The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c8.t2.11

c8.t2.11

In the chapter on articles of diet, Suśruta gives a practical classification of (vertebrate) animals for dietary purposes. Animals that find a place in this dietary are first divided into two classes: (1) *Anûpa*, animals that live in marshy or water-logged land (or in water); (2) *Jângala*, animals that live in dry (hilly) jungle land. The Jângalas are divided into five classes, and the Anûpas into eight. The thirteen classes are based on real and natural distinctions of food and habitat; they are for dietary purposes arranged under six conventional (or artificial) classes (त्रयोदशभेदा षट्सु एव अन्तर्भूताः। संख्येपम् निर्देश्यादेव षट्संख्यायां लभ्यायां षड्ग्रहणम् तेन षड्वर्गा इति नियमार्थम्—Dalvana, *Sûtrasthâna*, Chap. XXVII.). These thirteen classes of dietary animals may be enumerated as follows :—