ANIMALS IN THE INSCRIPTIONS OF PIYADASI. 365 



the mrga was used in works so late as Caraka-sarhhita (Sutra, xxvii. 37, mrga-paksinah). 

 Occasionally it was applied specially to deers (Rg. i. 38. 5). Gradually the meaning got 

 restricted to four-footed non-carnivorous games, such as harina, ena, kalaka, samvara, 

 prsata, ruru, kadall, kurahga, citra-pista, kdkuli, and even included according to several 

 writers snuara, nyanku, sarabha, sa'sa, and khadgin. In the Jatakas (Nos. 535, 545 and 

 547) have been named various kinds of migas, viz., cneyya, pasadd, rohita, sarabha, sulopi, 

 camarl, calani, lamghl, kakkatdkatamdya , kalaka, pacdlakd, citrakd, dipi, kokanisdtakd, 

 kadali, ruru, vardhd, sasa, kannakd (535, v. 406; 545, vi. 277 ; 547, vi. 537, 539). 



Of these animals, the best known was the kalaka variant krsna or krsna-sdra mrga, 

 the black antelope. It is known from very old times (Ath. sarh. iv. 4. 7). Its skin was 

 used in numerous sacrifices, specially in the dikshd (Ath. Sam. v. 21, 7 ; xi. 5, 6; Ait. Br. i. 

 3, 17 ; sat.br. iii. 2. 1. ct scq. vi 2. 2. 39). The region where it roamed was considered the 

 eastern boundary of Aiydvartta or the Aryan tract (Baudhayana i. 1. 2. 12; Vasistha i. 8. 

 13; 5 ; Manu ii. 23; Mahabhasya i. p. 475 ; iii. p. 174 ; Yajn, i. 2). 



The venison has continued to be a permissible food except among those who 

 are rigidly orthodox. The mrgas are classed as dnupa (Car. sutra. xxvii. 37 ; Sus. sutra. 

 xlvi., sub-class kulacara), and bhumi'saya (Car. xxvii. 36), or j 'an gala (Car. xxvii. 52), 

 janghdla (Sus. ib.). Susruta recommends the use of flesh of prsatas and harinas as 

 a general food : — 



Mayurdn nakuldn godhd (*n) prsatdn harindn=api ; 



Satatam bkaksayec-cdpi rasani = sicsdm pived = api. — Kalpasthdna, Ch. I. 



The medicinal properties of janghdla animals are said to be astringent, sweet, light, 

 remover of wind and liver (-humours), pungent, savoury, and clearer of injections (Sus. 

 Sutra, xlvi). For bhmnisaya flesh in general, see Caraka (xxvii. 54-5). 



The horn of the black antelope was prescribed as medicine against hereditary 

 (ksetraja) diseases so far back as in the Atharva-samhita (iii. 7. 1-3). It was a dis- 

 puted point whether the flesh of the black antelope can be taken (Baudh. Dh. 

 sut. i. 5. 12. 6). The black antelope's flesh was offered to the Fathers in the srdddha 

 (Manu iii. 269). 



The general edict about ahimsd or non-destruction of life was amplified and 

 specified in the Pillar Edict V. Therein Priyadarsin declared that in the 26th year after 

 his coronation the slaughter of the following born beings was prohibited by him : — 



(iii) Suke (in all) the parrot. Parrot, 



(iv) Sdlikd (Ds. 3, A. 20, Dm. eff.), Sdlika (R. 2, Mat. 2), the starling. 



Cf. in the Jatakas, suvo, plural suvd (484, iv. 277 ; 530, iv. 430, 432 ; 547, 

 vi. 421, 539), or suka (145, i. 195 ; 198, ii. 132 ; 255, ii. 292 ; 281, ii. 396 ; 

 329, iii. 97 ; 393, iii. 97 ; 393, iii, 310; 429, iii. 491, lohitatunda 492); 

 Sdlika (529, v. no; 547, vi. 421, 539). 



The suka is described as harimdnam or yellow in the Rg-samhita (i. 50. 12) ; and the 

 'suka and the sari named together in Ath. sarh. iii. 14, 5 ; the yellow 'suka and the ropanaka 

 (? sari) in ib. i. 22. 4. Both the suka and the sari had been taught to speak like man from 

 very old times (sdrih svctd purma-vdksarasvate sukah svetah purusa-vagd, Taitt. sarh v. 5. 



