50 "नानावर्णैच शकुनै: नानारत्नतनूरुहैः । सुवर्णपुष्पश्चाकं मणितुण्डेद्वजातिभिः ।। Birds in Sanskrit Literature वायुपुराण 39.18. Blackbirds belong to the sub-family containing the true Thrushes which, unlike the Shama, the Magpie Robin, Chats etc. which are purely insecti- vorous, include small fruits and berries as well in their dietary. They feed a good deal on the ground, turning over the leaves and digging with the bill in soft soil for worms, grubs, etc. The Magpie Robin also feeds on the ground but entirely on insects. कलविङ्क placed in the विष्रवर्ग by सुश्रुत and प्रतुदवर्ग by चरक and कुलिङ्गक (प्रकाराचे प्रशंसाय वा कन् प्रत्ययः) as its synonym apparently refers to these two song-birds of the size of a sparrow (कुलिङ्ग) :- "कलविङ्कः स्मृतो ग्रामचटकेऽपि कुलिङ्गके – विश्वप्रकाश 13. It has been stated above that the names श्रीवद and श्यामा are shared by more than one bird and it is perhaps advisable to bring them together: (I) श्रीवद i) श्रीवद— the Whistling Thrush (para. 15 below). ii) श्रीवद——the Sibia (Art. 6); iii) मधुक श्रीवद—the Tora (Art. 6); iv) अश्वक श्रीवद—the Magpie Robin. (II) श्यामा :- i) देवी श्यामा-- the Indian Robin; (ii) कुमारी श्यामा - the Shama: iii) पाण्ड श्यामा or पाण्डविक-- the Blue Rock Thrush; (iv) मणितुण्ड श्यामा – the Blackbird. 14. The Magpie Robin, the Shama and the Grey-winged Blackbird sing morning and evening from the top of a tree and they लविङ क the of literature in the following examples though the probability in favour of the Magpie Robin is the greatest as it is the most common bird both of the plains and the outer Himalayas. The pleasant conversation and handsome looks of Lord Buddha have been compared with those of the कलविङ्क :- 1. I.e. कलविङ्कः स्मृतो कुलिङ्गके ग्रामचटकेऽपि. The name कलविङ्क properly belongs to the कुलिङ्गक bird and also by extension or courtesy to the House Sparrow. This seems to be the force of अपि in the synonymy. For कुलिङ्ग see Art. 23.A. 2. Altogether there are seven different types of कलविङ्क- (i) रक्तशीर्ष कलविङ्क, the Rose Finch, (ii) पीतमुण्ड कलविङ्क the Yellow headed Weaver-bird (iii) सेव्य कलबि the Red Munia (iv) तिलककण्टक कलवि the crested Lark, (v) श्यामा कलबिछू the Shama, (vi) कालकण्ठ कलवि, the Magpie Robin. and (vii) मणितुण्ड कलविक, the Blackbird (see Art. 23 A.) of these only the last three are the true songsterns of India. The Magpie Robin is communon in the plains and hills, the Blackbird is common in the outer Himalayas and occurs at high elevation here and there, and the Shama is a bird of deep forests. The firg of the passages quoted is most probably the beautiful Robin. The plain looking crested Lark and its cousin the Skylark ( भरद्वाज) magpie. do not sing from tree tops and neither of these can be intended (Art. 27). The Thrush Family "कलविङ को यथा पक्षी दर्शनेन स्वरेण वा"-- "कलविङ करुतेन स्वरेण वल्गुना मनोशेन"- "इति वाक्यमिद निशम्य राज्ञः कलविङ्कस्वर उत्तर बभाषे" "मदकलकलविङकी काकुनान्दी करेभ्यः क्षितिरुहशिखरेभ्यो भानुमानुच्चिनोति" ललितविस्तर, Ch. 12. बुद्धचरित, 5.34. the कलविद्रक for his beautiful A very handsome tribute is first paid to song and yet it is said that he is far from attaining the sweetness of the Lord's Voice: "द्विजगण कलविङ्कमञ्जुघोषाः सुरुचिरप्रेमणीयाः सुगीतशब्दाः । शंखपटहरिवीणशब्दाः कलमपि न लभन्ति बुद्धशब्दे ॥ A number of them welcome with a chorus the sun rising from the ocean :- " "कृतकलकलविङकालापकोलाहलाभिः । जलनिधिजलमध्यादेष उत्तार्यतेऽकंः ।। सुभाषितरत्नावलि, Verse 2185. and like the Thrush of Robert Burns the कलविङक also 'sings drowsy day to rest' : "सुग्रीवकाञ्चनरवैः कलविङकरुतैस्तथा । कूजितान्तरणब्द व सुरम्याणि च सर्वशः । 51 Ibid., Ch. 21. अनर्घराघव, Act 2, 45. It may be noted that it is the male which sings but the poet's partiality for the gentler sex is responsible for the use of the feminine. European poets also make the Cock Nightingale, which alone sings, of the feminine gender. In the description of a Himalayan scene the Magpie Robin or the Shama is mentioned with the Black-headed Oriole which too is noted for its sweet. fluty notes:- "चकोरैः शतपवैश्च भृङ्गराजस्तथा शुकैः । कोकिल कलविङकै हारितैर्जीवजीवकैः ।। वायुपुराण, 36.4. and the महाभारत too places the कलविङ with other sweet voiced birds of the Himalayas: 3.158.52-53. This and the verse following it have been copied into the मार्कण्डेय पुराण, 6.13-19. 1. कलमपि कलामपि, not in the slightest. समाधिराजसूत्रम्, Gilgit manuscripts, Vol. 2, edited by Dr. N. Dutt, 1941, 14th परिवर्त, 29. See also verses 53 and 84 ibid.
