Life in Ancient India as Depicted in Jain Canons

SR No.: 011077
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jagdishchandra Jain
Publisher: New Book Company
Publication Year: 1947
Total Pages: 429
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

Page 98

LIFE IN ANCIENT INDIA
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HUNTING Then we come to hunting. As flesh-eating was common in those days, hunting had its grcat valuc. The kings used to go for hunting with a large retinue. We are told about king Sanjaya who chased the deer on horseback in the Kesara garden.100 Hunting (miyavaha) is referred to in the Bhagavati;101 there were regular hunters (migaluddhaya) whose occupation was to capture or kill the animals and earn their living by selling them. Hunting with hounds is also mentioned.102 Such hunters were called soniya (saunika); others who captured animals by snare were known as vāgurika.103 Snares and traps (kūdajala) are mentioned.104 Even elephants were hunted.105
POULTRY Another industry was that of bird-catching and fowling. We meet the fowlers (sauniya) with bow and arrow aiming at partridges, ducks, quails, pigeons, monkeys and francoline partridges (kapinjala) 106 Birds were caught with hawks (ordansiya), trapped in nets (jāla) and captured with the help of bird-lime (leppa) 107 With spades and bamboos, baskets in their hands, the fowlers (andāvaniya) went in search of eggs of female crow, owl, pigeon, tittabhı, crane, pea-hen and hen, which were cooked in baking-pans and were sold.108 Peacock-tamers (posaga) were also known.109 Cuckoos, 110 partridges, 111 parrots, madana sālikās 112 (the female of thc cuckoo) and other birds were tamed.
FISHERIES Fishing formed another occupation. Various ways of catching fish"3 were known. Fish were caught with hooks (jala) and in bow-net (maggarajalaa) and then cleaned and killed.114 A settlement of fishicimen (macchandhvádaga) is mentioned, where a large number of fishermen
100 101 103 101 204 196 106 101 108 109
Uttard. Su., 18. 2f. 1. 8, Suya. II, 2. 31. Brh. Bhd. l. 2766; Vya. Bhi. 3. p 20a. Ullari. 19. 63. Siya. II, 6; 9 3. tbid. II. 2, 811 For the list of birds ace Panna. 1. 36, Havă. 30. 3. Ullarā. 19. 65. Vind. 3, p. 22. Vya, Bha. 3. p. 20a; Vaya 3. p. 62. Ogha., p. 126. Vast., p. 67. Ava. GŪ, P 558. For various species of fish see Panna. l. 33. For simuar reference in the Fäsalas su SK. Das, op. cit. p. 212. Uttard. 19.04; cf. Vid (8, p 47), which mentions twenty two ways of catching fish, dahagalara, dahamalara, dahamahaaa, dahavahana, dahapavana, ayampula, panacapulc, macchpandhala, macchapucha, jambhi fisura, bhısıra, duisarā, vistrā, hallini, hiltiri, jāla, gala, klasa vakkabandha, sultabandha and calabandha.
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