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The practice of applying collyrium into the eyes is very old. It was treated not only as a cosmetic, but was considered essential for eye鈥檚 health. Both men and women including celibates applied collyrium. 础帽箩补苍补 otherwise known as Kajjala is varied according either to origin or to the substance from which it is prepared. Collyrium was applied into the eyes with the help of a stick called 艢补濒腻办腻. This stick was sometimes made of gold. Porcupine quill -艢alal墨 also was used for this purpose. We have reference to the practice of anointing eye with collyrium in our literature ranging from Vedas. Atharvaveda^[1] contains some hymns, which describe the dressing of a bride. There the bride is represented as applying collyrium in the eyes. 惭补苍耻蝉尘峁泃颈^[2] insists on applying collyrium by 厂苍腻迟补办补 after having bath. But he does not allow a 厂苍腻迟补办补 to look at women, who have anointed their eyes with collyrium. A student is not permitted to use eye salve. 膧辫补蝉迟补尘产补-驳峁沨测补蝉奴迟谤补^[3] also recommends 础帽箩补苍补 for a celibate, who has completed his study. Aitareya-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺^[4] records the custom of anointing a sacrificer鈥檚 eye by the priest. 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺^[5] attests a golden 艢补濒腻办腻 used to apply collyrium. In 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补^[6], Bharata recommends collyrium for characters along with other articles of make-up. But a woman in separation doesn鈥檛 anoint her eyes with collyrium. 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补^[7] describes such women frequently. In Uttaramegha, he represents the wife of 驰补办峁�a, without having collyrium in her eyes. It was an important item among the articles of toilet of a 狈腻驳补谤补办补.

a) Types of Collyrium

笔腻峁噄苍颈^[8] mentions three types of collyrium, namely 厂补耻惫墨谤补, 驰腻尘耻苍补 and Traikakuda. Of these, Traikakuda is considered superior and is taken from the mountain Trikakuda. 厂补耻惫墨谤腻帽箩补苍补 is powdered antimony and 驰腻尘耻苍补 is found in the region of Yamuna. It is also known as K膩lak奴峁�膩帽jana and is referred to in Pa帽cavi峁兣沘-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺^[9]. Caraka^[10] records 厂补耻惫墨谤腻帽箩补苍补 and 搁补蝉腻帽箩补苍补. He describes 厂补耻惫墨谤腻帽箩补苍补 as strong and hence it should be applied only at night, while 搁补蝉腻帽箩补苍补 is recommended to apply once in five or eight days. Regarding the source of 搁补蝉腻帽箩补苍补, different opinions exist. According to some, it is Berberi 础谤颈峁ａ弓补. Others view it as prepared from lead, while some others are of the opinion that 搁补蝉腻帽箩补苍补 is made from the calx of brass. 艢膩r峁単adharasa峁僪it膩^[11] discusses different types of collyrium, their preparation, procedures for applying it in to the eyes etc. Red collyrium prepared from 惭补苍补岣ヅ沬濒腻 also was used. 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补^[12] alludes to this collyrium being used by the women belonging to the B膩岣�lik膩 province.

b) Properties of Collyrium

As mentioned in the introduction, collyrium is not only an article of toilet, but it helps to improve vision and provide brightness to the eyes. According to Caraka^[13] and 厂耻艣谤耻迟补^[14], collyrium alleviates the excess Kapha, which accumulates in the eyes and thus brightens the eyes. Caraka^[15] compares the brighten eye to the moon in the clear sky. 厂耻艣谤耻迟补-sa峁僪it膩^[16] speaks of the vessels in which collyrium is to be kept. Such vessels may be made of gold, silver, copper, bell metal or iron. One may apply collyrium in the morning, afternoon or night in accordance with the season and the variety of collyrium.

Besides collyrium, 厂耻艣谤耻迟补^[17] recommends some other treatments for attaining good eye sight, even in the old age. Some of them are鈥�罢补谤辫补峁嘺 (Flushing), 笔耻峁璦辫腻办补, A艣cyotana (Application of medicated eye drops) and Seka. Of these, 笔耻峁璦辫腻办补 is again of three types鈥�Snehana (Oilbase), Lekhana (Scraping) and 搁辞辫补峁嘺 (Healing).

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

XIV; India in the Age of Mantras, p.79

[2]:

IV.I52

[3]:

III.81

[4]:

I.3

[5]:

59.6

[6]:

XXIII.20

[7]:

Uttaramegha, 23

[8]:

础峁ａ弓腻诲丑测腻测墨 (础峁ａ弓腻诲丑测腻测墨),V.4.147

[9]:

IV.1.173

[10]:

pp.110-111

[11]:

pp.388-398

[12]:

VIII.30, vv.16-22

[13]:

pp.110-111

[14]:

pp.43-44

[15]:

p.112

[16]:

p.44

[17]:

pp.43-44