Samipya 2008 Vol 25 Ank 03 04

SR No.: 535849
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: R T Savalia
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan
Publication Year: 2008
Total Pages: 164
Language: Gujarati
Classification: Magazine, India_Samipya, & India
File Size: 15 MB

Page 62

Birds in Sanskrit Literature
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Dr. Tejani Gautam Munshi*
The Rigveda, concerned chiefly with the soma cult, mentions only about twenty birds which, however, does not imply that the Vedic poet's knowledge was confined to those birds only. They must have been familiar with birds of their neighbouring forest. Their powers of observation, love of birds, prejudice against some may be briefly illustrated: RV 1.164.20 presents a beautiful picture of two birds-one of beautiful plumps of e.g. the Golden Oriole and the other a bird of prey (auf an Eagle)- sharing as friends a common tree for their adobe, and while the former enjoys the sweet berries of the tree (Ficus religiosa) the other, not eating the berries, keep a look out (for prey) preached high up on the tree. RV 2.42 and 43 describe the welcome pleasant notes of the auspicious grey Parting (f) and the poet lovingly blesses the bird that it may not fall prey to a hawk or to a bow-man. Further, it pays it high compliment by describing its sweet notes as a (song of praise). On the other hand, the rock Pigeons (4) and the Hooting Owl (3) are condemned as birds of ill omen in RV 10.165.4.
The Atharvaveda also shows familiarity with birds of prey like the Larger Falcon or the Red-headed Merlin who hunts in pairs (fi, AV 7.70.3). The Mutual attachment of a pair of a Brahmin Ducks () who keep together during the day and move apart during the night in search of food among water plants but keep in touch with one another by mutual calls is the basis for pronouncing a blessing for mutual love upon a newly married couple in AV 14.2.64.
By the time of Samhitas of the Yajurveda came to be composed (c. 1000 B.C.) the Indo-Aryans had become familiar with many more birds and able to teach the Hill Maya and the Parrot (and) to repeat human speech, and priest at the horse-sacrifice dedicated them to t, the goddess of speech, and to (VS 24.33). They had also observed the parasitic habit of the name of the Indian Koel lying its eggs in the nest of crows, and allotted it under the name of 34 to the half months because it assigned the work of brooding on its eggs and bringing up the young to others (VS 24.37). Yajus Samhitas mention about sixty birds in all in the litany of the horse-sacrifice.
The broad V-form of a flight of Demoiselle Cranes was copied by the Pandavas in their war against the Kauravas for the arrangement of a squadron under the name of a (MBH 6.51.1) and this formation has been well-defined in effe ch. 4, sec. 7. 297: "As the flight of cranes across the air assumes a regular formation, so should the state's army (G) (देशबल) be arranged when at war like the कौंचव्यूह. " Like the crane the bareheaded Goose (कादम्ब हंस) * Lecturer & HOD, S. R. Mehta, Arts College, Ashram Road, Ahmedabad Birds in Sanskrit Literature
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