Guru Gita for about 15 years and have always
>wondered what verse # 34 truly means...
>
>It translates:  Salutations to that Shree Guru, by whom with the collyrium
>stick of knowledge, the eyes of one who is blinded by the darkness of
>ignorance, are opened.
>
>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? 
>
>Another question, does anyone know any details about the celebrations in
>Alandi this year in honor of the 700th year since Jnanadev's Mahasamadhi ?
>
>Thank you,
>
>bridgman at aol.com
>