1. The Gandhasara of Gangadhara

1. The Gandhasara of Gangadhara—An Unknown Treatise on Gandhasastra and its Critical Analysis—In his delightful and scholarly account of Indian Toilet 1 Dr. G. P. Majumdar has collected a good deal of historical information about scents. and perfumes as manufactured and used by our forefathers. The sources ransacked by Dr. Majumdar for this information are (1) the Vedic texts, (2) Pali texts, (3) Susruta Samhita, (4) Sukraniti, (5) Arthasastra, (6) Agnipurana, (7) Brhatsamhita (section on Gandhayukti ), (8) Mahabharata (Santiparvan), (9) Sarngadhara-paddhati, (10) Kamasutra of Vatsyayana, (11) Lalitavistara, (12) Markandeyapurana, (13) Yuktikalpataru of King Bhoja, (14) Natyasastra of Bharata, (15) Amarakosa, (16) Materia Medica of the Hindus, by U. C. Datta, etc. On the strength of data gathered from these sources Dr. Majumdar concludes as follows:- "Thus it may be seen that most of the ingredients of Indian toilet, flowers, garlands, perfumes, scents, cosmetics, paints, ointments and pastes were derived from plants. For the patterns of ornaments too men were equally indebted to the plant world- the trees, leaves, flowers, fruits and creepers." In view of the evidence about the wide-spread use of scents and cosmetics in Ancient India we are tempted to inquire if there existed any special treatises on the manufacture of these cosmetics and scents, containing recipes about their manufacture in detail. We have reason to believe that some such treatises did exist but unfortunately no manuscripts of these treatises have yet been discovered or recorded in our MSS catalogues of different libraries. For a long time I was on a look-out for such MSS and fortunately two such MSS of two different works on Gandhasastra have been discovered by me. I propose, therefore, to give in this paper a critical notice of one of these MSS for the benefit of scholars interested in the history of Indian Cosmetics. Some years ago the late Pandit Rangacharya Raddi presented a collection of MSS to the Bhandarkar O. R. Institute, Poona. This collection called the Raddi Collection contains a bundle consisting of two works on * Journal of the University of Bombay, Vol. XIV, Part II, pp. 44-50. 1 Vide Ch. IV (pp. 83-106) of Some Aspects of Indian Civilization, by G. P. Majumdar, Calcutta, 1938. 1

Gandhasastra, viz., (1) the Gandhasara, by Gaigadhara, and (2) Gandhavada. Both these works are unknown to Aufrecht's Catalogus Catalogorum or to the Editors of the Revised Cata. Catalogorum that is being prepared by the University of Madras.1 The manuscript is written on country paper and appears to be about 200 years old. It consists of 49 folios (11 inches x 42 inches) with 11 lines on each page. The folios comprising the two works are as follows:Folios 1 to 27 a - gandhasara of gangadhara . Folios 27 b to 49 -- gandhavada with Marathi commentary. The Gandhasara 2 begins as follows on Folio 1 :- " sriganesayanamah || srigurubhyo namah || virimci visnupramukhamarapsaro- gamdharvayaksoragarajasevitah | • sailatmaja bahulataprasadhitah sa vyomakeso mudamadadhatu nah || 1 || parisamprasarpanmadhugamdhalubdha- lolalimalakulakarnatalam | bhaje gajasyam girijatanujam vighnachidam nirjaravrmda sevyam || 2 || virimcivaktrambujarajahamsim devim namaskrtya ca gandhayaksam | gamdhagamajnamsca mitairvacobhi- vaksye saram subhagamdhasaram ||3|| 1 My friend Dr. V. Raghavan, who is in charge of the Revised Cata. Catalogorum, has informed me that no MSS of the Gandhasara and Gandhavada have come to his notice so far. 2 Vide article on Cosmetics in Encyclo. Brittannica, Vol. 6, (14 th Edn.), pp. 485-488. Cosmetics are substances of diverse origin scientifically compounded and used (1) to cleanse, (2) to allay skin troubles, (3) to cover up imperfections, and (4) to beautify. They have been used by men and women from the earliest times. Probably they originated in the East. Egypt has the earliest records of them from 3500 B. C. onwards as follows :- 3500 B. C.-Unguent vase in alabaster (British Museum). 2800 B. C.--Mirrors of 6 th Dynasty. 1500 B. C.--Kohl vases in glass and Stibium pencils of 18 th Dynasty. Do --Papyrus showing men and women having lumps of nard on the top of head. 1350 B. C. - Unguent vases found in Tutan Khamun's tomb contained aromatics which were still fragrant when opened. 1600 B. C.--A granite tablet on a Sphinx portraying the offering of incense and fragrant oil or unguent. The Bible refers to cosmetics used by Jewish women. The Koran refers to aromatics. Nero (A. D. 54) and his wife made free use of perfumes and cosmetics. The Romans used almond, rose or quince for solid unguents. Liquid ones were made from flowers, spices and gums.

