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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsur Gyanmandir
"शुकः श्लोकान् वक्तुं प्रभवति न काक: क्वचिदपि''
काव्यमाला १४, दृष्टान्तकलिकाशतक, पृ० ८६ Compare also: "नित्याकर्णनया शकेन च पदं साम्नामिदं गीयेत"
नागानन्द १.१० शुकसारिकाप्रलापन was one of the arts practised in India by professional men like the trainers of Song-finches, Thrushes, etc. in Europe today, and no one need be surprised at the performances of exceptionally talented Parrots and Mainas recorded in Indian literature, 1 barring, of course, poetic exaggeration in a attributing to them human intelligence and capacity to make impromptu replies or even to carry on a conversation. I have myself heard a Roseringed Paroquet repeat the following Hindi verse without a hitch though the articulation was certainly not equal to that of the Maina
चित्रकूट के घाट पै भई संतन की भीर ।
तुलसीदास चन्दन धिसै तिलक देत रघुवीर । i.e., "'In the midst of a gathering of saints at the waters near Chitrakoot Tulsidas prepared the sandal-paste and God Ramachandra applied it to his forehead,"
Literary tradition has regarded a talking Parrot (907), as the mate of a talking HillMaina (Alfon) and it is on this supposition that ca is a Parrot and el a Maina, and if he is मेधावी she is मेधाविनि which, by the way, is also the name of a most intelligent Maina in रत्नावली, 2.5.6. Even Kesava, the commentator of the कौशिकसूत्र, would seem to have succumbed to this tradition, for he renders रोपणाका of AV. 1.22.4 as काष्ठसुक and, following him, Sayanacarya also has translated रोपणाका (loc.cit.) as काण्ठशुकाख्यपक्षी and again as शुकां or female Parrot in his notes on तैत्तिरीय-संहिता 3.7.6 although in his commentary on RV.1.50.12 he correctly explains the term to mean a सारिका.
The flight of Parrots is very swift and a flock flying to or from rich crops in the open, or hurtling through the forest, swerving gracefully to avoid trees and branches, is always a fine sight. A selection of verses in appreciation of their beauty at close quarters and high up on the wing should prove interesting -
"तुण्डैराताम्रकुटिलैः पक्षैर्हरितकोमलैः । निवर्णराजिभिः कण्ठैरेते मागिरः शुकाः"
काव्यादर्श २.९ Parrots descending upon a paddy-field
यत्न शालिवनोपान्ते खात्पतन्तीं शुकावलीम् । शालिगोप्योऽनुमन्यते दधतीं तोरणश्रियम् ||
Addi-Purana of Gunabhadra, 4.61
70
सामीप्य : पु. २५, is 3-४, मोटो. २००८ - भार्थ, २००८
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