Cultural Study of Nisitha Curni

SR No.: 001743
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Madhu Sen
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar
Publication Year: 1975
Total Pages: 432
Language: English, Prakrit
Classification: Book_English, Agam, Canon, & Literature
File Size: 23 MB

Page 161

MATERIAL CULTURE
141
Water was usually perfumed with various ingredients like kar para (camphor)1 and pațala (trumpet-flower) for drinking purposes. The water fumigated with four to five fragrant substances (caumala, pañcamula)' was largely served to the guests in feasts and garden-parties. It was considered to be beneficial for the patients as well. Even the expectant mothers sometimes craved to drink such water as their pregnancy-longing (dohada). These fragrant substances have no where been enumerated in the text, but according to the commentary on the Byhat-kal pa-Bhaşya these were ela (Cardamaom), tvak (Cinnomomum zeylonicum), tamalapatra (Jamaica pepper, pimento ) and nagakesara (Calophyllum Inophyllum). The water fumigated with five fragrant substances (pascamula) must have been similar to the pañca-sära-panaka of the Aştanga HỊdaya which was prepared by boiling water with five spices like ginger, asana, nagaramotha etc.? Bāna also frequently refers to perfumed water which was largely taken in summer. It is said that "the fierce heat of the sun made people long not only to drink water perfumed with the strong scent of trumpet-flower (pațala) but even to drink up the very wind."8
A large number of fruit-juices and syrups were prepared from the flowers, fruits and sugarcane products. Khandapāņaka, sarkarā pāņaka and gulapaņaka were the syrups prepared by mixing water with raw-sugar (khanda), refined sugar (sarkara) and molasses (guda). Gulapaniya is explained as water boiled
1. Bịh. V!. 4, p. 957. 2. NC. 4, p. 41. 3. qefe café at sootaðfé ESTE MET HARE-NC. 4, p. 43; also | BỊh. V. 4, P. 959. 4. NC. 4, p. 41. 3. Ibid. 6. अपरं च चतुर्जातकसुकृतसम्भारा एला-त्वक्-तमालपत्र-नागकेसराख्यैश्चतुभिर्गन्धद्रव्य
tifeartaiga ACATABịh. Vt. 4, p. 970. 7. Asanga Hrdaya, III. 31. 8. Harsacarita, p. 31, text p. 52. 9. --TA-HRT-a -great-faarfaita NC. 2, p. 123.