पृष्ठम्:Birds in Sanskrit literature.djvu/१३१

224 Birds in Sanskrit Literature passage from we considered in para, 7 below also supports the breeding of the Peregrine in the outer Himalayas about two thousand years ago. 5. An experienced old Peregrine knows well how to deliver its attack on a particular quarry. If it is a Heron, the Falcon, after tearing open the back of the bird with its hind claw, would contract its claws and lay hold of the bird's neck so as to avoid being struck by its sharp and power- ful bill, but if the quarry happens to be the Demoiselle Crane, it keeps well on its back and escapes a blow from the sharp, curved inner claw of the Crane which often inflicts a severe wound. This cleverness on the part of the Falcon would justify the name (clever, wise) for it as a descend- ant of Garuda in the Mahabharata list. The following verses in praise of a trained Falcon should prove interesting : तज्ज्ञैः सुशिक्षिताः श्येना: भवन्त्यानन्ददायिनः | सम्यक् सुशिक्षितानां तु श्येनानां मरुतामिव । नाकार्यं विद्यते किश्चिन्नासाध्यं योग्यवस्तुषु ॥ श्यैनिक शास्त्र, 5.40 Ibid 6.8. The following verses descriptive of sport with a Peregrine (ag) will be appreciated. Here and as the birds flown at are flights of Grey Herons and Black Ibises respectively : अतिदूरगतानां नु कङ्कदात्यूहपक्षिणाम् । लक्ष्ये मोको बर्या हि जनयत्यद्भुतं रसम् ॥ यत्न वेगानिलस्वानभीषिताः खात्पतन्ति च । छिन्त्रपक्षनगाकाराः खगास्तस्मात् किमद्भुतम् ॥ 1. M Bh. 5.101.9-15. ये. शा. 6.37-38. The second verse refers to the first earthward flight of the birds frightened by the loud swish of the wings of the Falcon during a stoop from above. If the quarry is already at a good height its chance of escape from the marauder is "to keep above the enemy, and it often happens, there- fore, that both birds may fly so high as to disappear entirely. Eventually, however, the-relentless pursuer will rise above his victim, and then in a few moments will come the savage and certain downward plunge, and the clutch of the merciless talons which means death in mid air." This method of escape is often attempted though not with much chance of success by large birds like the Black Ibis and Cranes, which incidentally explains the term खेगमन for the कालकण्ठ दात्यूह (M. W. and श. कल्प. ) i.e, the Black Ibis (Art 80), for when not in danger it does not ordinarily fly very high. (sky-going) for the Ibis, therefore, owes its origin to the practice of falconry. 225 6. Returning to the name for it is to be noted that the Peregrine has also been described as the little Golden Eagle', सुपर्णक (सुपर्ण with अल्पायें कन्) for like the Eagle it has both courage and speed and like him again it breeds on inaccessible cliffs. As against the briefsynonymy, "fax: :" in वैजयन्ती कोश the definition given by सुरेश्वराचार्य in his बार्तिक on the गृहयारण्यक is more specific in describing this small and yet powerful bird (a mere 19 in length compared with 36" to 40 of the massive Golden Eagle) though he calls it a gf by way of compliment : क्षिप्रश्येनः सुपर्णस्तु बलवानल्पविग्रह:--वार्तिक on 4.3.160. Eagles, Falcons and Allied Birds in the context must evidently be taken as synonymous with the more correct g in the t, and it follows that the interpretation of or गरुड as the शिप्रश्येन in the शाङ्करभाष्य on बृहदारण्यक, 4.3.19 and by Sāyana else where is not to be taken too literally but in the sense of a small (referung) bird possessing the excellent flight and speed of the true gi. The high esteem in which this Falcon was held may be judged from the fact that no other bird, not even the proper, has been deified and considered worthy of an individual offering at the at which a Quail is assigned to it-"क्षिप्रश्येनाय बतिका", वाज. संहिता, 24.30. 7. The female Peregrine, again, would seem to be the bird of the way, where she is said to give birth to a fer (fast Falcon). According to a statement in the gr a man desirous of a brave son should not join his wife at meal-time but allow her to eat by herself, and it is in support of this proposition that the example of the wearer bird doing so and begetting the fast and courageous ferx is cited: जायाया अन्ते नाश्नीयाद् वीर्यवान् हास्माज्जायते वीर्यवन्तमुह सा जनयति यस्या अन्ते नाश्नाति । तदेतदेव व्रतं राजन्यबन्धवो मनुष्याणामनुतमाङ्गो- पायन्ति तस्मादुतेषु वीर्यवाञ्जायतेऽमृतवाका वयसां सा क्षिप्रश्येनजनयति..... शत. ब्रा., 10.5.2.9 10. Sayana comments on the above as follows: वयसां पक्षिणां मध्ये अमृतवाका नाम पक्षिजातिः एतद्व्रतम् गोपायति अतः सा क्षिप्रम् शीघ्रगामिनम् श्येनं नाम पक्षिणम् जनयति । Now most of the Eagles and only two among the Falcons, the Luggar and the Merlin, are known to go about and hunt in pairs and share the spoils in common, but the Peregrines, male and female, hunt independently a rule and each kills and eats its own prey. Taken young, the Peregrine is casily the best of all the hawking birds. A trained bird is very much devoted to and shows great affection for its keeper, and during a hunt when the bird is returning to its master from high up in the air it utters a 1. This passage shows a close observation of the habits of falcons in nature which in turn lends strong support to the proposition that the ancient Vedic Aryans practised falconry.