Indian Antiquary Vol 56

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 126

106
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
{ JUNE, 1927
These observations are unexceptionable; and when taken into consideration along with the statement in Tait. Br. 1, 4, 9, 2: (tasmál trir ahnaḥ paśavaḥ prerate | prátaḥ samgave sayam) that the cows went out to graze thrice a day, prátaḥ, samgave and sayam, they point to the conclusion that the cows returned home from the pasture thrice a day oozing with milk and longing and lowing for their calves. Similarly, Geldner's further observation (p. 113) that svasara denotes the time when the cows roam about and freely graze on the pastures (sva-sara), supposing that it is correct, points, when taken in conjunction with the above statement of the Tait. Br., to the conclusion that there are three periods of time in each day which can be denoted by the word svasara, and not one period only, that preceding the samgava time, as stated by Geldner.
Now, what are the three times of the day when the cows were driven out to graze? It has been remarked, in this connection, by Macdonell (Vedic Index, s. v. go, note 4) that the exact sense of the above-mentioned passage of the Tait. Br. (1, 4, 9, 2) is obscure and that 'strictly speaking, the cows were driven out from the cattleshed in the morning, spent the heat of the day in the Samgavinî, were then driven out during the evening to graze and finally came or were driven home.' That is to say, the cows were, according to him, driven out to graze twice only in the day-in the morning before sangava, and in the afternoon after samgava, and not thrice. This view seems to me to be untenable, and I am disposed to think that the statement of the Tait. Br. is correct and that the cows were driven out to graze thrice a dayin the morning (prátaḥ), in the samgava time (samgave), and in the evening (sayam), that is to say, in the latter part of the night (pascimarâtra) before the morning-milking, in the late morning after the morning-milking, and in the afternoon some time after the samgava-milking, and that they returned or were driven home from the pasture before the morning-milking, before the samgava-milking, and before the evening-milking respectively. Compare also Bhatta-Bhaskara's comment (p. 235) tasmâd ahnas triḥ prerate pasavas caranârtham pratishthante prátaḥ samgave sayam ca on this passage.
The return home of the milch-cows has been described frequently by the later Sanskrit classical writers from whose writings I reproduce here some passages on this subject:
1. uparatáḥ pascimarâtrigocarâd apârayantaḥ patitum javena gam
tam utsukâs cakrur avekshanotsukam gavam ganáḥ prasnulapivaraudhasaḥ || Kirâtârjunîya 4, 10. 2. nirváti vâsare astâcala-kúta- kirite nicula-mañjari-bhamsi tejâmsi muncati viyan-muci marici-málini divasa-vihṛti-pratyagatam prasnuta-stanam stanam. dhaye dhayati dhenu-vargam udgata-kshiram kshudhita-tarnaka-vráte
Harshacarita (Nirnayasâgara ed., p. 80).
3. anindya Nandini nama dhenur dvavṛte vandt ||
bhuvan kosken kundodhní madhyendrabhadapi prarandhivarshasti vatadlokapravartin ||
Raghuvamia (1, 82-84).
4. sa naicikiḥ pratyaham atapânte pratyuklaghosha iva vatsanâdaiḥ| madhuni vamsadhvanibhiḥ prayacchan ninaya bhiyo 'pi nivasabhûmim || Yadavâbhyudaya 4, 89.
Except that, as regards the second observation, the word pipyushi, in 2, 16, 8 has no connection with the word yavasasya which precedes it and which is to be construed with the verb abhyavavṛista. The cow moreover does not long for her calf when she is pipyushi but becomes pipyushi [i.e., oozing with milk] when she remembers and longs for her calf or sees it; compare Kirâtârjunîya 4, 10: upârataḥ pascimarátrigocarad aparayantaḥ patitum javena gam | tam utsukás cakrur avekshanotsukam gavam gandḥ prasnutapivaraudhasah and the commentator's explanation utsuka vatseshûtkanthitaḥ prasulapivaraudhaso vatsasmaranat aravatpinapinah; Raghuvamsa 1, 81: bhuvam koshnena kundodhni medhyenávabhṛthâd api | prasravenabhivarshanti vatsalokapravartina; Yasastilakacampo, 2, 184: levacit vatsekshana-kahana-ksharat-stana-dhenu-dugdha-dhara-dhavyamana-dharapitham.