पृष्ठम्:Birds in Sanskrit literature.djvu/१४५

Birds in Sanskrit Literature (Dove) is placed in charge, as it were, of Miträvaruņa, the deities who are the joint-upholders and guardians of the world, promoters of religious rites and avengers of sin aad untruth, "मित्रावरुणाभ्यां कपोतान्-24.23 and again said to belong to निति the goddess of Misery, कपोत उलूकः शशस्ते निऋत्यै-24.36. The association of उलूक, कपोत, and the crop destroying शश is worth noting. कपोत which was hiterto an inclusive terms came to be restricted to Doves, and Pigeons now came to be known as (coming from afar, i.e. from hills and mountains where they went back to roost and breed as against Doves which lived nearer home). That Pigeons have long been welcome birds is clear from the following in the Mahabharata :- 252 गृहे पारावता धन्याः शुकाञ्च सह सारिकाः गृहेष्वेते न पापाय तथा वे तैलपायिकाः ॥ – 13.107.106 Given even a particular kind of Dove as a bird of ill-omen e.g. in RV and VS, it is an easy step for all Doves to be so regarded. This would seem to be the reason why far, 47.4-6 recommends such natural waters for princes to bathe in as are not only situated in beautiful surroundings but also have auspicious birds calling or singing in the neighbourhood, and the list of birds named purposely excludes (Dove) though it includes पारावत Bhattotpala expands the illustrative list of "कौशिक गृप प्रभूति:" by add- the efgar, 87.12-13 all the three ing to it “काक कडू प्लव श्येन कपोता. According varieties of Dove common in North India are inauspicious. Kalidasa and other poets do not refer to a Dove as such and both the terms gra, when used by them, always mean a Pigeon, domestic or wild. and B. PIGEONS 1. Green Pigeons are well represented throughout India and despite differences in colour-pattern or size there is no mistaking a Green Pigeon as they are all cast upon a common model and the habits of all are similar. They are "comparatively small Pigeons which may be known at a glance by their beautifully soft green plumage, often mixed with maroon or lilac on the shoulders or back, and always with one, and sometimes with two, bold yellow bars across the wings. By car, too, these lovely birds may always be identified... their musical whistling call being quite unlike the coo of any Dove or Pigeon of other groups." They are entirely arbo- real in their habits and live on wild fruits, figs of all kinds, berries, plums, etc., including such large fruits as the black-plum () and nutmeg (fr) which are swallowed whole. They occasionally descend to drink 1. सारिका in the Versc is the Grackle or Common Myna and तैलपायिका the starling-Arts. 20, 21. 2. Stuart Baker, "Indian Pigeons and Doves." Pigeons and Doves at the river's edge but normally prefer to climb down overhanging canes and bushes until they are within reach of the water. They keep a firm foot-hold when moving about in thick foliage, and if a bird is shot at and killed it sometimes simply hangs downwards or if the twig gives way, it comes down with the twig still firmly held in its feet. The popular belief that a green Pigeon never sets foot on the ground except with a twig held in its feet has nothing more than the above facts for a basis. This fiction. has furnished some beautiful similes in Hindi poetry, but, perhaps, not in Sanskrit. 2. All Green Pigeons are हारिद्रक ( चरक, 1.26,86), हरिद्राङ्ग, हारीत or हरिताल, corresponding to gf or gf in Hindi and Bengali, though a couple of species are known as कोषु and कोकदेव in Sanskrit and कोकला in Hindi. Similarly, Imperial Green Pigeons of large size are वर्द्धमान कपोत, पट or पटाव in Sanskrit. The Green Pigeons of Malabar are the gre of Kalidasa - मारीचोद्भ्रान्तहारीता: मलयाद्वेरुपत्यका:- रघुवंश, 4.46 The black-plum (() is the favourite food of the Bengal Green Pigeon. and the it in the following is evidently this bird. The Wood Pigeons of the Himalayas also eat this fruit but they are not found in the Vindhyan country : फलपुलकितजम्बूकुञ्जकूजत्कपोत- प्रियशबरपुरन्ध्री बन्धवो विन्ध्यलेखाः - अनर्घराघव, 5.27 253 Their sweet whistling notes have often been appreciated. A jungle scene on the Tamasa river: प्रहृष्टनानाविधपक्षिसेवितं प्रमत्तहारीतकुलोपनादितम् समन्ततः सुन्दरदर्शनीयतां समुल्लसत्तद्वन मुल्नसन्महत् God Siva affectionately mentions a Green Pigeon who, by nesting in a branch overhanging his shrine and thus seeking his protection secured a place in heaven: हारीतः कोऽपि सम्प्राप्तः शाखानीडो ममान्तिके Green Pigeons with other beautiful-voiced birds in a jungle-scene :- कोकिले: कलविश्व हारीतर्जीवजीवकः श्रोतरम्यं सुमधुरं कूजद्भिवाप्यधिष्ठितम् 1. The Emerald Dove is also re, perhaps more correctly. 2. Skanda Purana, Ayodhyāmahatmya, Ch. 9.30. 3. Skanda Purana, Arunacalamähätmya, Pürvakhanda Ch. 9. 4. Mahabharata, III. 158, 53-54; Märkandeya Purana, 6, 18-19.