13. Pigeon games described in the Manasollasa

Somesvara tells Paravata-Vinoda or amusement through pigeons. He describes four types of Pigeons on the basis of the four Varnas of men, namely : ( 1 ) Brahmana, (2) Ksatriya, (3) vaisya and (4) Sudra. The Pigeons of Brahmana, Ksatriya, and Valsya types are born particularly in Sindhu-desa, while the Pigeons of Sudra jati are seldom available. 110 109. kunjaraviva durdharso mahisau yodhyennrpah | praharantau visanagraih kopanmilitamastakau || 4.10.1272. 110. paravatavinodasya varnanam kriyate'dhuna | sindhudese visesena brahmanah catriya visah || paravatah prajayante sudrah syuryatra kutracit | sasikha padapicchadya vicarakvananasa linah || jneyaste brahmanajatya pavitrah subhadarsanah | padapiccheh samayuktah sasvatkvananakovidah || 4.11.1277-1279.

139 Further Somesvara gives the characteristics of each Varna. The Pigeons of Brahmana species are pure and beautiful. They have got a tuft of hair on their heads. The Ksatriya type does not have the tuft of hair and is full of Padapicehas. The pigeons of Vaisya jati also do not have a tuft of hair but they are of different colours, like white, black, red, yellow, green, black and red-spotted 112 etc. The sudra types of Pigeons have green limbs, blue neck, black spotted wings and red eyes and legs. They are the adhama or the lowest types of pigeons. Besides these four types, there are Pigeons of Candala or Antyaja jati. They are not touched and kept by the house-holders : 113 Somesvara further warns about Pigeons, that they are to be properly fed and put in cages, made either of gold, ||| . paravatah sikhahinah jneya ksatriyajatayah | alpakkanasamayuktah padapicchavivarjitah || 112. paravatastu visikha vijneya vaisyajatayah | 4.11.1280. svetah : krsnastatha sonah pitasca haritastatha || 4. 11. 1281. 113. na posya dhvanihinatvacchudrah paravatadhamah | candalantyajajatiyah kapota vividha punah || 4.11.1284.

140 silver or wood. 114 Each cage should contain a pair, one a male and the other a female having similarity in colour or other common characteristics. A female pigeon is very devoted to her mate and she does not usually allow any 115 other pigeon except her mate to enter the cage. There, they go on multiplying. trained to carry letters. The male pigeon should then be Thus he should be let loose from a distance to the place where the female is kept. It can travel by day the distance upto thirty Yajanas, in quest of his mate. The pigeons are very useful to the king as carriers of messages. They are also pious and sacred and therefore should always be maintained. It is said that when a king gets amusement through the pigeons, his Dharma, Karma and Artha, are fulfilled. 116 114. sauvarne rajate vapi panjare darunirmite | 4.11.1288. 115. sthapayedampati raja sadrsau varnarupatah | pativrata bhavantyetah paravatakulanganah || paravatasca svagrham pravesayati netaram | | galadhusimtanadena phulladrutagalena ca || 4. 11. 1289-1290. 116. galadhurnitanadena harsamutpadayanti hi | paravatavinodo'yam dharmakarmarthasiddhaye || 4.11.1297.