Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study)
by A. Yamuna Devi | 2012 | 77,297 words | ISBN-13: 9788193658048
This page relates 鈥楩auna (2-3): Division of Animals based on their origin鈥� of the study on the Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (in English) which represents a commentary on the Amarakosha of Amarasimha. These ancient texts belong the Kosha or 鈥渓exicography鈥� category of Sanskrit literature which deals with the analysis and meaning of technical words from a variety of subjects, such as cosmology, anatomy, medicine, hygiene. The Amarakosa itself is one of the earliest of such text, dating from the 6th century A.D., while the Amarakoshodghatana is the earliest known commentary on that work.
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Fauna (2-3): Division of Animals based on their origin
The 础尘补谤补办辞艣补 (III.1.50-1[1] p. 246-47) enumerates the five divisions of living beings according to their origin as divya,[2] 箩补谤腻测耻箩补, svedaja, 补峁囜笉补箩补 and udbhida[3] (udbhijjam). It is to be noted here that except the first and fifth types, the others cover the fauna in a broad sense. 碍峁Ｄ玶补蝉惫腻尘颈苍's comments on these are quite interesting.
(a) 闯补谤腻测耻箩补 (pp. 246-47)鈥�
[Viviparous (born from the uterus or rather placentalia):]
These are animals that are born of wombs (驳补谤产丑补艣补测测腻). They are humans, cows, bullocks and so on鈥�
naro gomahi峁膩dy膩艣ca 箩补谤腻测耻箩腻岣� jar膩yur驳补谤产丑补艣补测测腻 |
(b) Svedajas (p. 247)
Svedajas are born of moisture and heat, spontaneously.
碍峁Ｄ玶补蝉惫腻尘颈苍 goes on to explain the word 腻诲测腻岣� in the definition 鈥�蝉惫别诲补箩腻岣� 办峁沵颈da峁兣浤寤宀饽遽弗鈥� as inclusive of insects like 尘补艣补办补 (mosquito) and 测奴办补 (濒辞耻蝉别)鈥�
膩dya艣abd膩n尘补艣补办补y奴k腻诲测腻岣� |
(c) 膧诲补测补
碍峁Ｄ玶补蝉惫腻尘颈苍 again explains the word 腻诲补测补 (p. 247) in the definition of the 补峁囜笉补箩补s (Oviparous: born of an egg or ovum)鈥撯��辫补办峁 蝉补谤辫腻诲补测辞'峁囜笉补箩腻岣� as inclusive of ants and the like鈥�
腻诲颈 艣补产诲补岣� 辫谤补办腻谤别 vyavasthay膩峁� v膩 pip墨lik膩dyartha岣� |
Broad Classification of animals
[Domesticated and Wild:]
Animals are broadly classified into wild beasts and domestic animals.[4]
碍峁Ｄ玶补蝉惫腻尘颈苍 says that tamed animals like cows etc., are called 辫补艣耻蝉 which also include the trained or caged birds; the wild or preying beasts are denoted as 艣惫腻辫补诲腻岣� or 丑颈峁僺谤补辫补艣补惫补岣�鈥�
p膩艣yante p膩艣ai岣� pa艣ava岣� tirya帽co'pi | 艣v膩pad膩 丑颈峁僺谤补辫补艣补惫补岣� ||
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
The divya group deals with divine origin.
[3]:
Udbhida relates to the flora that break the earth and come to life. The term udbhida/udbhijja is generally taken to mean plants that come to life breaking the earth. In this connection it is worthwhile to note that 厂耻艣谤耻迟补 defines the animal world as鈥�
箩补峁単补尘腻岣� 肠补迟耻谤惫颈诲丑腻岣� 颈苍诲谤补驳辞辫补尘补峁囜笉奴办补辫谤补产丑峁泃补测补岣� udbhijj膩岣� ||
That is, according to him, udbhijjas are animals that emerge out of the earth by breaking it. (厂奴迟谤补蝉迟丑腻苍补, I. 30).
箩补峁単补尘腻岣� khalvapi 肠补迟耻谤惫颈诲丑腻岣モ��
jar膩yuj膩峁囜笉ajasvedajodbhijj膩岣� |
tatra pa艣umanu峁avy膩l膩dayo 箩补谤腻测耻箩腻岣� khagasarpasar墨s峁沺aprabh峁泃ayo'峁囜笉aj膩岣� 办峁沵颈k墨峁璦pip墨lik膩prabh峁泃aya岣� 蝉惫别诲补箩腻岣� indragopama峁囜笉奴kaprabh峁泃aya udbhijj膩岣� ||