Percep&on Of Birds

As Discussed In Ancient Indian Literature

Dr. Sumitra V. Bhat, M.A. M.S. PhD.Chairperson, Dept. of Sanskrit,

Sahyadri Arts College, Shivamogga, Kuvempu University, Karnataka State, India

सव#षाम ्हाद+ नम-कारः।आनोभ5ा 6तवोय9त ु;ववेद (Rigveda Mandala 1, Sukta 89, Mantra 1)

Let noble thoughts come from the Universe

Our Great Sages and Sanskrit literature always trusted in

वसधुवै कुटुDबकम ्अयं ब9धुरयं नेHत गणना लधु चेतसाम।्उदार चNरतानां तु वसुधैव कुटुDबकम॥् ॥महोपHनषत॥् (Mahopanishat)

Differen

Objec&ves of the paper

*To record and elucidate on some of the major ancientIndian wri&ngs on various observa&ons of the world ofbirds of their &mes.

*To demonstrate how these observa&ons were‘scien&fic’ in their essence and were comprehensive innature linked with the human world.

*Birds were thus treated as integral parts of humansocieties with mutual dependence and adulation betweenthem and the humans.

Need for and Importance of the StudyThis research paper becomes important in several respects:

* The present a4empt is to enhance the exis7ng knowledge of this area. Inaddi7on, the literature available in rela7on to the birds at present, to aconsiderable degree, is generally descrip7ve and demands a cri7calreflec7on, juxtaposing it with modern knowledge of bird life.

*Even at the conceptual level, such a study of ancient Sanskrit literature isneeded for more than one purpose and therefore, has more than one cri7calobjec7ve.

*The fact that early Indian literature itself has demonstrated keen andancient scien7fic interest in flora and fauna is evidence to the scien7ficoutlook of this cultural system.

Content of the paper

1. CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS

2. RESENTATION OF BIRDS(A) Ci=ng of Birds in Vedas

(B) Ci=ng of Birds in Epics, Puranas, etc.

3. BIRDS AS VEHICLES OF GODS AND WORSHIPPED AS SACRED BIRDS

4. BIRDS AS METEPHORS IN EXPLAINING HUMAN CIVIC LIFE

5. SOME POPULAR MAXIMS (nyaya) COINED AFTER BIRDS

6. BIRDS IN COMMMUNITY HEALTH ANDMEDICINAL PRACTICES

7. USE OF BIRDS AS CARRIERS/MESSENGERS OF SOCIAL VALUES

8. NORMS and STANDARDS SUCH AS PANCHATANTRA, HITOPATEDSHA, etc.

1. CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS

चत$ुव&धशर*रा,णतु

जरायुजअ1डज3वेदजउ78भ:जा;या

A. Sutrasthana of Charaka Samhita:

•Vishkara Pakshi (!व#करप'(): Birds searchand eat their food sca7ering with their feet(gallinaceous birds like chakora, mayura etc.)

•Pratuda Pakshi (+तदूप'(): birds prickingfoods (like chataka, jatayu, etc.)

B. Sushruta in Sushruta Samhita:

1)Pratuda - +तदू (the peckers)2)Vishkara - !व#कर (the scratchers)3) Plavaha – 0लवाः (the water birds)4)Prasahaha – +सहाः (the birds of prey)

3. Yaskhacharya in NiruktaBirds are called as

Vayu (वायु), shakun (शकु)न), Crow (काकः), rooster(,-कवकु), partridge ()त/0रे), falcon (3येनः), swan(हंसः), a special type of bird kapuya (कपूयः) slightly, tawny in color and bhuvranyu (भु:;यु) whichdevours everything.

4. Amarakosha of AmarashimhaList of animals and birds in 44 versus in the Simhadi

Varga in DwiEya Kanda of Amarakosha.पारावतः कलरवः कपोतोथ शशादन:।

पCी 3येन उलूकFतु वायसारा)तपेचकौ॥ २३५॥

MयाNाटFतु भरPवाजः खंजरSटFतु ख;जनः।लोहपUृठFतु कंकFयादथ चाषः ,ककXYद/वः॥ २३६ ॥

क[ल\ग भृंग धू_याटा अथFयाaछतपCकः। दावाcघाटोथ सार\गः Fतोकक3चातकFसमाः॥ २३७ ॥

2. BIRDS IN ANCIENT INDIAN LITERATURE

(A) Citing of Birds in Vedas : Rigveda

•Life style of birds with a divine functions of devas (Gods):अि#वनावेह ग*छतं नास/या मा 2व वेनतम।्हंसा2वव पततमा सुता उप।

(Mandala 5, Sukta 78, Mantra 4, Astaka 4, Adhyaya 4)

“You arrive for this sacrifice like pair of flying swans - which can easily move both in water and sky”

•#येन8य 9च;जवसा नूतनेना।“You come with the utmost speed of shyena bird”

•The kapota (rock pigeon) and the uluka (hooUng owl) are condemned as birds of ill omen in Rigveda ( Mandala 10 Sukta 165 Mantra 4).