The Gandhasara of Gangadhara devanam subhagamdhadhupasahitasyarcavidherapakam nrnam pustikaram trivargaphaladam svasyapyalaksmiharam ||4|| rajnam tosakaram vidagdhavanitacittapramodapradam sastram sacchubhagamdhasasanamato dinmatramatrocyate || 5 || tatradau paribhasa | 1 bhavanam pacanam bodho vedho dhupanavasane | evam sadana karmani dravyesuktani kovidaih ||6|| pistva gamdhambuni dravyanyuktanyalodya bhavayet | bhavyam samsosayetpascadevam varastu pamcavan ||7|| kuryadbhavanametatsyatpakah syadbahudha yatha | pamcapatraputabaddham mrlliptam camgulonnatam ||8|| pacetkarisake vahnau putapako'yamiritah | garte patra gamdhagarbham krtvapurya mrdavadham ||9|| prajvalyognistadupari gartapako bhavedayam | nalikam dravyagarbha tu raudre kuryadvimudritam ||10|| saptaham venupakah syadannau va svedanembuna | vastram gamdhadravyagarbha bhamde samudvitemtara ||11|| svedyam gamdhambubaspena dolapake vidhistvayam | sabhavanadyam dravya garbhe putitakarpate || 12 || mudrite mudrita brhatsukharparapute nyaset | tale prajvalayedvahni yavadamtah sthitam jalam || 13 || susyetkharparapako'yam matulumgamtare sthitam | apaniya tato bahyabhyamtaram parivartya ca || 14|| dravyam tanmadhyagam krtva pipacetputapakavat | pako'yam baijayurah syadvilve tadvaccakarabhah ||15 || sigrumulabhyantare ca tadvatpakastu mulajah | bhamdam gamdhadravyagarbham mudritam jalapurite || 16 || sthule bhamde sthitam pakaddhamsapako'nale bhavet | 3 1 Vide article on Perfumes in Encyclo. Brittannica (14 th Edn.) Vol. 17, pp. 505-507. Perfumes are substances which by their fragrance gratify the sense of smell. The history of perfumes is closely associated with that of cosmetics. Many of the earliest forms were made by digesting odorous vegetable substances with sesame, almond, or olive oil. The principle underlying this process is still made use of although in an improved form, which is called Maceration.This article then deals with such topics as Distillation, Expression, Extraction, Animal Perfumes, Balsams, Gums and Oleo-resins, Synthetics and Isolates, Artificial Flower-oils and Finished Perfumes.

4 zd Studies in Indian Literary History syaddhanyarasimadhyasthe kalapakasvirena sah || 17 || " Folio 4 - Colophon of 1 st Prakarana reads:- " iti gamgadharakrtau gamdhasare paribhasaprakaranam prathamam | atha gamdhodakani | natasuradanavasevyo gaurikucakalasajalasali | varabhujagadhipabhuso harah sacamdrah pramodamadadhyat || " Folio 5 a--" gramthataradrdhajalabhedah || cha || iti pamcavidhagamdhajalam yathottaram || Folio 5 b-" iti gamdhodakani Folio 6 b- " atha parijatah " " ... Folio 7 b-- " mukhavasah Folio 8 b- " athodvarttanani " manoharam ||2|| " " 88 99 prayuktamukhavasasca dhupitalayamadhyagah | seveta gamdhatailam hara Folio 10 a-- " atha snanam | gaurikarajabhinnamdukalamsarasamisritam | gamgasalilamisasya snanakari punatu vah || Folio 11 a--" atha jalavasah || suvarnapadmadhulibhirvasitam camdrasitalam | suralokanadisamgasuddham niram punatu vah || " Folio 12 a--" atha mrgarajah " Folio 15 b-- " atha vartih || " atha dhupah davadagdhakosakaraka sikthayutairvimalavastrasambaddhaih | gamdhadravyaih pistaih chayasuskastu vartayah karyah || Folio 17 a--"atho dhulanam || latamamdiramadhyasthah pusparenuvibhusitah | vanamaladharah krsnah pramodam vidadhatu vah || " Folio 17 b- "atha niryasah Folio 18 a-- "atha syamduh " " FF s " Folio 19 a-- " atha krtrimadravyani " atha kusumadi hutih 97 Folios 21.22- "atha dravyamelakaprakarah || istadravye mitanamkanekadimsca vilomatah | " " likhitva tadadhascaiva taneva kramaso likhet || 1 || ekona bhati tesamte labdhamekasya kirttitah | prastarastena gunite pare ca dvivibhajite || 2 || labdham dviyogaprastarastravadi yogo'thayam vidhih |

