Hanuman Nataka (critical study)
by Nurima Yeasmin | 2015 | 41,386 words
This page relates ‘Information of Various Flora and Fauna’ of the English study on the Hanuman-nataka written by Shri Damodara Mishra in the 11th century. The Hanumannataka is a Mahanataka—a fourteen-act Sanskrit drama dealing with the story of Rama and Hanumat (Hanuman) and presents the events in the lifes of Rama, Sita, Ravana and Hanuman (the son of Anjana and Vayu—the God of the Winds) based on the Ramayana story.
7. Information of Various Flora and Fauna
In the Hanumannāṭaka there are found some information regarding the flora and fauna of India. In the Hanumannāṭaka, different types of flowers, plants, birds and animals are found mentioned in different contexts. Such information are presented here.
Flowers
Different kinds of flowers are mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka of Śrī Dāmodara Miśra. A brief note on this is presented here.
Kumuda: The word ‘Kumuda’ means the white water-lily which is said to bloom at moon-rise.[1] The Kumuda is mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.[2] This flower is often found mentioned by many Sanskrit writers. Trees is also found in the Hanumannāṭaka. It is said to be one of the celestial flowers.
Chanpaka: The Champaka[3] flower is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka of Śrī Dāmodara Miśra. Champaka means a tree bearing yellow, fragrant flower.[4]
Kunda: The author also mentioned the Kunda in his Hanumannāṭaka.[5] Kunda is one kind of jasmine.
Tagara: Tagara is a kind of flower mentioned by the author in his Hanumannāṭaka.[6]
Puṇḍarīka: Puṇḍarīka[7] is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka. It means a lotus.
Plants and Herbs
Various kinds of plants and herbs are referred to in the Hanumannāṭaka.
Tamāla: The Tamāla[8] which is known as Varuṇa Vṛkṣa also, is mentioned as found in abundance on the bank of the Yamunā.
Śāla: The Śāla tree is also mentioned in Hanumannāṭaka.[9] It is also known as Sarju and Vedavati. It is a very big tree, found mentioned in many other literary works.101
Vaṭavṛkṣa: The Vaṭavṛkṣa[10] is known as Śyāma also. It is the Indian rig tree.
Aśoka: The Aśokavṛkṣa[11] is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka by Śrī Dāmodara Miśra. The Aśoka tree having red flowers is often mentioned in Sanskrit rhetorics.
Candana: The Candana104 (Sandal) tree is mentioned in various places of the Hanumannāṭaka.
Tāla: The Tāla[12] (palm tree) is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.
Mandāra: The Mandāra[13] tree is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka of Śrī Dāmodara Miśra
Karpūra: The Karpūra[14] tree is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.
Śirīṣa: Śirīṣa tree is also mentioned by Śrī Dāmodara Miśra in his Hanumannāṭaka.[15]
Animals
Mṛga: The Mṛga[16] (deer) is mentioned by Śrī Dāmodara Miśra in his Hanumannāṭaka. The words Hariṇa and Kuraṅga[17] are also used to mean a deer.
Gaja: The word Gaja means the elephant.[18] The word Hastī, Airāvata are also used to mean the elephant. In the Hanumannāṭaka[19] the word Gaja is also mentioned. Timi: Timi, is a kind of fish. Timi[20], i.e. a whale is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.
Śvagaṇa: The Śvagaṇa[21] is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka. The word Śvagaṇa means a kind of hunting dog.[22]
Pheru: The word ‘Pheru’[23] is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka by Śrī Dāmodara Miśra. The word ‘Pheru’ means jackel.[24]
Makara: The makara means a kind of sea-animal, a crocodile.[25] The makara is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.[26]
Jalakari: The word jalakari means the hippopotamus. It is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.[27]
Kūrma: Kūrma means a tortoise.[28] The Kūrma is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.[29]
Gavaya: The word ‘gavaya’[30] means a species of ox. It is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.[31]
Mṛgendra: The mṛgendra is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka[32] The word mṛgendra means the king of mṛga, i.e. lion.
Bhujaṅgama: Bhujaṅgama means a snake.[33] Bhujaṅgama is also found in the Hanumannāṭaka[34]
Haṃsī: Haṃsī means a female goose.[35] Haṃsī is also used in the Hanumannāṭaka[36]
Śarbha: Śarbha means a young elephant. A fabulous animal said to have eight legs and to be stronger than a lion.[37] This animal is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.[38]
Birds and Insects
The Hanumannāṭaka contains the names of various kinds of birds and insects.
Barhiṇ The Barhiṇ is mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka[39] This bird normally is stated to be elated in the rainy season. The words Śikhiḍala, Śikhaṇḍi, Śikhin, Kekin, Mayura, Śitikaṇṭha are used to mean a peacock.
Cakravāka: The word Cakravāka[40] means the ruddy goose. The Cakravāka[41] bird is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka of Śrī Dāmodara Miśra. Sanskrit poets hold that the pair of this bird get separated at night.
