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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
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44 and the verses describing the two birds sharing a common tree came in very handly to illustrate that philosophy. Accordingly Sayana begins their exposition with
"त्र लौकिकपक्षिद्वयदृष्टान्तेन जीवपरमात्मानौ स्तुयेते"
GRACKLES OR HILL-MYNAS
The Grackle is popularly known as the Hill-or the Talking Myna. Apart from its glossy black plumage its distinctive features are fleshy yellow wattles on the head, bare yellow skin on the sides of the face, and orange yellow bill and legs.
In the Rigveda (1.50,12) it has been called ч from ч, 'causing a cicatrix' (also perhaps a cicatrix or healed wound) in reference to the wattles and the bare skin that characterize the bird. These features are supposed to be healed scars as it were. Its later name RUST is also derived from us, a boil or pimple on the face. There are other bird-names as well formed on the same lines, e.g., the Black Ibis is called from, a scar, because of the bare and pimpled head of the bird and the Red-wattled Lapwing सदालूता (लूता चर्मव्रणेधन्वन्तरि carrying permanent pimples on the face) :- “टिट्टिभी पीतापादश्च सदालूता नृजागर: " धन्वन्तरि-निघन्दु,
रोपण also means an arrow i.e., शलाका which letter has formed the basis for its name H or simply in the Lexicons. The name means 'the dart of the God of Love' because the bird was taught by professional trainers (cf. fe as one of the 64 Fine Arts) to repeat little 'bons mots' and love-phrases to remind a busy aristocrat or king, passing through his or harem, of the undying love for him of its(bird's) lady-patron, or to invite him to particular queen. I doubt if the Vedic name was derived from ч in the sense of `an arrow', but मदनशलाका is certainly comparable with "कामशल्यामिषु" in AV. 3,25,2.
The Grackle or Talking Myna was also known is a Sanskrit by the name from, Names like कादम्बरी ( कद् + अम्बर, black-plumaged) and the allied couples like, दूती and यासा ('love messenger', and 'one exerting for a lover' respectively), oh and (giving pleasure), and (a good talker) for the bird are merely lexical pedantry. Them seem to have been invented for use in a double sense in puzzles (प्रहेलिका ) and puns ( श्लेष ).
Birds in Sanskrit Literature
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
It shares also the name ft (v.1) with the Common Myna (Art 21), and which of the two birds is intended in a given passage must be made out from the context. I as a talking cage-bird is the Grackle, but as a bird of illomen, or a noisy one, it is the Common Myna. To cite but one example of each from the
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"नूनं हि लालप्यते सीता पज्जरस्थेव शारिका" "वीचीकूचीति वाश्यन्तः शारिकावेश्मसु स्थिता: पतन्ति ग्रथिताश्चापि निजिताः कलहैषिणः"
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५.१३, १६
६.३५.३३
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