Madhuvidya

Author(s): S D Laddu, T N Dharmadhikari, Madhvi Kolhatkar, Pratibha Pingle
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 40

VEDIC ANHKHALA: PĀLI AKKULA
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o figure roshten the Bud Sound alkula".es
vrddhi of the penultimate u of the root has been taught by Pånini in the formation of the agent nouns with the suffix -alcu (cf. 3. 1. 33 and 7.2. 116). It will thus be clear that Ajakalāpaka means 'one who utters sounds like a goat' and that the sound alckula attributed to the Yakşa in order to frighten the Buddha is an attempt on the part of the author to figure out the imitation of the bleating of the goat.
If this Pali akkula 'bleating of a goat' is connected with Vedic alhkhala, then the latter may also be regarded to represent the cry of that frog,” which is supposed to utter cries similar to those of a goat (ajímayu). The loss of aspiration in allula is witnessed in many other instances in Pali (
Geiger 62, rlşa >ilka, etc.). Moreover it may also be noted that for akkula a variant ackhula with aspiration has been recorded. As regards the difference in the vowel in the second syllable (a : u), it is likely that the change occurred as aklıla and was confused with akula. Above all it must be remembered that such minor changes are very likely in onomatopoetic expressions.
The return to the frog-hymn once again. Gomāyu and ajamāya varieties of the frog on the one hand and prśnt and hárita varieties on the other are referred to in verses 6 and 10 and in both cases exactly in the same order. This suggests that the speckled variety produced a sound siinilar to that of a cow and the green one produced a sound similar to that of a goat. From the meaning of alchichala suggested above, this seems to be confirmed by verses 3 and 4. In verse 3 we are told that when the rain-water falls, the one frog approaches the other producing the sound a rhakhla. If, as suggested above, the frog producing this sound is ajámiyu, then it would mean that in verse 3 we read
6 In a stanza which occurs in tho Subhisitaratnabhindrigira (Nirnaya. Bigara edn. 1952, p. 207, verse 18) the goat's cries are represented as bobokaran prakurvan.
7. In the Pancaviira Brihmana 12.4.16, the crying of a frog is referred to as al karoti, Otherwiso in tho Voda, the verb use I is vad with or without a pretix like a, pra, u. Cf. V. 7.103.1, 3 etc., 10.166.5 ; AV. 4.15.12,14). In Vägbha a's commentary to his Kivy inufii sana (ch. 2, p. 24, Kavyam. 1 43) whero cortain sounds of animals and objects aro montioned, it is said ravo menu nke u. In modern Indian languages also thoro are different expressions roforring to the crios of a frog : As. !ortorowa, Bg. geigorgengor, Hindi-Urdu ariar Dakhani form as given in J. Shakespeare's Hindustani-English Dictionary is turinturm), Pjb.le.in tein or trein tren Mar. Guj. dari dariv, Kan. vatarala, Tam, vrat vrit, Tel. bekabeka.
8. akichulo bhakkulo is noted in JPTS- 1866, p. 99 (explained as akkheluri khepetu vinisette i ulati parattatiti akkuls, bhakkhituin ulatiti bhakkhulo......). Tho varianty noted in tho toxt of the Udana aro (p. 5. f. n. 1) akkulobakkulo, uklulavakkulika.it. The Gatha 7 referring to this incidont has Oakkulair. In tho Prs Dictionary we are asked to read p kula both for pakkula and bakkulu.
9. Tho text as given by R. Morris (JPTS 1886, p. 94) shows the reading with a in pakkalo (line 3;; but he remarks that we should read pakkulo (line 9).
Madhu Vidyā/15