India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c8.s11.3

c8.s11.3

UTENSILS—Of these Pāṇini mentions (1) *pātra*, a vessel (VIII.3.46); *kumbha*, a big jar (VIII.3.46); (3) *kaṁsa*, a pot or vessel of bell-metal (cf. *Vedic Index*, I.130) which owing to its fragility attracted the attention of the Greeks as breaking, if it fell, like earthenware (cf. *Nearchus*, Frag. 7, *Strabo*, XV); (4) *kuṇḍī*, a bowl in different sizes of stone or wood (IV.¹.42; also called *amatra* by Pāṇini); (5) *sthālī*, a cooking pot (V.1.70), from which was derived the phrase *sthālībiliya*, applied to a dainty article of food; (6) *ukhā* frying-pan (IV.2.17), a Vedic term (*Vedic Index*, I.83); (7) *kalaśi*, a small pitcher or vessel (IV.3.56); (8) *kapāla*, *śarāva*, earthen pots (VI.2.29) and pots of different shapes for holding water (*udaka-pūrayitavya*, VI.3.59), all coming under the term *kaulālaka*, pottery (IV.3.118), on account of their being made by a *kulāla* or potter. Pottery has from time immemorial played an important role in the domestic economy of India, specially at communal feasts. Indian pottery with its long history reaching back to the age of Mohenjodaro reveals a surprising range of shapes, sizes and designs—worthy of illustration in a Corpus. At one end of this series stands the giant *kusūla* (VI.².102) and at the other the tiny *śarāva*, or bowl (VI.2.29).