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260
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
(1) Sayaka and seyaka (R. M.), of course, represent Sanskrit Salyaka. The salyaka is one of the five-toed animals that may be eaten by Aryans, see-e.g., Âpastamba, Dh. Sú, i, 17, 37, Baudhảyana, Dh. Sá.i, 12, 5, Gautama, Dh. Sa. xvii, 27, Vasishtha, Dh. Sa, xiv, 39. It is associated with the kaphata, i.e., according to M. Senart's excellent conjecture, kamatha, 'the tortoise,' because in the law-books salyaka and kachchhapa are always closely put together among the eatable five-toed animals.
i) According to the analogy of parņamriga, 'an animal living in the leaves of trees,' pannasase i.e. parnabasah may mean a hare, i.e. a hare-like animal living in the leaves of trees,' and denote the large white-bellied, red squirrel, which is found in the forests of the Western Ghats. It is quite as large as a hare, and its skinned body looks exactly like that of a hare. I have shot it near Yellapur in Kanara. Its meat tasted very much like that of a hare.
(1) Simale corresponds exactly to the Sanskrit srimara. Vågbhata, Ashtangahridaya Sú. I, 49, names this animal, among the ten mahámriga or large wild animals, next to the chamara or yak-ox and the rhinoceros. It stands also next to the yak in the enumeration of wild animals, which occurs in the Jatakamáld xxvi, 7, see the smaller Petersburg Dictionary, sub voce srimara). Perhaps it may be the large Båråsing stag.
(K) M. Senart has called attention to the passage of the Mahavagga, vi, 17, where the ukkapindá are said to eat the provisions of the monks. According to the note to the translation, Sacred Books of the East, vol. XVII, p. 70, Buddbaghosha explains the term by bilálamúsikagodhamungusá, cats, mice, iguanas and mungooses'. He takes it evidently in its etymological sense, ukke i.e. oke pindo yeshám te animals which find their food in the houses,' i.e.'vermin. This general explanation does not suit here, because cats, mice and mungooses are not eaten, and because a particular kind of animal must be meant. I would suggest that Piyadasi forbids the slaughter of one of the animals named by Buddhaghosha, viz. of the godhá, the large lizard, which, according to the law-books, quoted in note (1) belong to the eatable five-toed animals.
(1) M. Senart's correction palapate for palasate is inadmissible, because all the three versions agree, and because the turtle dove is denoted by the next term. Mr. Trenckner's explanation of the corresponding Pali parasato by rhinoceros' (Pali Miscellany, I, 50) fits excellently. For the rhinoceros is also one of the five-toed animals which may be eaten,-see the passages from the law-books, quoted in note (h). Moreover, the rules règarding the Sraddhas show clearly that the meat of the rhinoceros was highly esteemed. According to Manu, iii, 272, and the parallel passages, quoted in the Synopsis, rhinoceros meat satisfies the manes "for an endless time."
(m) Setakapote, no doubt, denotes the whitish-grey doves, which are found in large numbers in many parts of India, and which are usually included in the general term hollo or hullá. White pigeons, as indeed all tame pigeons, are only kept by Musalmans, not by Hindus.
(n) M. Senart has stated that pațibhoga, literally enjoyment,' does not refer erclusively to nourishment. I should say that on account of the following clause "nor are eaten" it must mean "other use than for food" and that Piyadasi means to forbid the slaughter of all animals whose skins, fur, feathers, etc., are not required, as well as of those which are not eaten.
