Pancha Pakshi Shastra

Pancha Pakshi Shastra

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In this system, the ''[[nakshatra]]s'' (lunar mansions) are organized in groups named after five birds: [[hawk]], [[owl]], [[crow]], [[Chicken|cock]], and [[peacock]]. These birds are said to be in one of the following five states depending on the time, the day of the week, and the [[paksha]] (fortnight): ruling, eating, walking, sleeping, and dying (in order of most [[luck|auspicious]] to least auspicious). Based on these states and the birth ''nakshatra'' of a person, the Pancha Pakshi Shastra determines the auspicious and inauspicious times for various activities.{{cite book |author=P. V. Jagadisa Ayyar |title=South Indian Customs |year=2001 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=9788120601536 |pages=100–102 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5hBvZY7SxeEC }}
In this system, the ''[[nakshatra]]s'' (lunar mansions) are organized in groups named after five birds: [[hawk]], [[owl]], [[crow]], [[Chicken|cock]], and [[peacock]]. These birds are said to be in one of the following five states depending on the time, the day of the week, and the [[paksha]] (fortnight): ruling, eating, walking, sleeping, and dying (in order of most [[luck|auspicious]] to least auspicious). Based on these states and the birth ''nakshatra'' of a person, the Pancha Pakshi Shastra determines the auspicious and inauspicious times for various activities.{{cite book |author=P. V. Jagadisa Ayyar |title=South Indian Customs |year=2001 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=9788120601536 |pages=100–102 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5hBvZY7SxeEC }}


A [[Sanskrit]]-language work on Pancha Pakshi Shastra is ascribed to the legendary sage [[Agastya]]. Its manuscripts, in [[Telugu script|Telugu]] and [[Grantha script|Grantha]] scripts, are available at the [[Saraswathi Mahal Library|Thanjavur Palace library]]. A critical edition of the text, by Shivarama Pati, was published in 1906 under the title ''Pañca-pakṣi-praśna''. [[Tamil language]] versions of this text also exist.{{cite book |editor=David Pingree |editor-link=David Pingree |title=Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit Series A |volume=1 |publisher=American Philosophical Society |year=1970 |page=35 |url=https://archive.org/details/PingreeCESS/Pingree_CESS_A1_1970/ }} For example, the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library (GOML) in [[Chennai]] has a manuscript titled ''Ahattiyar-pañca-pakṣi-sūttira''.{{cite book |editor=David Pingree |editor-link=David Pingree |title=Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit Series A |volume=2 |publisher=American Philosophical Society |year=1971 |pages=11, 51, 80 |url=https://archive.org/details/PingreeCESS/Pingree_CESS_A1_1970/ }}
Pancha Pakshi Shastra was primarily written in Tamil Language. A [[Sanskrit]]-language work on Pancha Pakshi Shastra is ascribed to the legendary sage [[Agastya]]. Its manuscripts, in [[Telugu script|Telugu]] and [[Grantha script|Grantha]] scripts, are available at the [[Saraswathi Mahal Library|Thanjavur Palace library]]. A critical edition of the text, by Shivarama Pati, was published in 1906 under the title ''Pañca-pakṣi-praśna''. [[Tamil language]] versions of this text also exist.{{cite book |editor=David Pingree |editor-link=David Pingree |title=Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit Series A |volume=1 |publisher=American Philosophical Society |year=1970 |page=35 |url=https://archive.org/details/PingreeCESS/Pingree_CESS_A1_1970/ }} For example, the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library (GOML) in [[Chennai]] has a manuscript titled ''Ahattiyar-pañca-pakṣi-sūttira''.{{cite book |editor=David Pingree |editor-link=David Pingree |title=Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit Series A |volume=2 |publisher=American Philosophical Society |year=1971 |pages=11, 51, 80 |url=https://archive.org/details/PingreeCESS/Pingree_CESS_A1_1970/ }}


Other historical texts on the topic include ''Pañca-pakṣi'' or ''Pakṣi-jyotiṣa'' of Krishna (Kṛṣṇa), ''Pañca-pakṣi-prakaśa'' of Gangadhara, and ''Pañca-pakṣi-śakunāvalī'' of Narayana Bhatta.{{cite book |editor=David Pingree |editor-link=David Pingree |title=Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit Series A |volume=3 |publisher=American Philosophical Society |year=1976 |page=155 |url=https://archive.org/details/PingreeCESS/Pingree_CESS_A1_1970/ }}
Other historical texts on the topic include ''Pañca-pakṣi'' or ''Pakṣi-jyotiṣa'' of Krishna (Kṛṣṇa), ''Pañca-pakṣi-prakaśa'' of Gangadhara, and ''Pañca-pakṣi-śakunāvalī'' of Narayana Bhatta.{{cite book |editor=David Pingree |editor-link=David Pingree |title=Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit Series A |volume=3 |publisher=American Philosophical Society |year=1976 |page=155 |url=https://archive.org/details/PingreeCESS/Pingree_CESS_A1_1970/ }}