lxxiv AMARAKOŚA He also clarifies that this is a kind of grass similar to the munja, used for making a bowstring or the girdle of an initiated student. His learning includes the science of omens (śakuna); he gives extensive details from the Vasantarājiya, e.g. that among sparrows (cațaka) of various colours, the black variety plays a big role in the field of omens. तदुक्तं वसन्तराजीयाख्ये शकुनग्रन्थे– 'श्यामा वराही 1' (p. 342) His deep study of the Veda-s and the Vedabhāsya is seen in discussing the etymology of some words. The word sitputa as a synonym of bhramara quoted from the Taittiriya Samhitā- bhasya is ignored by other commentators: 'बृहस्पतये शित्पुट: पीतभ्रमरः' इति वेदभाप्यम् । (p. 352 ) Also quoted are the Vedabhasya to add plava (watercock) to the list of birds, and the śruti (Taittiriya Samhitā) to show that tittiri (partridge) is a favourite bird of the Rudra-s, rudrāṇām tittirih (p. 355). His knowledge of political science is witnessed by citations from a large number of authorities such as Kāman- daka, Sajjana, Brhaspati, Nitigajänkuśa, Somadevanīti and Dhvanimanjari. Dealing with the position of the feet of an archer, Amara says, ityādi sthānapañcakam; Malli. supplements the statement by quoting the relevant portion from Dhanurveda: ५. मण्डलमिति धनुर्वेदोक्तानि पञ्च धनुर्धरस्थानानि । (p. 534 ) We have seen in the foregoing pages some of the salient features of two of the South Indian commentaries. The comm. of Bommaganți is even more learned as will be seen in the volume to follow.