The Gandhasara of Gangadhara purvoditesvapica kachaputesu vidvam dvitryadibhaga parikalpana yatra gamdhan | samyojyayeducita pacanadhupabodha- vedadyabhijnakathitagamasampradayaih || 1 || evam prastara satkarma pariksa sodhanadivit | yo gamdham yojayetsa syat sreyah kityarihaspadam || 5 || cha || iti gamgadharakrtau gamdhasare gamdhodakadinanagamdhopayogi prakaranam dvitiyam || " Folio 22-- " pariksitaigamdhavagaih prayuktaih sujanairjanaih | modito bhujagendubhyam japatyadrisutapatih || 1 || atha dravyanighamtustatpariksa ca nigadyate | yabhyam jnatva pariksapi tani gamdhesu yojayet || 2 || amum nighamtu cambunidhim vaktum kartsnyena kah ksamah | kimtu svavyavaharartham kimciduddhrtya kathyate || 3 || " 5 The Dravyas are classified into different Vargas as follows:- talisapatra, jhula, ramakarpura, pratapa, damana, murva 07 maruva, tulasi - - iti patravargah lavamga, kumkuma kesara, ketaki, kadamba, bakula, surapumnaga, satapuspa, malati, jai, madhavi, kumdah, mucakumdah, campakah, 1 surapuspi, priyamgu, sephali - - iti puspavargah ( folio 28 ). marica, kamkola, suksmaila, sthulaila, jaiphala, renuka, haritaki, amalaki, latakasturi, corapuspi, saumpha, dhaniya ( dhanakam ), vihani, samdilya, sriphala, saresi - - iti phalavargah (folio 23 ). karpuratvak, taja, lavamgatvak, thailavaluka, elavaluka, nali, kharjurakausa, asokatvak, lagatuh, svagvargah (folio 24 ). camdana, aguru, raktacamdana, devadaru, mamjistha, iksu-- iti kasthavargah ( folio 25 ). ered to kuna, puskaramula, bhadramusta, gamdhamusta, mahasugamdha, gamthivana, thunera, vala, usira, lama- jaka, jatamamsi, karcura - iti mulavargah ( folio 25 ). karpurah, silharasah, bola, guggula, srivasa, sarala, rala, sarkara--iti niryasavargah kasturi, sayala, nakhi, ghrta, madhu, mayana, laksa, vamsalocana -- iti jivavargah athaisam pariksa | qerfor,.......gefor,.. 600 ... jivani (folio 27 ). " patrani, puspani, mulani, ......... niryasah, . . niryasah, ....... ittham salitagamdhasastra satatabhyasatsamasadita- prajnonmesavisesasalibhanitigamgadharah kovidah | 1 The use of 4 oil by ladies is illustrated by the following Subhasita :- "vaksojau nibidam niruddhaya sicayenakuncya madhyam sanaih | krtva campakatailasekamabala sampidya mandam sirah | panibhyam calakankanodyatajhanatkarottarabhyam karo | tyabhyangam paripasyatah sakutukam darentarapreyasah || "

