OLD AGE DESCRIPTIONS OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS GLEANINGS FROM ANCIENT INDIAN TEXTS K.G.

SHESHADRI* INTRODUCTION It is a Natural cycle of all living beings present to be born, grow up and finally enter into the stage of old age. It is a stage wherein all living beings live in their past memories of wishes that are fulfilled and not fulfilled during their course of life time. They yearn for support both morally physically and financially as in case of humans. While in other living beings, moral and physical support dominate. This support is required by all living being as there is loss in their innate strength and also failure of their vital organs such as digestive power, eyesight or ache in body parts. Verily ancient Indian Literature is rich in the description of old age both of humans and other fauna. The present paper tries to bring out the exquisite parental behaviour of animals and birds in their old age. OLD AGE DESCRIPTIONS IN VEDIC TEXTS Since the time of gveda (RV) 1, the cow is held to be sacred and divine. The bhus also gave new mothers to orphaned calves and created a cow from skin of cow (RV 1.161.7). It speaks that old cows had to be protected. The Jaiminya Brhmaa2(III.193-94) mentions how Lord Indra was praised by the iumra (a dolphin). Likewise, Lord Indra heard the sobs of an old virtuous bird in a tree hollow which perished by poison tipped arrows from a hunter. It is said that it was grateful to the tree that provided shelter. The Maitryai Sahit3 in the Khila Ka (Prapathaka II) speaks of disposal of aged cattle. Such aged cattle were taken care by applying Ghrita (ghee) oozing from cows legs to its face and only later killed. OLD AGE DESCRIPTIONS OF FAUNA IN EPICS AND PURAS Rich descriptions of old age of Fauna is found in Sage Vlmkis Epic namely the Rmyaa4. It is well known that the aged vulture Jayu attacked the vehicle of Rvaa who kidnapped Devi Sita. However, more strange is the claim made by the bird as it states aivarasahasri jtasya mama rvaa| pitpaitmaha rjya yathvadanutihata|| vddho'hantva yuv dhanv saratha kavac ar|| [L.20-21.a] O Rvaa (ever) since I was born, sixty thousand years have elapsed. I have grown old, while you are still young and are armed with bows and arrows protected by armour and mounted on a car.

* Ex- IISc. Proj. Asst with interests in Ancient Indian Sciences, Plot No. 30, Lakshmy Nivas, Railway Colony, R.M.V. Extension, Lottegollahalli, Bangalore 560094. Ph. No: - +91-080-23415639 (Res), Email: kg_sheshadri@yahoo.com

A more vivid description is given about Jayus brother, Sampti. The aged vulture, Sampti speaks about his old age with the Vanaras thus ahamasmin girau durge bahuyojanamyate| cirnnipatito vddha ka praparkrama|| ta mmevagata putra suprvo nma nmata| hrea yathkla bibharti patat vara|| tkakmastu gandharvstkakop bhujagam| mg tu bhaya tka tatastkakudh vayam|| sa kadcit kudhrtasya mamhrbhikkia| gatasrye'hani prpto mama putro hyanmia|| sa may''hrasarodht pita prtivardhana| - (LIX. 7 11a) Long ago I fell on this mountain, which is difficult of access and is many Yojanas in extent. I am (now) old and find my vitality and prowess too depleted. My (own) son well-known by name of Suparva, the foremost of birds, nourished me with food at regular hours when I was reduced to this plight. Ardent is longing of Gandharvas for women and violent is the anger of serpents. Intense is the fear of antelopes, while we (birds) are noted more than latter for our keen appetite. One day, my aforesaid son came to me actually without any flesh at an hour of day when Sun had actually set, while I was tormented with hunger and was ardently longing for food. Honouring me when stung by me with harsh words for withholding food from me, Suparva was heightened by joy. He thus narrated the kidnapping of Sita to his father. The text also mentions about the age and wisdom of the king of bears, Jmbavn. Even interestingly is the story of Kesari, the father of Hanuman who being very old had taken part in the battle between r Rma and Rvaa. In the Yuddhaka, the text speaks of the Ayurvedic knowledge extensively possessed by the aged Vanara physician Suea. The Yogavsiha5 text speaks of how sage Vasiha had seen the aged sage (crow) Kka Bhua, in a tree atop the mountain Meru narrating the divine deeds of Lord Rma to Garua and other birds. The sage observes that in the hermitage of Kka Bhua, even the young ones of swans, chanted the Smaveda and other mantras. Sage Vysas immortal Epic, the Mahbhrata6 also has the descriptions of the old age of some animals and birds. The Epic narrates the story of a Saranga bird Jarita and her four fledgelings- Jaritri, Sahasrikka, Stamvamitra and Droa (di Parva Khdava Daha Parva. (CCXXXI.15-17)). The text reveals as to how there was a continuous transmission of Vedic knowledge even among birds as Droas sons also chanted Vedas. This view is also supported by Mrkaeya Pura7(I.21-22). The Bhgavata Pura8 in the yamantaka gem episode, gives description of aged Jmbavn living with his children in a cave. The same text also narrates the story of king Jaabharata who as deer in his next birth could understand Vedic Vedic chants and moved away from the herd. The Varha Pura9 (Chap.137.72-73) mentions an old she-jackal hit by the arrow of prince Somadatta tormented by heat which went to a khoaka tree and gave up its life without any desire in Somateertha.

