Fauna (4): Wild animals

(a) Mṛgendra (II. 5. 1, p. 124)–

[Lion:]

The lion is called mṛgendra, since according to Kṣīrasvāmin he is the lord of all animals ranging from tiger to rabbit–

mṛgāṇāṃ dvīpyādiśaśakāntānāmindraḥ |

He also adds the synonym kaṇṭhīrava and specifically mentions that the lion is known so in Deśī–

kaṇṭhīravo deśyām |

The high octave roar produced from its vocal chords is referred to here.

(b) Vyāghra (II. 5. 1, p. 124)–

[Tiger:]

Kṣīrasvāmin explains that a vyāghra is so called as it kills by sniffing–

vyājighran hanti vyāghraḥ |

He adds two more words for the tiger namely citrakāya and pañcaśikha, referring to the stripes on the body.

(c) Tarakṣu (II. 5. 1, p. 124)–

[Hyena:]

Kṣīrasvāmin says that the tarakṣu is so called as it blocks the way and is also known as the forest dog. The behavioural pattern of hyena is depicted here. He points out that some spell the word as tarakṣa.

Another word added by him to denote hyena is vṛka–

taraṃ kṣiṇoti mārgaṃ ruṇaddhi tarakṣuḥ—
āraṇyaḥ śvā tarakṣa ityeke |
vṛko'pi |

(d) Kroḍa (II. 5. 2, p. 124)–

[Hog:]

According to Kṣīrasvāmin, a kroḍa is that which is heavy and he adds four other synonyms citing Durga, viz., kuddāla, mustāda, daṃṣṭrāstra, mukhalāṅgala–

kruḍa ghanatve'smātkroḍaḥ, kroḍaḥ kuddālo mustādo daṃṣṭrāstro mukhalāṅgala iti durgaḥ |

(e) Markaṭa (II.5.3, p.125)–

[Monkey:]

According to Kṣīrasvāmin, a markaṭa is that which dies or called so since it was devoured by Kumbhakarṇa–

mriyate markaṭaḥ kumbhakarṇa nigīrṇatvāt |

Monkeys are of various kinds and are an ornament to the tropical forests. The external attributes of different species is described by Kṣīrasvāmin as kṛṣṇamukha, golāṅgala, kāpeya and cāpala to denote an ape.

(f) Bhalluka (II. 5. 4, p. 125)–

[Bear:]

Bhalluka, according to Kṣīrasvāmin is that which hurts. He makes note of the fact that the word was used as bhallūka in literary works and cites Uttararāmacarita (II. 21)–

bhallati (te) hinasti bhallukaḥ lakṣye tu bhallūkaḥ—dadhati kuharabhājāmatra bhallūkayūnāmiti |

Though the monkey and bear are very much in the limelight in our mythology there is no mention of the mythological names of Hanumān or Jāmbavān made by Amarakośa or Kṣīrasvāmin

(g) Śivā (II. 5. 5, p. 125)–

[Jackal:]

Kṣīrasvāmin specifies that this word in feminine gender denotes a jackal and explains that it is called so as it smells out the birds or sharpens(the teeth) and is ominous.

He further adds that śivā also denotes a gooseberry, while the word in masculine gender denotes Lord Śiva as mentioned by Śāśvata–

śinoti śivā śakunāvedinī vā śṛgāle'pi strīliṅgaḥ yacchāśvataḥ—
śivaḥ kīlaḥ śivā kroṣṭā bhavedāmalakī śivā |

He adds pheraṇḍa to the list of synonyms of jackal.