Fauna (9): Other Fauna

(a) Musalī (II. 5. 13; p. 127)–

[House Lizard:]

Kṣīrasvāmin points out that the Gauḍa uses the palatal ‘śa’ and pronounces the word as muśalī–

muśalīti gauḍaḥ |

He also remarks that the synonym gṛhagodhikā mentioned in Amarakośa has a better reading as gṛhagolikā further stating that it is popular as ghar-goli–

gṛhagolikā iti sabhyaḥ pāṭhaḥ yasyā ghargolīti prasiddhiḥ |

(b) Markaṭa (II. 5. 13, p. 127)–

[Spider:]

Kṣīrasvāmin explains that a spider is also called markaṭa as it climbs up and down like a monkey–

markaṭa iva rohaṇāvarohaṇānmarkaṭaḥ |

He also adds jālika and jālakāra to denote a spider.

(c) Āli and Druṇa (II. 5. 14, p. 127)–

[Scorpion:]

Kṣīrasvāmin explains the word āli to mean–the presence of misfortune and that the word is used in Jyotiṣa texts as alī^[1] –

ālamanartho'trastyālī jyautiṣe'lī ||

The word druṇa, he says is spelt by some as droṇa and remarks that this is a poisonous creature–

druṇati druṇaḥ, druṇa hiṃsāyāṃ kaḥ, droṇa ityeke, viṣakīṭo'yam |

(d) Bhramara (II. 5. 30, p. 130)–

[Large black bee:]

Kṣīrasvāmin gives the deśi words of the blackbee as cañcarīka, bhasala, indindira, rolamba:

cañcarīkabhasalendindira—rolambā deśyām ||

But it is interesting to note that these terms are found in Sanskrit Dictionaries^[2] of present day.

(e) Puttikā (II. 5. 28, p. 130)–

[Small bee:]

Kṣīrasvāmin mentions that puttikā is a variety of honeybee and quotes the text of Nimi which gives the varieties of honey collected from different bees–

putkutsitaṃ tanoti puttikā madhumakṣikābhedo'yaṃ |
yannimiḥ—
mākṣikaṃ tailavarṇaṃ syād ghṛtavarṇaṃ tu pauttikam |
bhrāmaraṃ tu bhavecchuklaṃ kṣaudraṃ tu kapilaṃ bhavet ||

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

satsvarthageṣu maraṇaṃ svayameva tasyāḥ kanyāligohariṣu cālpasutatvamindau | (Bṛhajjātaka24.14).

[2]:

V.S. Apte and Monier Williams.