Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c8.t3.3

c8.t3.3

Three varieties of horses are mentioned, viz., aśva, aśvatara, ghotaka.²⁵ An aśva was a well-bred horse from Pakkhalī (vālhīka according to Haribhadra) ; it was a clean animal²⁶ ; an aśvatara or a mule was born of a different species other than its own ; such mules came from Dilavāliya ; the ill-bred horses were known as ākīrṇa.²⁷ Kanthaka was another variety of horses found in Kamboja whom no noise frightened and who exceeded all other horses in speed.²⁸ The Thaṇāṅga mentions four varieties of kanthaka.²⁹ The mares which foaled horses every year,³⁰ were known as ṭhāiṇī (ṭhāṇī in Marāṭhi.)