Date uploaded in London – – 14 FEBRUARY 2024
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Akbar , the Hindus say, seriously thought of turning Hindu, but gave up the attempt on being ridiculed by Birbal, the court wit.
According to a popular story Birbal, on hearing of intended conversion of Akbar, took an ass to the Yamuna river while Akbar was watching and began to wash and rub it. The emperor sent for him and asked him what he was doing, and Birbal replied that he was washing the ass to turn it into a horse.
“Fool, said Akbar , to think of turning an ass into a horse” ?
“Your majesty”, said Birbal, “the monarch who thinks he can convert a Muslim into a Hindu is more foolish than he who tries to turn an ass into a horse”.
On hearing this Akbar, it is said, gave of the idea of conversion.
—-Taken from Epics, Myths and Legends of India by P Thomas, 1961 (12th edition) .
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Wisdom Library website gives a lot of information about the use of Donkey in Ayurveda. My research shows the Tamil word Kaluthai for donkey come from Sanskrit word Kara for donkey. Another word for donkey in Sanskrit is Gardabaha. Since Kara is also in Persian, it is definitely related to Sanskrit. R=L change is happening in many languages including Tamil and Sanskrit and reported by the linguists.
Tamil books which are over 100 year old also report the use of milk of donkey in medicines; ine book I ma using in my blogs is Mooligai Marmam (Mystery of Herbs) by Munisami Mudaliyar published in 1899. We find donkey’s milk use there. One can easily see that the English word Ass came from ASVA of Sanskrit scriptures. Since English could not find link for 2000 years, the encyclopaedias don’t agree with me. Even the word Arse for buttocks must be from this source, because the buttocks of these equine animals are large and prominent.
I have given below some points from Wisdom Library. Please visit the site for more details:-
Ayurveda (science of life)
[«previous (D) next»] — Donkey in Ayurveda glossary
Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)
Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa
The study of Donkeys (habitat, infections and treatment) is dealt with in the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Viṣavidyā or Sarpavidyā).—The twelfth adhyāya of the Kāśyapasaṃhitā consisting sixty-six verses dwells upon twenty kinds of venom and the treatment administered therein. Verses (1-42) discuss at length, various species like [e.g., donkeys], their sub-varieties, the infection caused by their bite or sting and the appropriate eight types of effective medication like treating thirst, incision, removal of excess water content, ablutions, medicated drinks, liniments and nasal sprays to be administered for curing the same.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
[«previous (D) next»] — Donkey in Tibetan Buddhism glossary
Source: academia.edu: The Structure and Meanings of the Heruka Maṇḍala
The Donkey is associated with the Yoginī (female deity) named Gardabhī, being situated in the Medinīcakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly, the medinīcakra refers to one of the three divisions of the dharma-puṭa (‘dharma layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs [viz., Gardabhī] and Vīras are yellow in color; the shapes of their faces are in accordance with their names [e.g., Donkey]; they have four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum, and a knife.
Indian History
Donkeys often formed part of a Caravan traveling from city city in ancient India, as depicted in the Kathās (narrative poems) such as Uddyotanasūri in his 8th-century Kuvalayamālā (a Prakrit Campū, similar to Kāvya poetry).—Page 134.32-33 f.: There is a description of a caravan with a large number of camels, bullocks, horses and donkeys. It had come from Vindhyāpurī and was going to Kāñcīpuri.
Gardabha, Gardabhā, Gārdabha: 25 definitions
Gardabha (गर्दभ) falls under the category of domesticated animals (grāmya-paśu) according to the Vāyu Purāṇa.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index
Gardabha (गर्दभ).—The asses of the Tāmasa line.*
Vastushastra (architecture)
[«previous (G) next»] — Gardabha in Vastushastra glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Vāstu-śāstra
Gardabhā (गर्दभा, “female donkey”) refers to the sixth of eight yoni (womb), according to the Mānasāra. Yoni is the fourth of the āyādiṣaḍvarga, or “six principles” that constitute the “horoscope” of an architectural or iconographic object. Their application is intended to “verify” the measurements of the architectural and iconographic object against the dictates of astrology that lay out the conditions of auspiciousness.
The particular yoni (e.g., gardabhā) of all architectural and iconographic objects (settlement, building, image) must be calculated and ascertained. This process is based on the principle of the remainder. An arithmetical formula to be used in each case is stipulated, which engages one of the basic dimensions of the object (breadth, length, or perimeter/circumference). The first, third, fifth and seventh yonis are considered auspicious and therefore to be preferred, and the rest, inauspicious and to be avoided.
In the Vedas
[«previous (G) next»] — Gardabha in Hinduism glossary
Source: archive.org: Vedic index of Names and Subjects
Gardabha (गर्दभ) or ‘the ass’, is mentioned in the Rigveda as inferior to the horse. In the Taittirīya-saṃhitā he again appears as inferior to the horse, but at the same time as the best bearer of burdens (bhāra-bhāritama) among animals. The same authority styles the ass dvi-retas, ‘having double seed’, in allusion to his breeding with the mare as well as the she-ass. The smallness of the young of the ass, and his capacity for eating, are both referred to. The disagreeable cry of the animal is mentioned in the Atharvaveda, and in allusion to this the term ‘ass’ is applied opprobriously to a singer in the Ṛgveda. A hundred asses are spoken of as a gift to a singer in a Vālakhilya hymn. The mule (aśvatara) is the offspring of an ass and a mare, the latter, like the ass, being called dvi-retas , ‘receiving double seed’, for similar reasons. The male ass is often also termed Rāsabha. The female ass, Gardabhī, is mentioned in the Atharvaveda and the Bṭhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad.
Search found 21 books and stories containing Gardabha, Gardabhā, Gārdabha; (plurals include: Gardabhas, Gardabhās, Gārdabhas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Rig Veda 1.29.5 < [Sukta 29]
Rig Veda 3.53.23 < [Sukta 53]
Rig Veda 1.34.9 < [Sukta 34]
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 6.10.4 < [Chapter 10 – In the Description of the Gomatī River, the Glories of Cakra-tīrtha]
Verses 2.11.38-39 < [Chapter 11 – The Liberation of Dhenukāsura]
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Tags- Ass, Asva, Donkey,Akbar, Ayurveda, Tamil word, Vedas, Sanskrit, Kara
Tamil and Vedas 