Jain Journal 2014 07

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 67

JAIN JOURNAL: VOL-XLIX, NO. 1-IV JULY 2014-JUNE 2015
Paksaja--of wings). The Linga Purāņa [1.54.40] says cloud are formed by smokes and various smokes have various results.
Kautilya in his Arthaśāstra (2.24.5) speaks of various clouds of which those that pour rain continuously for 7 days in the plains are of three types, those that pour minute drops are of 8 varieties and those that are accompanied by sunshine are of 30 types. The Samhitā texts deal elaborately of the Garbhadana (fertilization of clouds). The Brhat Samhitā of Varāhamithira (6th c.A.D) [XXI and XXIV] deal on various processes of the fertilization. It takes 196 days for clouds to take birth and grow. Those that fertilize during day time give rain in night and those fertilizing during night time give rain during day.
The 'Kļşi Parāśara' a work on agricultural meteorology based on a text of 10th c. A.D. classifies clouds broadly as Āvarta (rains in particular area), Samvarta (rains everywhere), Puşkara (scantly rainfall) and Droņa (rains in wide area).
The Meghamalamanjarilo or generally titled as "Meghamala' is an exclusive text dealing elaborately on classification and descriptions of clouds. It is in the type of a Kavya and deals with 8 types of clouds with ten varieties in each of the following mountains namely Kailāsa, Trikuta, Jathara, Srngavera, Himavat and Gandhamādana. In the form of Siva-Pārvati Samvada, the text describes the following 12 clouds. These 12 clouds are Subodha, Nandaśali, Kanyada, Prthusrava, Vāsuki, Takşaka, Vikarta, Sarbudha, Hemamati, Vajradamstra and Vișaprada. Each of them appears on the basis of entry of Jupiter into the 12 zodiacal constellations.
Clouds in Jain Literature
Just as Vedic texts and their associated literature deal on clouds and their formation similarly Jain Canons are also replete with their information. The Rai Pasenīya Sūtra", the second among the 12 Upānga Sutras has some details of clouds. The Abhiyogic Gods of