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INTRODUCTION
55 In reflection regarding human beings a list of kinship is given. Simlarly, long lists of birds, quadrupeds, reptiles, aquatic animals, insects, various constituents of the human body, flowers, fruits, creepers, grains, oils, etc. are mentioned. Among articles of perfume appear guggula (bde llium) sajjalasa (resin of Vatica Robusta), chandanarasa (oil of sandal wood), telavaņņika (olebanum), kāleyaka, sahakāra-rasa (mango oil), mātulinga-rasa (lemon oil), karamanda-rasa, sālaphala-rasa (oil of Sāla fruit). (232). Further lists of cloths, utensils, ornaments, metals, precious stones, colours different kinds of earth are given. For white sudha, sedikā, palepaka (plaster), nelakata (bluish white), and kadasakkara (grit); for red geruga (red ochre), hingulaka (cinnabar), pajjaņi, and vannamattikā (red earth), for yellow haritāla (orpiment) and maņosila, for blue nilaka dhātu (ultramarine ?), and sassakachuņņa (green malachite powder); for black anjana (collyrium) and kanhammattikā (black earth). It is followed with a list of different topographical features of the land. (223-234).
Chapter fifty-nine on Time (Kāla), is divided into twenty-seven Sections (padalas). In the first Section divisions of time are mentioned. In the second Section the gunas and their relationship with time are enumerated. In the third Section utpātā vidhis are described ; in the fourth Section are described small units, grains, etc. and their relationship with muhurta. In Sections fifth to seventh the relationship of animate and inanimate objects with time is defined. In this way the sections roll on and their meaning is rather obscure and difficult to interpret. (235-262).
Parvabhava devabhava, maņussabhava, tirikkhajoņika and
Chapter sixtieth deals with ņerayikabhava, etc. (263-269).
The above summary of the chapters gives rather an inadequate idea of the contents of the Angavijjā. The difficulties of interpretation are manifold. The language is full of technical terms and until their import is fully understood it is difficult to interpret the text. The author adopts in it a terse style which more often becomes a headache. The absence of any commentary and the lack of proper Prakrit dictionaries add further to our difficulties. This obscurity could only be removed if in future more literature on the subject becomes available. But inspite of all its shortcomings the text is a treasure-house for the cultural history of the early centuries of the Christian era. It does not confine itself to prognostications only, but gives long lists of objects of daily use which are important for understanding certain features of Indian life that appear nowhere else in literature. It is hoped that some scholar in future will take up a serious study of the Angavijja and apply critical testimonia to the understanding of its rich cultural glossary.
MOTI CHANDRA.
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