Part 6 (1/2)
1) _Vanaspati_ - Plants that fructify without flowers.
2) _Oshadhi_ - Creepers that last till the ripening of fruits.
3) _Lata_ - Ascending creepers.
4) _Tvaksara_ - Those of which the growth is not in the centre, but in the dermal regions, as bamboos.
5) _Virudh_ - Non-ascending woody creepers.
6) _Druma_ - Flowering plants.
The consciousness of all the six cla.s.ses is almost obscured by Tamas.
They are sensitive only to internal touch. They have many peculiarities.
VIII. _Tiryak-Srotas._ - With slanting food current. The position of the animal stomach as regards the animal mouth is such that food is not taken in vertically, but either horizontally or slantingly. The animal kingdom has 28 divisions. The animals are ignorant, with predominating Tamas, with the sense of smell largely developed in them so much that they mostly perceive by that sense, and with the faculties of the heart entirely undeveloped. The 28 cla.s.ses are: 1. _Living on the ground._ i. - _The cloven-footed._
(1) Cow, (2) goat, (3) buffalo (4) krishnasara, the spotted antelope, (5) hog, (6) gavaya, a species of ox, (7) ruru, a kind of deer, (8) sheep, (9) camel.
ii. - _The whole hoofed._
(10) a.s.s, (n) horse, (12) mule, (13) goura, a kind of deer, (14) sarabha, a kind of deer, (15) chamari, a kind of deer.
iii. - _The five-nailed._
(16) Dog, (17) jackal, (18) wolf, (19) tiger, (20) cat, (21) hare, rabbit, (22) porcupine, (23) lion, (24) monkey, (25) elephant, (26) tortoise, (27) alligator.
2. (28) Aquatic animals and birds.
IX. _Arvak-Srotas_ or with downward food current, the Human kingdom with predominant Rajas, given to Karma, mistaking misery for happiness.
_C. - Prakrita- Vaikrita._
X. The k.u.maras. The k.u.mara creation is partly Prakrita and partly Vaikrita.
Besides these, there is
_D. - Vaikrita Dev Creation._
There are eight divisions of Vaikrita Devas:
1) Vivudha, 2) Pitri, 3) Asura, 4) Gandharva and Apsara, 5) Siddha, Charana and Vidyadhara, 6) Yaksha and Raksha, 7) Bhuta, Preta and Pisacha, 8) Kinnara, Kimpurusha, Asvamukha and others.
The Vaikarika and Vaikrita Devas form one cla.s.s.
THOUGHTS ON THE ABOVE.
_Prakrita_ creation is that which gives rise to and is connected with all individuals. Excepting the Tamasic or Avidya creation, which we shall consider later on, the other divisions of this creation were caused by the first life impulse, given by the First Purusha. The Tamasic creation was brought into manifestation by the Third Purusha Brahma.
The division of the life-kingdoms according to the movements of the food taken is peculiar to the Pauranic system. It will be interesting to know from the physiological stand-point whether it is necessary for the development of the brain that the spinal column should be erect, whether it is necessary for the formation of the spinal column, that the stomach should retain a certain position, and to know also how far the fixture of the plants is an impediment to the development of any nervous system in them.