Kausheya (kauseya,[1][2] Kiau-she-ye,[3] Kaushika[4]) was a wild variety of ancient silk from India. Domesticated and undomesticated silk (also known as wild silk) were produced in both India and China.[5]: 9  Silk weaving is mentioned in Indian texts from the 3rd century BC.[5]: 13  In the 4th century BC, Kātyāyana, an ancient grammarian, defined kausheva specifically as vikar, a product of kos (vikara koshdvam), — in other words, silk fabric.[5]: 14  Shatapatha Brahmana refers to kusa, a variety of silk obtained from a silkworm called kuswari or kuswara. These silkworms are raised on jujube trees.[5]: 13 

Kitsutram, kriminag, pattasutra, or pattron were names possibly referring to varieties of wild silk produced by various undomesticated silkworms reared on different trees, hence producing different qualities and colours of silk.[5]: 13, 9 

Etymology

Kaushika or kausheya is a Sanskrit word that literally translates as silk.[6] It is derived from "kosh", which means "cocoon of a silkworm". The derivation of the word is given by the ancient Sanskrit grammarian Pāṇini.[7]

Mention

Kausheya is described in a number of literary works, including the Indian Sanskrit epics Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Manusmriti.[4] The Hindu goddess Sita is referred to as "Kausheya vasini," which translates as "one who wears silk garments". Sabha Parva (51.26) refers to kausheya in the Mahabharata, relating to an incident with Yudhishthira.[5]: 14  The Sanskrit anthology of Buddhist avadana tales, Divyavadana (the fourth-century collection of Buddhist tales), also proves the existence of kausheya; it contains words such as kausheya, dhautapatta, kashikanshuka, kashi, pattanshuka, and chinashuka.[5]: 15 

Kosh and kausheva are mentioned in several Sanskrit texts, including the Shatapatha Brahmana, Shushruta Samhitas, Kautilya's Arthash, Vashistha Dharmasutra (11,66), Vishnu Dharmasutra (44,26), Pāṇini's Sutrapat and Gunapat, Vaikhanas Dharmasutra (3,4,2 Pravar Khand).[5]: 14 

Amarakosha also infers about a variety of kausheya that was patrorna. It is defined as "a bleached or white Kausheya."[8]

Xuanzang who was also known as Hiuen-Tsang, a Chinese traveler from the 7th century, referred to Indian silk as "wild silk," implying that it was inferior to Chinese silk.[5]: 9  He described kausheya while discussing contemporary people's clothing styles and materials. Hiuen-Tsang explained an unstitched garb for both men and women.[1][9]

Significance and use

Kshauma and kausheya were considered pure in Hinduism and were also permitted on Buddhist clothing.[1] An ancient Sanskrit text on medicine and surgery, the Sushruta Samhita, categorises kausheya under the "articles of bandaging."[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Watters, Thomas (1904). On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629-645 A.D. Royal Asiatic Society. pp. 148, 149.
  2. ↑ "Kautilya's Arthashastra" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2022-01-22. The above will explain the fabrics known as kauseya silk-cloth, and chinapatta, fabrics of China manufacture.
  3. ↑ Jackson, A. V. Williams (Abraham Valentine Williams); Dutt, Romesh Chunder; Smith, Vincent Arthur; Lane-Poole, Stanley; Elliot, Henry Miers; Lyall, Alfred Comyn; Hunter, William Wilson (1906). History of India. Robarts - University of Toronto. London, Grolier society. p. 132.
  4. 1 2 Report of the ... Indian Industrial Conference ... 1912. p. 128. A Sanskrit word Kausheya or Koushika meaning silk occurs in the Rigveda, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Law of Manu.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Agrawal, Yashodhara (2003). Silk brocades. Internet Archive. New Delhi: Roli Books. ISBN 978-81-7436-258-2.
  6. ↑ Liotard, L. (1883). Memorandum on Silk in India. Prtd. by the Superintendent of Government Prtg. India. pp. 1, 2.
  7. ↑ A Monograph on Silk Fabrics Produced in the Northwestern Provinces and Oudh. Printed at the N.-W. Provinces and Oudh Government Press. 1900. pp. 117, 118.
  8. ↑ Ray, Joges Chandra (June 1917). "Textile Articles in Ancient India". Journal of the Bihar and Orissa Research Society. 3 (2): 214.
  9. ↑ The China Review, Or, Notes and Queries on the Far East. 國家圖書館出版社. 1891. p. 232.
  10. ↑ Susruta; Bhishagratna, Kunja Lal (1907–1916). An English translation of the Sushruta samhita, based on original Sanskrit text. Edited and published by Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna. With a full and comprehensive introd., translation of different readings, notes, comparative views, index, glossary and plates. Gerstein - University of Toronto. Calcutta. p. 166.
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