sastram durgamaviprakirnavitatam samgrhya vakyairvyadhat hr (?) tsaram tanotvayamihacamdrarkataram sthitim || 19 || anuna vara rajai ghanasarajusam mama | gramthena gamdhasarena priyatam parvatipatih || 20 || iti srigamgadharasya krtau gamdhasare nighamtuparisare nighamtupariksadi prakaranam trtiyam || folio 27). 11" The foregoing analysis of the rare MS of this treatise on Gandha- sastra gives us the following information about its author and the scope of the treatise with allied particulars :- (1) Gangadhara is the author of the work. He calls himself Kovida, i.e., an expert in this science of Cosmetics and Perfumery designated as Gandhasastra. (2) The name of the work is Gandhasara as stated by our author in all the colophons as also in the verses at the beginning and end of the work. (3) The Gandhasastra is called by our author as g (difficult to comprehend), fc (the materials of which are of a scattered nature) and faaa (vast in its scope or extensive). Consequently our author compiled this treatise by gathering materials from several sources ( vyadhat ). (4) Though our author has composed his treatise on the basis of earlier materials he does not mention any work or author by name. This circumstance makes it difficult for us to fix the chronology of the author and his work. In one or two places he merely states "a" but he gramthamtarat never mentions any c or its author. or cfa, i.e., Siva, (5) Our author bows to the gods: (i) (ii) or Ganapati, (iii) at (Sarasvati, the goddess of speech) and (iv) gandharvayaksa or gandhayaksa (the presiding deity of the gamdhasastra ) attending upon God Siva. (6) Our author, though himself an expert (or alfa) in Gandhasastra bows to his predecessors in the field, who are styled as "I". (7) Our author mentions six processes in the manufacture of Cosmetics, viz. :- (i) (ii) Infusing or saturating powders with fluid. -Ripening or cooking or decoction of materials which have undergone the process of bhavana .

( 8 ) The Gandhasara of Gangadhara (iii) bodha - This is defined as follows (fol. 2 ) :- bodhastu bodhakairdravyaih kucakolamuradibhih | 88 dasapimdacaturthamso bodhasyatte dalahvayah || (iv) vedha -- "vedho himdumadarkakhacalakironucamdra kaih | karyah kvacidbodhakaisva mitramitravivekatah || dvipamsah sukasalyarkanakhasilhalavadayah | vedheyatesca pimdasca kalamso 64 dha satasakah || deyascamdrastajjalam ca camdrabdhigunito madah | dvisatamsastailavedhe camdramsadviguno madah || " (2) dhupana - Fumigating with aromatic vapours of incense, etc. (vi) vasana - Scenting with the perfumes of flowers, etc. 7 In dealing with pacana our author describes some varieties of paka such as (1) putapaka, (2) gartapaka, (3) venupaka, (4) dolapaka, (5) kharparapaka, (6) baijayurapaka, (7) kalapaka, etc. Indian physicians are familiar with these processes of manufacturing medicines, which were obviously used for the manufacture of cosmetics and perfumes. (9) The treatise consists of three chapters as follows :- (i) paribhasa prakarana, explaining the technical terminology about the Gandhasastra ; (ii) gamdhodakadi nanagamdhopayogi prakarana, dealing with the manufacture of different kinds of aromatic products such as gamdhodaka, parijata, mukhavasa, gamdhataila, varti, niryasa, jalavasa, syamdu, dhulana etc. , (iii) nighamtuparisare nighamtupariksadi prakarana, which first gives a glossary of aromatic materials classified under (1) Leaves, (2) flowers, (3) fruits, (4) barks, (5) sticks and (6) roots. The author then states how these materials are to be examined before they are used for manufacture. It appears to me even from my non-technical study of this rare treatise that its author Gangadhara had a thorough knowledge of the science of Gandhasastra. He has also successfully attempted in the present. treatise to systematise this knowledge for the benefit of humanity because. (1) it is useful in the worship of the gods which requires gamdha and dhupa, (2) it contributes to the nourishment of men, (3) it enables men to realize the fruits of the three objects of human existence, viz., dharma, artha and kama, (trivarga- phaladam ), (4) it pleases the Kings and (5) it gladdens the minds of accompli• shed women, and (6) it removes one's poverty also ( svasya api alaksmihara ). According to the statement of the writer of the article on Cosmetics in the Encyclopaedia Britannica the Cosmetics had their origin probably

