Concordance of the Fauna in the Ramayana
Summary
This article compiles a concordance of animal names found in the Ramayana. It lists creatures such as the hump of the bull (kakuda), heron (kanka), turtle (kacchapa), monkey or ape (kapi) and many others. For each entry, it provides references to the specific books and cantos of the epic in which the animal is mentioned and correlates them with synonyms from the Amarakosha, the classical Sanskrit lexicon. The concordance includes animals ranging from common domestic species to wild fauna like the tiger, sloth bear and wild pig, and notes variations in nomenclature across different chapters. By systematically indexing these references, the article offers researchers a tool for studying zoological knowledge and symbolism in ancient Indian literature.
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Conclusion
The concordance demonstrates the richness of animal imagery in the Ramayana and provides scholars with a ready reference for tracking each creature’s occurrences. By cross‑linking epic passages with lexicographical entries, it aids comparative studies of zoological terms and underscores the cultural significance of animals in classical Sanskrit literature.