हा?रAावेव पतथो (8.35.7) हंसा2वव पतथो अKवगा2वव सोमं सुतं मLहषेवाव ग*छथः॥ (8.35.8) हंसा2वव पतथोहPयदातये सोमं सुतं मLहषेवाव ग*छथःज़॥् (8.35.9)

(RigVeda Mandala 8, Sukta 35, Mantra 7 to 9)

• Special types of birds such as kasa-कास, haridrava -ह&र(व, deadly noisy birdssuch as kikidivi - *कक+,द.व, swi5 movingdove, namely pa*sta प0त2ता wererecognized by the Rigveda people. Vulture

and Garuda appear in several hymns of

Rigveda. • Rigveda also suggests the preacher(upadeshaka) to preach like a shakuna bird,which flies (bhramana) around in the sky.

3वा 4येनः इव मा उत ् वधीत मा सुपणाAः ….Rigveda, Mandala 2, Sukta 42, Mantra 1 & 2)

“No one should remove (uchchatana) you like

shyena bird and suparna bird”

!वा सपुणा( सयजुा सखाया समानं व0ृं प1र ष4वजात।ेतयोर9यः ;पयन?नन ्9न9यो अBभचाकशीHत॥यJा सपुणा( अमतृ4यभाग मHनमेषं ;वदथाBभ4वरि9त।

Rigveda, Mandala 1, Sukta 164, Mantra 20.

Two friends sharing a common tree for their abode, and while one enjoys the sweetberries of the tree, the other, not eaBng the berries, keeps a look out (for prey)perched high up on the tree.

Here, the tree is the human body and the birds are and the individual and the SupremeSpirit. Sayuja means which have equal rela9onship and sakhaaya means like friends.Roopakalankara – Body is the Tree & Jeevatma and Paramatma are the birds.Jeevatma is Sthoola roopa, enjoys all happiness through the shareera. But Paramatmais Suksma and observes all ac9vi9es done by the human being.

Atharvaveda:अिजरा&धराजौ )येनौ संपा0तना2वव।आ6यं पतृ8यतो हतां यो नः क)चा>यघाय0त॥

Atharvaveda, kanda 7, sukta 70, mantra 3

•Shows familiarity with birds of prey like the Laggar Falcon or the red-headed Merlin who hunt in pairs!येनौ संपा*तनौ. It says: Our enemies should disappear like shyena and sampathi birds, pass away byfighGng each other - शतदृमनम।्•The mutual aIachment of a pair of the chakravaka (Ducks) who keep together during the day andmove apart during the night in search of food among water plants but keep in touch with one anotherby mutual calls in the basis for pronouncing a blessing for mutual love upon a newly married couple inAtharvaveda.

By the ,me Atharvaveda came to be composed, the prejudice against the pigeon had disappeared.Indra is said to have helped a wounded pigeon with food and water.

Yajurveda Samhita

•Hill Myna (shari) and the Parrot (shuka) to repeat human speech, the priests at the horse-sacrifice(ashvamedha yaga) dedicated them to saraswatee, the goddess of speech and to sarasvan (YS 23-24).

•They had also observed the parasitic habit of the Indian nightingale (pika)laying its eggs in the nest of crows, and allotted it under the name of

anyavaapa, to the half months because it assigned the work ofbrooding on its eggs and bringing up the young to others (YS 24-37).

• YS mentions about sixty birds in all in ashvamedha yaga and explains in detail how human beings can take help of animals and birds and should protect birds which have good quality of Gods. Birds get happiness according to the season (Ritu)

सोमाय हंसानालभते वायवे बलाका इ12ाि4न5याम ्7ौ1चान।्

;म

(B) Ci&ng of Birds in Epics, Puranas, etc.

A. Ramayana:

a) Valmiki’s “shlokas” originated from his “shoka”owing to the killing of the krouncha paxi by the hunter

मा#नषाद'#त)ठां,वमगमः शा1वती: समाः।य,78च:मथुनादेकं अव@धः काममोCहतम॥्

b) Ramayana was sung by the sage like the melodious singingof the bird kokila (nigh&ngale)

कूजIतं राम रामे#त मधुरं मधुराKरम।्आMNय कOवता शाखां वIदे वाQमीRक कोRकलम॥्

c) Jatayu in Ramayana as a brave eagle figh0ng with Ravana, the demon, for a righteous cause of savingSita is so well recorded.

d) The monkey force of Shri Rama, assuming the form of Geese (hamsa) in the air (हंसावल' इवा)बरे)a@ached the demon-force of Ravana

e) In Kishkindha Kanda Rama explains Pampa Sarovara to Laxmana:

हंसकार/डवाक1ण3 च5वाका6दशो:शतम।् जलकुAकुट कोयिEटं 5Fचनादोपना6दतम॥्

B. Mahabharata :1. Pandava – बकः - white goose & Kaurava –काकः - the

crow

2. Aranya Parva presents hamsa(swan), shuka, pika (parrot), kaka(crow), baka (goose) and such otherbirds simply in a posi;ve light.

3. Form of flying of Cranes (in V shape) was copied by the Pandavas in their waragainst the Kauravas for the arrangement of a squadron under the name ofkrauchavyuha-!ौ#च%यूहः (Mahabharata 6.51.1). This formation has been well-defined even in shukraneeti (Chapter 4).