in the East though the earliest records about their use about 3500 B. C. and even earlier are found in Egypt. In view of the suggested Eastern origin of the Gandhasastra a systematic history of this Science and art. from Sanskrit and allied sources needs to be elaborately reconstructed. For this reconstruction the present treatises viz., the Gandhasara of Gangadhara and the Gandhavada with Marathi commentary will be very helpful. In the present paper I have only analysed the MS of the Gandhasara and have reserved a study of the MS of the Gandhavada for a separate paper. The Romans made use of the rose in the preparation of solid unguents. In the Gandhasara no reference to the rose is found. The use of rose in the manufacture of perfumery began very late in India i. e., in the latter half of the 18 th Century as proved by me in two papers 1 regard. ing the manufacture of rose-water in India. According to the Vaisesikas, Gandha or smell is one of the 24 properties or gunas. It is a characteristic property of the Prthivi or earth. Earth is accordingly defined as at graft. Buchanan 2 in his account of the Perfumery industry in Bihar and Arwal about A. D. 1811 mentions the manufacture of an essence having the smell of dry clay as follows:- "The most strange of these essences is that made with the clay, which communicates to oil of Sandal-wood the smell, which dry clay emits, when first wetted and which to me is far from agreeable. It sells at 12 rupee for each rupee weight." prthivi is gandhavati indeed ! The word gandha in its bearing on perfumes has considerably influenced the Sanskrit language as will be seen from the following terminology recorded by Mr. Apte in his Sanskrit-English Dictionary:- : Pounded sandal-wood. -Black aloe-wood. A kind of perfume. aig Fragrant water. 11 The wild lemon tree. Sulphur. -Mixture of 8 fragrant substances offered to deities varying 66 1 These papers are:- Some Sanskrit Verses on the Manufacture of Rose-water," etc. (Poona Orientalist, Vol. VIII, pp. 1-8) and " Buchanan's Account of the Manufacture of Rosewater and perfumes (A. D. 1811) in Bihar and Arwal (New Indian Antiquary, Vol. VII). 2 Vide p. 633 of Patna Gaya Report, Vol. II, Published by Bihar & Orissa Res. Society, Patna.

The Gandhasara of Gangadhara 9 in kind according to the nature of the deity to whom they are offered. -The musk-rat. --The vendor of perfumes. gandhadhtha-- Rich in odour, very fragrant " trajascottamagandhadhyah " ( Mb.). The orange tree. --Sandal-wood. bud to The scent elephant. " yasya gandham samaghraya na tisthati pratidvipah | savai gamdhagajo nama nrpatervijayavahah || taffa A perfumer. Tag: The civet-cat. - " --A female-servant whose business it is to prepare perfumes. Aloe-wood. --A kind of perfume. gandhakelika ( celika ) -- Musk. --Fragrant oil. 11 Aloe-wood. gandhadharin-- An epithet of Siva. gandhadhulih- Musk. werne Marm 99 62 ad to bail of do 20 50 27 Musk-rat. 11 A kind of jasmine. - species of zedoary. --Turmeric. --Sulphur. and ebo to noiscellos sods T Labiaasis --Smoke of burnt fragrant-resin, supposed to attract demons by fragrance. foot anteri amed to ecig ovie -Vetasa plant.io aid of --Flowers and sandal offered to deities at the time of worship. --An indigo plant. it can dome --The Priyangu creeper-A bud of the campaka tree. be :--The mango tree. --A large black bee; Sulphur; -Name of a mountain to the east of Meru renowned for its fragrant forests.

