Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c77.70

v2.c77.70

**Ointment.**—According to the A. P. (Cit. laks. p. 14-15) in the preparation of the Clay-plaster or rather more correctly the Ointment by means of which not only the background is furnished with a befitting medium of the picture, but also the image itself is done up with (Cit. laks. p. 14-15), there are so many other ingredients besides the clay. These are the butter and milk of a kapilā cow, the atasi flower, the powder of barley and wheat grains, the barks of milky trees and guda-samyuta bakula along with the Indravṛkṣa—all these to be well powdered and mixed with the powder of the interior of a stone and then all this levigated powder (kalka) be again ground with the oil of atasī and water and when well ground it assumes an ointment like kajjala. This, then, should be transformed into handfuls (piṇḍas) in the quantity of muṣṭi, and be left for being dried up in the sun. When got dried, it becomes as hard as vajra. This is what may be termed as **Mṛttikābandhana**.