ziliimukha

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ziliimukha

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ziliimukha is known in the MBh. epic as a word for 'arrow'

and in kAvya, as both an 'arrow' and 'bee'. Perhaps,

having a sharp mouth (ie., a sting) makes the equation,

ziliimukha = bee.

 

M. B. Emeneau has a discussion on

ziliimukha, ziliipRSTha, s.v. zilaa (343)

in his reviews of M. Mayrhofer, KEWA Band I-III,

1956, 1963, 1976, (p. 203-4, Sanskrit studies of M. B.

Emeneau, 1988, edited by van Nooten).

Emeneau writes, "Incidentally, the use of the

compound ziliimukha- as a proper name for

the king of hares in a PaJcatantra tale is not

unsuitable ('having a pointed snout')."

Prof. R. Steiner (9-dec-99) wrote in Indology list

" Further: in the "Si.supaalavadha 9.41 (and elsewhere) the word

"siliimukha is used in the sense of ``bee" and ``arrow" in a

"sle.sa. Therefore, it is perhaps not by chance that in your stanza

bees and arrows are mentioned side by side."

 

M. Witzel, Substrate languages in OIA, EJVS, 1999, p. 30

"This is the opportune moment to briefly discuss another

northwestern peculiarity, the interchange of k/z in Vedic.

This has occasionally been observed, even one hundred years

ago in the case of KarkoTa/ZarkoTa, but it has not been put

into proper relief (Kuiper 1991: 41,42,44 as Proto-Munda,

cf. KEWA III 309, Witzel 1999). The interchange of k and z

is not related at all to the well-known Indo-Ir. dvelopment

of IE *k > Ved. z, as the present variation occurs only in

'foreign' words. [...] In consequence, Vedic loan words

with the interchange of z/k may go back to a phoneme K'

with realization close to [k'] or [z] in the Indus language."

 

Have tried an explanation using a well-known legend

about serpents yielding jewel stones occuring frequently

in sangam tamil texts to explain karkoTa/zarkoTa(ka).

CTamil/message/165

Also, maNimat

CTamil/message/167

 

In Tamil, the verb ki_littal has the meanings:

1. to tear, rend split, cut, pull to pieces, rip up lacerate;

2. to split, break vleave, uproot; 3. to scratch, as with

claws or thorns; 4. to mark, to line, to indent, to paint;

to draw, as a line; (OTL entry).

 

Foll. prof. Witzel, is the change from k- to z-

occuring in (dravidian) ki_limukam > ziliimukha (skt.)?

mukha is said by linguists to be from drav. mukam.

And, mukam is used in many words parallel to ki_limukam/ziliimukha:

eg., a) aRi-mukam "introduction" b) tuRai-mukam "harbour"

c) pU-mukam/pukumukam "entrance porch in a house, palace", etc.

 

For the *_l* to *l* change in ki_limuka/ziliimukha,

compare the related words like phala (skt. for fruit) & tamil pa_lam.

 

Regards,

N. Ganesan

 

Some other possible drav. k- to skt. z- word examples:

 

 

[a] zAkya clan, zaikya (steel) and tamil cEku, eHku 'steel'

-----------------------------

 

-E-/-A- alterations like in cEr/cAl can be

seen in between tamil cEku and zAkya (skt.).

Pl. see

http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0010&L=indology&P=R9925

http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0009&L=indology&P=R6902

 

Cross-cousin weddings, usually encountered in Dravidian kinship,

is found in Buddha's family. Much like SubhadrA (Krishna's sister)'s

marriage to Arjuna. KuntI, Arjuna's mother is SubhadrA's father's

sister. Of course the Srivaishnava Alvar poetry, tamil Mahabharatams

say many times Krishna is Panadavas' bro-in-law (maittun2an2).

 

A. M. Hocart's article on cross-cousin weddings in Buddha clan

in Indian Antiquary, 1923-25:

http://pears2.lib.ohio-state.edu/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/hocbud.htm

 

ziva, zimIdin, zibi

---------------------------

1) ziva (23 Dec 1999) < *kiva < drav. kema(=good/auspicious/red)

http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9912&L=indology&P=R11011

2) zimIdin, ziva, zibi (30 Dec 1999)

http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9912&L=indology&P=R13503

[c] zItA/sItA 'furrow'

CTamil/message/435