3. General Observa-on:

• hamsa, shuka, and pika, Garuda, Jatayu and Sampaathi, Krauncha and Kanka, Sarika,kapota , Gruhakapota, etc. make up a colorful part of Sanskrit literature

• Royal prac-ce of keeping pet birds – Damayan- & Hamsa.

• The bird tells the story – Shukanasopadesha.

• Birds as messengers – hamsadoota – Nala and Damayan-.

• Shakuntala carried her name, due to the Shakunta birdswhich protected her.

• The incident of Devas (including Indra, Agni and others) takingthe form of different birds is depicted in the well-known Shibi story.

• Hamsagamane - Kumarasambhavam.

• Reference to birds’ features in Natyashastra.

• The Kau7leeya Arthashastra recommends the protecEon of auspicious and even otherpleasant and cheerful birds.

3. BIRDS AS DIVINE VEHICLES AND SACRED BIRDS

Ancient Indians had recognized animals’ and birds’ right to co-exist with the humankind and

therefore they were loved, nurtured and oIen worshipped.

ग"डवाहनः - Vishnu काकवाहनः - Shani

हंसThe vehicle of Goddess Saraswa2

मयूरवाहनः

उलूकVehicle of Goddess Laxmi

4. SOME POPULAR MAXIMS (nyaya) COINED AFTER BIRDS

1.काकताल%य 'यायः। - accidental

2. खलेकपोत 'यायः । – used in Sanskrit Grammer.

3. अ'धकु2कुट% 'यायः – blind and hen.

4. काका45गोलक् 'यायः – crow and eye-ball.

5.नीर5ीर 'यायः -teaches us the balance in life

6.हंस5ीर 'यायः - scruQnizing for good things

7.हंस>वेतः बक>वेतः को भेदो बकहंसयोः।नीर5ीर Cववेकेतु हंसो हंसः बको बकः॥ - The real swabhava (nature)

8.काकः कृFणः Cपकः कृFणः कोभेदो काक Cपकयोः।वस'तकालेHाIत ेकाकःकाकः Cपकः Cपकः॥ - Understanding real nature.

5. BIRDS IN COMMMUNITY HEALTH AND MEDICINAL PRACTICES

•The first solid food commended for a six-month baby boy is flesh of the female skylark(भार$वाजप()) for making him a fluent speaker.

•The flesh the auspicious Grey Partridge (क,प-जल) associated with field crops for abundance offood

•The flesh of the LiPle Ringed Plover (/ुकप) for long life

•The flesh of the Black Ibis (आ2त) for holy luster

Charaka Samhita: The following birds are used in medicine.

Prasaha – birds who eat by snatching:

Vishkira – gallinaceous birds, Pratooda – pecker birds, Shashaaghni – goldon eagle, Ulooka –vulture, etc..

Parashara’s Gruhyasutra :

•Varicharaha – Birds moving in waterhamsa – swan, kraunch – demoiselle crane, Balaka – sow wreath crane, Baka –Common Crane, AmbuKukku; – water hen, Chakravaka – Ruby Sheldrake, etc.

•Vishkiraha – gallinaceous birds:Kapinjala – jungle bush quail, Chakora – chukor, Lava – common quail, etc.

•Pratudaha – Pecker birdsShatapatra – wood packer, Kokila – Koel, Kapota – dove, Shukaha – green parakeet.

•Meat of peacock is useful as a promoter of eye sight, power of hearing, power ofdiges;on, youth, complexion, voice, muscle, etc..

•Swan meat, cock meat, meat of partridge are also strongly recommended for goodhealth in Ayurveda.

Here we should remember the dictum said by Manu: “Pranasyannamidam….bhojanam” – But these can be consumed to sustain life that is “dharmataha”.

!ाण$या&न(मदम ् ……. भोजनम ् - “धम3तः”

CONCLUSIONI conclude this paper with the note that:

•According to the great Indian Seers and Sages of the ancient period, nature islike a vibrating Veena. It has a perfect rhythm of life with waves in the form ofall creatures – both flora and fauna.

•Sanskrit literature always understood the nature as one comprehensive whole,consisting of birds, animals, plants and other forms of species living in a state ofbalance, harmony and equilibrium.

•The need of the hour is to realize that the rich bio-diversity of the motherearth is too valuable to destroyed by our callous and ignorant attitude towardsnature.

•Our ancestors knew that there are many planes of existence. Birds, like thehumans, constitute one layer of this cosmic living arrangement.

Therefore,

•Solu%on to any problem rela%ng to birds should also be total and integrated in nature.

•This is so because problem in any one element would create problems anddisharmony in other elements and the en%re system suffers.

•Hence, if we have to live happily, it becomes our sacred duty to make other livingbeings like birds on this earth also happy and create an environment liveable to everyspecies.

•Therefore, the mo>o should be to treat every being with compassion, love andreverence.

•It is suggested in my paper that these names should be compared to the scien%ficclassifica%on of modern context of Indian birds and to iden%fy them by locallanguages.

सव#भव%तु सु(खनः सव#स%त,ुनरामयाः ….......