black lac?

[Venetia Kotamraju]

Dear list,
In a verse in the Madhuravijayam, at nightfall a day is said to seal the
lotus bud (which is as it were a chest) with a lakṣma jātuṣam in the form
of a bee.   Jātuṣa is a kind of lac as far as we know, but if that is the
case how can it be the same colour as a bee?  Is there a very dark red lac
that could be taken for black, or is this instead a different substance -
like perhaps a wax?
The verse is:

अधिपङ्कजकोशमादधे

बहिरालीनमधुव्रतच्छलात् ।

मधुसौरभरक्षणोत्सुका

दिनलक्ष्मीरिव लक्ष्म जातुषम् ॥
I would be grateful for any thoughts.
Thank you
Venetia


-- 
Venetia Kotamraju
+91 997230 5440
www.rasalabooks.com
www.venetiaansell.wordpress.com


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