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LECTURE XXXIV.
197
Hear 1. the names, 2. colours, 3. tastes, 4. smells, 5. touches, 6. degrees, 7. character, 8. variety, 9. duration, 10. result, and 11. life of the Lêsyâs. (2)
1. They are named in the following order : black, blue, grey, red, yellow, and white. (3)
2. The black Lesyâ has the colour of a rain-cloud, a buffalo's horn, (the fruit of) Rishtaka', or the eye of the wagtail. (4)
The blue Lêsyâ has the colour of the blue Asôka?, the tail of the Kâsha 3, or of lapis lazuli. (5)
The grey Lêsyâ has the colour of the flower of Atasi 4, the feathers of the Kôkila, or the collar of pigeons. (6)
The red Lesyâ has the colour of vermilion, the rising sun, or the bill of a parrot. (7)
The yellow Lêsyâ has the colour of orpiment, turmeric, or the flowers of Sana 6 and Asana 8. (8)
The white Lêsyâ has the colour of a conchshell, the anka-stone?, Kunda-flowers 8, flowing milk, silver, or a necklace of pearls. (9)
3. The taste of the black Lesyâ is infinitely more bitter than that of Tumbaka”, (the fruit of the) Nimb-tree 10, or of Rôhini. (10)
i Sapindus Detergens.
? It is not the common Asôka, Jonesia Asoka, which has red flowers.
s Corarias Indica, blue jay; according to some, a kingfisher.
• Linum Usitatissimum, whose flowers are blue.-The word for grey is kâû= kâpôta; in the comm., however, it is described as kimkit krishna, kim kil lô hitâ, which would be rather brown. But the description given in our verse leaves no doubt that grey colour is intended. Crotolaria Juncea.
6 Terminalia Tomentosa. ? Anka, manivisesha.
8 Jasminum Multiflorum. 9 The gourd Lagenaria Vulgaris. 10 Azadirachta Indica.
