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

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A CULTUAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
worn and some scents sprinkled on his limbs.1 Vātsyāyana gives a similar account of the toilot of a Nagaraka2 but he adds betel-chewing the practice of which, as seen before, has been frequently mentioned in the NC. It is evident that the same procedures regarding toilet were observed by people during these centuries also.
Various types of perfumed oils (tella)", fragrant powders (sugamdha cunna)*, pastes and unguents (leva), scents and perfumes (gamdha) were used for beautifying the person. Perfumed oil and pastes were used prior to bath. The oil was sometimes mixed with the powders prepared from the bark or fruits of the plants like punṇaga (white lotus) and munniga (the tree aeschynomena grandi flora), and was anointed over the body. The oiliness and dirt of the skin were removed by applying various cleansing substances (uvvalana) like kakka and loddha. The kakka powder was prepared from the bark or fruit of the plant beleric myrobalan, various other substances were added to it (davva-samjoga). The loddha was prepared from the bark of the lodhra tree (symplocos recemoze)1o and is mentioned as haṭṭa-dravya, perhaps because it could be easily acquired from the market. 11Kalidasa also informs us that "the bride after her bath was smeared with the lodhra to remove the oiliness of skin (lodha-kalkana-hṛtāngatailam) and anointed with kaleyaka unguent.12
1. Suśruta, Cikitsāsthāna, II, Ch. XXIV, 29-33.
2. Kamasutra, pp. 45-46, sūtra 16.
3. NC. 3, p. 465.
4. NC. 2, p. 27.
5. NC. 2, p. 213.
6. NC. 2, p. 467; NC. 4, p. 24.
7. तेल्लमोइतो चुण्णो पुणगंमुण्णिगादिफला चुण्णीकता - NC. 3, p. 465.
8. " कक्कं " उव्वलणयं NC. 2, p. 27, also p. 212.
9.
—NG. 2, p. 27; also NC. 3, p. 465.
10. लोद्धो रुक्खो तस्स छल्ली - NC. 3, p. 465.
11. NC. 2, p. 27.
12. Kalidasa, Kumarasambhava, VII. 17.