Picture of Hindu Saint Ganapathi Sachidananda with a live parrot
“ I suppose he (the crow) has no enemies among men. The whites and Mohammedans never seemed to molest him; and the Hindoos, because of their religion, never take the life of any creature, but spare even the snakes and tigers and fleas and rats”
--Mark Twain writing on Indian Crows
Hindus are great lovers of animals. They show kindness and respect to birds and animals. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of towns are named after birds and animals in the whole of India. From ant, snake to elephant, every animal is honoured. Each town has a long story about them, mostly connected to Gods. Birds and Gods are close. We have several Hindu gods carrying a bird in their hands. Why? What is the significance?
Meenakshi, Goddess of Madurai, carries a parrot on her right shoulder, so do Andal of Srivilliputur near Madurai and Kamakshi of Kanheepuram (Tamil Nadu,India). Lord Muruga/Skanda has a cock in his hand or flag with cock.
Meenakshi Navaratna Mala, a Sanskrit hymn praises her in the very first verse as the carrier of a parrot. Such is the importance of parrot in her life:
“Meenakshim ,Madhureswareem, Sukhatharam Sri Pandya Baalaam Bhaje” =Salutations to Goddess Meenakshi, goddess of Madurai, who has a parrot in her hand, who is the daughter of Pandya king.
Madurai Meenakshi has got a parrot made of pearls. ( Please read about her amazing jewellery collection in my THE WONDER THAT IS MADURAI MEENAKSHI TEMPLE ).
When we were children we used to go to Meenakshi temple very often. There was a big cage near the sanctum sanctorum of goddess Meenakshi where 20 to 30 parrots were kept. If we call Rama they will repeat RAMA. If we call Meenakshi, they will echo MEENAKSHI. I have already explained in three or four posts the relationship of Brahmins and parrots. The parrots simply repeated the VEDAS, says the Indian literature.
Now we know the reason. All good things we say are repeated. Hindu devotees believed that our requests and prayers are also repeated to Goddess even after we leave the temple. Birds’ link to omens has been already explained in my post “Can Birds Predict Your Future?” Tamils, Etruscans and other Hindus strongly believed in such omens.
In Srivilliputtur, a parrot is made every day with leaves and kept In the left hand of goddess Andal. At the end of the day, It is given to devotees who believed it would bring good luck to them.
‘ Kili viDu Thuthu’ is a genre in Tamil. The meaning is sending parrot as a messenger to a loveror beloved. Andal is said to have sent the parrot to Lord Vishnu to give the message of her love. More over wherever parrot is there it is velieved Sukhabrahmam is repeating the mythologies.
Picture of parrot made with leaves in Andal temple
In the story of Skanda/Kartikeya the cock was a subdued demon. It symbolises that our demonic thoughts would be subdued ‘in the hands of God. Hindu goddess Lakshmi and Sarawati have owl and swan as their respective vehicles (vahanas). Crow is the vahana of planet Saturn and Garuda/eagle of God Vishnu (Please read my articles on Vahans for more details).
Parrot Upanishad= Taitriya Upanishad.
Upanishads are the highest philosophical treatise in Hinduism. One of the 18 main Upanishads is Taitriya Upanishad. Thiththi and Thaththai are words for parrot in Sanskrit and Tamil. The story of Taitriya Upanishad is interesting. Yagnavalkya’s teacher was offended and asked him to return the Veda. He “vomited it and the parrots ate it”. Even a child can understand the symbolic story. When Yagnavalkya’s Guru asked him not to repeat it, he gave it to his disciples (What he threw out was taken/eaten by others).
Once again this story proves the significance of parrots in Vedas and Gods hands/shoulders. The message is, repetition of good things, is essential. Taitriya Upanishad is a beautiful Upanishad with instructions for students, saints as well as laymen. Be a parrot and repeat God’s names or good principles!
Picture of Greek Goddess Artemis with birds and Hindu Swastika symbol, 700 BC
Vyasa’s Son ‘Parrot Saint’ = Sukha Brahmam
Vyasa’s son Sukha Brahmam was the one who recited all the Puranas (Hindu Mythologies). Hindu mythologies are voluminous running to millions of lines. This monumental work was done by Sukha (literally parrot). Needless to explain the symbolism behind it. Sukha’s dad Vyasa did another great task of compiling and dividing Vedas into four sections and entrusting them to four of his disciples. Nowhere in the world we see such immense task carried out by any human being. Till this day no one on earth has beaten Vyasa or his parrot son in compiling lost works. Humanly impossible task was done by both. When we talk about Vyasa and Sukha we can use only superlatives!
Sumerian and Greece
Gods in Sumerian culture also carried birds. Greek Goddess Athena carried an owl in her hand. Owl is considered a bird of wisdom. The Greek word for owl is Glaukos. It is derived from Sanskrit word Uluka=owl. In India also owl was considerd wise and Uluka, Kausika were used by Rishis. In Sumerian culturecertain gods and goddesses carried birds. There are lots of other stories about owls as well.
More pictures are available in my blogs
Earlier related posts:
1. Animal Einsteins (Part 1 and Part 2) 2. Can parrots recite Vedas? 3. Why do animals worship Gods? 4. Mysterious Messengers for Ajanta, Angkor Wat and Sringeri 5. Elephant Miracles 6). 45 Words for Elephant 7. Can Birds Predict your Future? 8. Two Little Animals That Inspired Indians 9. Three Wise Monkeys from India 10. Mysterious Tamil Bird Man 11.Vedic Dog and Church Dog 11. Deer Chariot: Rig Veda to Santa Claus 12. Mysterious Fish Gods around the World 13. Serpent (Snake) Queen: Indus Valley to Sabarimalai 14.Who Rides What Vahanas (Animal or Bird)? 15. Vahanas in Kalidasa and Tamil Literature 16. Vahanas on coins and in sculptures