Maśaka: The maśaka is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.[42] The word maśaka means a mosquito, gnat.[43]
Bhramara: The word bhramara means a bee, large black-bee.[44] Bhramara is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka[45]
Kapota: The Kapota is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka of Śrī Dāmodara Miśra.[46] Kapota means a dove, pigeon or a bird in general.[47]
Kokila: Kokila means the cuckoo; a migratory bird visiting in the spring and summer and laying its eggs in the nests of other birds.[48] Kokila is also mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.[49]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
vandāruvṛṅdārakavṛṅdavandimandāramālāmakarandabindūn
[3]:
gatā gatā campakapuṣpavarṇā pīnastanī kumkumacarcitaṃgī/
ākāśagaṅgeva suśītalāṅgī nakṣatramadhye iva candrarekhā// ibid.,V.30
[4]:
V.S. Apte’s “The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary”
[5]:
[6]:
hutva śrīkhaṇḍakāṇḍaṃ sa-tagarakusumaṃ pundarikaṃ mṛṇālaṃ karpurośīragarbhaṃ pracuraghṛtayutaṃ nārikelaṃ juhāva/
tūrṇaṃ pūrnāhutīṃ sa jvaladanalanibhaṃ śaikamādāya vīraḥ prāptastatrā’ñjneyaḥ sa kimiti bharatastaṃ śareṇājaghāna// ibid., XIII. 24
[7]:
hutva śrīkhaṇḍakāṇḍaṃ sa-tagarakusumaṃ pundarikaṃ mṛṇālaṃ karpurośīragarbhaṃ pracuraghṛtayutaṃ nārikelaṃ juhāva/
tūrṇaṃ pūrnāhutīṃ sa jvaladanalanibhaṃ śaikamādāya vīraḥ prāptastatrā’ñjneyaḥ sa kimiti bharatastaṃ śareṇājaghāna/ ibid., XIII. 24
[8]:
velātate śāla-tamālamālāṃ violokyamanaḥ sahasā’ñjaneyaḥ ullolayan bāladhivallimuccaiḥ kallolinīvallabhamullalaṃghe // ibid., VI. 12
[9]:
velātate śāla-tamālamālāṃ violokyamanaḥ sahasā’ñjaneyaḥ ullolayan bāladhivallimuccaiḥ kallolinīvallabhamullalaṃghe // ibid., VI. 12
[10]:
[11]:
[12]:
[13]:
vandāruvṛndārakavṛndavandimandāramālāmakarandabindūn/
mandodarīyaṃ caraṇārvindareṇutkarān karkartāmanaiṣīt// ibid., IX.4
[14]:
karpūraiḥ kimapūri kiṃ malayajairālepi kiṃ pāradai / rakṣālisphaṭikāntaraiḥ kimaghati dyāvāpṛthivyorvapuḥ//
etattarkaya kairavaklamahare sṛṅgāradikṣāgurou dikkāntāmukure cakorasuhṛdi prouḍe tuṣāratviṣi // ibid., II.7
[15]:
[16]:
[17]:
[18]:
V.S. Apte’s The Sanskrit English Dictionary
[19]:
[20]:
[21]:
[22]:
V.S. Apte’s The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary
[23]:
digbhāgo dhūsar’bhudahani bahutarasphāratārāḥ sphuranti svarbhānorbhānavīyaṃ grahaṇasamaye roudhirī vinduvṛstiḥ/
madyāhnordhvā’syakośaśvagaṇaruta-matisphītapherupracāro vāraṃ vāraṃ gabhīrapralaya iva mahākālacītkāraghoraḥ// ibid.,III.2
[24]:
V.S. Apte’s The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary
[25]:
V.S. Apte’s The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary
[26]:
[27]:
devā’jñāṃ dehi rājñāṃ tvamasi kulaguruḥ śoṣaye ki payodhi? kiṃ vā laṅkāṃ sa-lankādhipatimupanaye? jānakiṃ mānakīrnāṃ
setuṃ badhnāmi kiṃ vā sphuṭitagiritaṭībhütabhaṅgāttaraṅgā-dudbhrāmyannakracakropi ca makara-kula-grāhacītkaraghoram// ibid., VI.5
[28]:
V.S. Apte’s The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary
[29]:
[30]:
V.S. Apte’s “The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary”
[31]:
evayaṃ daivayogādgora–gavaya–gaja-bujaṅga… ibid., V, p.63
[32]:
[33]:
V.S. Apte’s “The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary”
[34]:
[35]:
V.S. Apte’s “The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary”
[36]:
ibid
[37]:
ibid.,
[38]:
krāntvā bhūbalayaṃ daśāsyadamana! tvatkīrtihaṃsī-gatā sā’pi brahmamarālasaṅgamavaśāttatraiva garbhiṇyabhūt/
yatvā vyomataraṅgiṇīparisare kundāvadātaṃ tayā muktaṃ bhāti viśāṅkuraṃ tatamidaṃ śītadyutermaṇḍalam// ibid., XIV.7
[39]:
he godāvari! puṇyavāripuline! dṛstvā tvayā jānakī? sā’hartuṃ kamalāni cā’gatavatī, yātā vinodāya vā?
ityevaṃ pratipādapaṃ pratinagaṃ pratyāpagaṃ pratyagaṃ pratyeṇaṃ pratibarhinaṃ tatā itastāṃ yācate maithilīm// ibid.,V.11
[40]:
V.S. Apte’s “The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary”
[41]:
jayaprayāṇe raghunandanasya dhūlīkadambāstamite dineśe/
śaśiprabhaṃ chatramudīkṣya bālā sūryodaye roditi cakravakī// ibid.,XI.6
[42]:
[43]:
V.S. Apte’s “The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary”
[44]:
ibid
[45]:
[46]:
vājivrātakhuraprahāradalitakṣoṇīrajobhiryutaṃ sāndrairjīrṇakapotakaṇṭharucibhirvyomedamāstiryate/
kiñcānekakarīndragaṇḍavilasaddānāmbudhārāghanaṃ saṅgrāmaṃ prathayantyamī parimalaprādgārimandānilaḥ// ibid., XIV,66
[47]:
V.S. Apte’s “The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary”
[48]:
ibid.