OLD AGE OF FAUNA IN POST-VEDIC TEXTS Several Kavyas and prose literature also has descriptions of old age of animals and birds of these outstanding among them is Bas excellent work, Kdambari10. In this work, Ba goes to an extent in describing parental behavior that is not found in any other poetical or prose works. He describes how a parrot Vaiampyaa lived with his aged father in an old hollow of a tree with his wife in Vindhyan ranges. His mother passed away overcome by throes of child birth. Vaiampyaas father was unable to wander abroad and by his blunt beak he used to bring grains again and again from ears of l rice fallen on ground from other nests, collecting the tidbits of fruits nibbled off by flocks of other parrots and thus feed Vaiampyaa in his ripe old age. Such exquisitely is Bas description of the old age problems even among birds such as parrots. The Pacatantra11of Viuarma (dated to 4th c. A.D.) speaks of moral preachings by Damanaka, son of a fox to another fox Karaaka who was his brother (in the Mitrabheda section). The Jain text Jtastra12 (Chap.1) speaks of Lord Mahvra narrating to Meghakumara about his past life as an elephant Sumeruprabha forests of Vaitadhyagiri mountains. As he had aged and a forest fire had engulfed the region, his throat was parched due to heat. Wandering for water he got trapped in a slush of mud and quicksand that he could neither reach the river nor return to the bank. A young elephant having grudge towards him took revenge by piercing his tusks into the elephant. This was the pitiable old age of Sumeruprabha.The Jain scriptures also narrate the story of Karkandu, the king of Kalinga who was very fond of cows. Especially his fondness of one bull namely Nandin made him examine it daily. One day the king was moved by the old age of the bull describing its wrinkled skin, wet and dirty eyes, broken horns and weak stature to his cowherd. Sage Plakpyas Hastyyurveda13 in his voluminous text devotes an entire chapter to old age of elephants (Kudrarogasthna, Chap.43). He states that as age increases the elephant experiences more Vta, Kapha and Pitta disorders. As blood is less, the skin becomes hard and the organs become weak thus decreasing the activity of the elephant. Due to these disorders, it dislikes food and thus gets disease. The Sage states that as a remedial measure one must give it a suitable place offering barley, one Drona (a measure) of gruel, grape juice, milk and so on. The sleeping place must be made soft and its movement there must be made easy. Its head and body must be anointed with medicated oils. CONCLUSIONS Ancient Indian literature is rich in the descriptions of the vivid behavior of animals, birds and insects that modern biologists researching animal behaviour owe much to these observations. Some of these behavior patterns may be on an earthly nature while some are spiritually inclined. However it is rare that one finds descriptions of old age behavior of animals in any treatises of the world. Even modern day biologists and animal behavior experts have not studied much about

the old age symptoms and behavior of the vast species of animals, birds and insects that share our planet. The present paper is an eye-opener for such research into the old age of animals that would serve the protection of such old aged animals. In fact there are several orphanages for disabled, handicapped, wounded and orphaned elephants, horses, dolphins, birds and so on in the West. A similar venture in our country would take care of the plight of these animals though there exist some places for caretaking of cows, elephants and so on. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the Secretary, Mythic Society, Bangalore for providing the necessary references.

REFERENCES

1. Arya, Ravi Prakash, Joshi, K. L., gveda Sahit, With English translation according to H. H. Wilson and Syacrya Bhy, Vols. I-IV, Parimal Publications, New Delhi, 2005. 2. Raghuvira, Lokesh Chandra (eds.), Jaiminiya (Talavakara) Brahmana of Samaveda, Sarasvati Vihara Series, Vol.31, Motilal Banarsidas Publishers, Delhi, 1954. 3. Sri Santvalekar, Maitryai Sahit, Svadhyaya Mandal, Oudh, 1942 4. Mudholakara, Srinivasa Katti (ed.), rimad Vlmki Rmyaam, with commentaries-Tilaka of Rma, Rmyaa iromai of ivasahya and Bhaa of Govindarja, Parimal Publications, New Delhi, 1991. 5. Aiyar , K. Narayanaswamy, Laghu Yoga Vasishta, Vista International Publishing House, Delhi, 2006. 6. riman Mahbhrata, With commentary of Caturdhara Nlakaha Tk, Nmnukramaik and notes by Mishra, Mandan, Vols. I-IX, Nag Publishers, New Delhi, 1988, Vols. I-IX, numbers in Slokas indicate the Parva, adhyya and loka. 7. Dutt, M. N., Mrkaeya Pura , With English translation, Parimal Publications, New Delhi, 2005 8. Shastri, Acharya Jagadishlal, Bhgavata Pura, With commentary of ridhara Svmin, Vol. I-II, Motilal Banarasidas Publishers, New Delhi, 1988. 9. Iyer, S. Venkitasubrahmanya., Varha Puram ,Vols. 31-32, With English translation, Part 2, Motilal Banarsidas Publishers, New Delhi. 10. Shastri, KrishnaMohana , Babhaas Kdambar, with Candrakal and Vidyotin commentary, Kashi Sankrit Series No. 151, Chowkhambha Sanskrit Sansthan, Varanasi,1961. 11. Kale, M. R., Pacatantra of Viuarma, Text with English translation, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, 1999. 12. Srichand Surana 'Saras', Illustrated Jnata Dharma Kathanga Sutra , Original text with Hindi and English translations, Padma Prakashan, Delhi, 1998. 13. Sharma, Pt. Shivadutta, 1894, Plakpya Hastyyurveda, Anandashram Sanskrit series, Poona.