--Spirituous liquor. gandhamadini -- Lac. --Musk deer. gamdhamaithunah-- A bull. antiga A bud of the cam paka tree. " gamdhayukti - Preparation of perfumes " esa maya sevita gandhayuktih ( Mrcchakatika 8; Yajnavalkya Smrti 1,231; Mudraraksasa 1.4). Myrrh. :-Turpentine. gamdharajah - - Kind of jasmine. -The priyangu creeper. : The wind. - : Musk deer. afa: Wheat. -The Sala tree. gamdhavyakula - A kind of fragrant berry ( kakkola ). ajfeat Musk-rat. - -Musk. c: Sandal; kind of jasmine. gamdhasukhi (suyi ) - The musk shrew. -The white water-lily. -A female servant whose business is to prepare prefumes. Cf. gamdhakarika . The above collection of words has many cultural associations characteristic of Indian life as reflected in classical Sanskrit. For any systematic study of the Indian science and art of perfumery on the basis of extant literature, technical or otherwise, it is necessary to prepare a comprehensive glossary of terms pertaining to this science and art. In the absence of such a glossary it is difficult to understand the terminology peculiar to the Gandhasastra as used in such treatises as the Gandhasara of Gangadhara and the Gandhavada with Marathi commentary now discovered by me. That there were special treatises (before A. D. 1000) on Gandhasastra by Lokesvara and others is proved by the following stanzas of Padmasri, the Buddhist author of the work on erotics, viz., Nagarasarvasva (ed. by T. Tripathi, Bombay, 1921).

The Gandhasara of Gangadhara Pages 11-15 ( gandhadhikara ) Stanzas 1 and 2 :- 66 nanavidagdhavasa mukhya madanapradipakah khyatah | varakamukah prayatnacchiksyetadau sugandhasastrebhyah || 1 || lokesvaradikebhyo'patumatidurbodhagandhasastrebhyah | samgrhya sarabhagam pravidhasye suprasiddhapadaih || 2 || " 11 The Cosmetics and Perfumes as described by Padmasri (c. A. D. 1000 ) in the chapter called the Gandhadhikara and explained by his com mentator Jagajjyotirmalla of Nepal ( c. AD. 1617-1633 ) are as follows:-- (1) kesapatavasah prepared from nakha, karpura, kunkuma, aguru, silhaka and sita sarkara . (2) kaksavasah prepared from patraka, sailaja, silhaka, kunkuma, musta, abhaya haritaki and guda . ( 3 ) grhavasah prepared from kasturi, karpura, kunkuma, nakha, mamsi ( jatamamsi ? ), vala ( candana ), aguru, ( srikhamda ) and guda . (4) mukhavasah prepared from jatiphala, kasturi, karpura, cutavari ( amrarasa ), aguru, silhaka, madhu, guda, sita (sarkara ) for ordinary persons. ( 5 ) vadanavasah ( for Kings) prepared from tvak, ela, mamsi ( jatamamsi ), sathi, aguru, kunkuma, musta, ghanacamdana, jatiphala, lavanga, kakola, karpura, vamsarocana, sarkara, sahakara, ( amrarasa ). (6) jalavasah (for Kings) prepared from suksmaila, kasturi, kusta, tagara, patra, camdana-- This preparation is called malayanila-jalavasa . (7) pugavasa (for Kings) prepared from kusta, tagara, jatiphala, karpura, lavanga, ela and pugaphala . ( 8 ) snaniya curnavasa prepared from tvak, aguru, musta, tagara, caura, sathi, granthi, parna, nakha, kasturi . ( 9 ) catuhsama prepared from kasturi, karpura, kukuma, candana . ( 10 ) udvartana ( for Kings) prepared from kasturi, karpura, candana, saileya, naga ( nagakesara ), aguruka . (11) curna ( ( for_Kings ) prepared from sailaja, vala, lavanga, tvak, patra, surabhisilha, tagara, mamsi, kusta . (12) ratinatha dhupavartih ( for Kings ) prepared from karpura, aguru, candana, purti ( putikaraja ), priyangu, vala, mamsi . (13) ratinathakanta dhupavarti prepared from nakha, aguru, silhaka, vala, kunduru, saileya, candana, syama .

(14) madanodbhava dipavarti (for royal palace ) prepared from devadaru, maruvaka, musta, laksa, aguru, salacurna, karpura . (15) dipavarti ( another variety ) made of gandharasa, aguru, guggulu, sarjarasa, puti, karpura . Padmasri's chapter on Cosmetics and Perfumes analysed above gives us in a nut-shell some of the popular products and their aromatic ingredients 1 as current in c. 1000 A. D., and even earlier. This chapter, therefore, provides us a good technical back-ground for the more elaborate systematisation of the Gandhasastra as we notice in the Gandhasara and Gandhavada, which are obviously later than A. D. 1000. belles ai u 195 e (or) bera 1 For the identification of these ingredients readers are requested to consult the Sanskrit tippani of Mr. Tripathi, which is very learned and critical.