Haritaki fried in oil and kamsa powder are taken in equal parts, iron powder (roasted, says the verse) equal to both, and as much nilanjana (glossed as blue vitriol), all mixed together. A paste (kalka) of bhringaraja, madayantika (mallika, jasmine), sahachara (yellow katsaraiya), saireyaka (katsaraiya), nili and turmeric, equal to this powder, is added; oil is mixed in and the whole is ground well in a mortar, put in a good strong iron vessel and kept in a heap of grain for six months, three months or one month (the verse also allows two). It is then taken out, worshipped with proper rites and materials and applied to white hair, which is said to become black like collyrium at once.
Names and synonyms
- Sanskrit
- हरीतक्यादि लेप
- Hindi
- केश कृष्णीकरण हरीतक्यादि लेप
- English
- Haritakyadi hair-blackening paste
Ingredients and preparation
Ingredients
| Ingredient | As written in the text | Quantity as written |
|---|---|---|
| Haritaki (chebulic myrobalan)हरड़ (हरीतकी) | तैलोद्धृष्टहरीतकी / तैल से भूना हुआ हरड | समधृतं / ये दोनों समभाग · haritaki and kamsa powder in equal parts |
| Kamsaकांस | कांसस्य चूणँ / कांस के चूर्ण | Not stated |
| Iron (loha)लोहा (लोह) | भृष्टं लोहरज / लोहचूर्ण | तयो समधृतं / इन दोनों के बराबर लोहचूर्ण · iron powder equal to the two together |
| Antimony sulphide (anjana, sauviranjana)सुरमा (अंजन) | नीलांजन / नीलांजन (तूतिया) | तत्समम् / इतना ही नीलांजन · nilanjana in the same amount |
| Bhringaraja (false daisy)भांगरा (भृंगराज) | भृंगी / भांगरा | Not stated |
| Mallika (Arabian jasmine)मोगरा (मल्लिका) | मदयंतिका / मिÑका (मोतिया) | Not stated |
| Sahachara (yellow katsaraiya)पीली कटसरैया | सहभवा / सहचर (पीलीकटसरैया) | Not stated |
| Saireyaka (porcupine flower)कटसरैया (सैरेयक) | सैरीय / कटसरैया | Not stated |
| Niliनीली | नीली / नील | Not stated |
| Haridra (turmeric)हल्दी (हरिद्रा) | निशा / हल्दी | Not stated |
| Sesame oil (tila taila)तिल का तेल (तैल) | तैल | Not stated |
Preparation as described
The powders are mixed, the herb paste is added, oil is mixed in and the whole is ground well in a mortar, then put in a strong iron vessel and kept in a heap of grain.
मिलावें। पश्चात् इसमें तैल मिलाकर खरल में अच्छी तरह मर्दन करें एवं उसे अच्छे (मजबूत) लोहे
How it is used
After proper worship it is applied to white hair.
कर उचित पूजा विधि व द्रव्य से पूजन करके सफेद बालों पर लेपन करें तो तत्काल ही केश कज्जाल
Indicated for, as the text says
- Premature greying (palitya)(केशान् सितान् / सफेद बाल)
Duration as written
six, three, two or one month in a heap of grain, during preparation (the commentary omits two) · षणमासं ह्यथवा त्रिमासमपि तन्मासद्वयं मासकम् / छह महिना, तीन महिना या एक महिना पयँत
Quantities are reported exactly as the source states them. They are historical measures, not dosage advice.
भावार्थ : तैल से भूना हुआ हरड, अैर कांस के चूर्ण ये दोनों समभाग, इन दोनों के बराबरSource wording as converted, Chapter 23 · p. 564 · v. 94-95.Safety
- Needs a trained practitioner. This procedure or preparation is of a kind that should only be carried out under qualified supervision.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, kidney or liver disease and other medicines all call for professional advice before any traditional remedy is used.
Questions and answers
What do the hair-blackening preparations of verses 88 to 101 have in common?
Every one of them contains iron powder, most also triphala and several nilanjana, bhringaraja, nili and sesame oil; most are matured in an iron vessel or a treated pot, often buried in a heap of grain, then worshipped and applied to the hair.
Detailed answer and sourcesAll references
Every page and verse of the source that this entry draws on.
Extraction notes
- Supervision is flagged for the iron and nilanjana powders. कांसस्य चूर्णं is recorded as ingredient_kamsa because the text does not say whether bronze or kasha grass is meant. The commentary glosses नीलांजन here as तूतिया.
Quick facts
- Content type
- Formulation
- Source pages with records
- 1
- Pages naming it
- 0
- Chapters
- Chapter 23
- Extraction tasks
- T26
- Record id
- formulation_haritakyadi_lepa_p636