- 13
To prevent smoke nuisance from the होमशाला in the palace he recommends the construction of latticed windows etc. The necessity of having a चतुष्क in the palace and the passage i.e. अलिन्द shows that the old engineers had a good grasp of the problems of light and ventilation.
The king is advised also to spend different seasons in different types of palaces which are constructed differently to suit the seasons and the variable weather. The author is particular in having four palaces for the four seasons, i. e. the spring, the summer, the winter and the rainy season.
Then begins the chapter entitled the स्नानोपभोग or 'the enjoyment of bath'. The king's person, he says, should first be anointed with fragrant oil and then massaged by expert wrestlers well-versed in the art of massaging. An ointment prepared with fragrant unguents like Kostha etc. in water or Känjikā is applied afterwards to the body for rubbing and cleaning the skin. A Khali (a special preparation of an ointment of wheat-flour etc. in Aranālas) is then applied to remove grease from the skin and it serves the same purpose as the modern soap. Young women then pour over the head water from golden jars made fragrant by various scented things. The scented oil of Amalaki is then applied to the hair; sometimes scented turmeric is applied in addition. The oil and turmeric are then removed with warm water and the body is rubbed vigorously with a dry towel. Finally the removal of wet clothings completes the elaborate process of a royal bath.
The bath over, the king should put on a pair of sandals made of Sriparni or Harichandana wood or of leather which covers only the front portion of the foot according to convenience. This is called the पादुकाभोग or the enjoyment of sandals.
Coming out of the Snänagrha (bath room) the king should enter the Sukha-Mandir (pleasure hall). He should then summon the officer-in-charge of Tambula 'betel leaves' and take from him one Tambūla. For this purpose excellent areca nuts are obtained from places like Vanaväsī. A slice from the top of the nut is first removed and then it is dried in the shade. One fourth of this nut is used in preparing the Tambula which consists of fifty-two yellowish betel leaves with their ends removed. The ingredients used for the Tambūla include pearl oyster, the Is'avāsa camphor, Kastūrī (musk) and various other sweet smelling things.
- 1. धूमनिर्गमनोपायकृतजालपरिष्करा । (विं. ३-९१३)
- 2. गवाक्षैः शोभिते हर्म्ये रम्ये सर्वप्रकाशके । (विं. ३-९२३)