EE7.5 - Kulaka to Kulottha (Discourse 33)

Kulaka to Kulottha (Discourse 33)

Notes:

this version: is the printed Shabda Cayaniká Parts 4 and 5, 1st edition, version (obvious spelling, punctuation and typographical mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

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Kulaka to Kulottha (Discourse 33)

4 May 1986, Madhumálaiṋca, Kolkata

Kulaka

Kul + kan = kulaka. The etymological meaning is “related to kula”; in a greater or wider sense kulaka is used to mean kula.

The colloquial meaning of kulaka is “one who has been born into a good family” or “one whose family is accepted by society as belonging to the aristocracy”.
One whose supremacy is accepted within the society of artists, or whom other artists accept as their representative, or whom they have elected as their leader or representative, is also called kulaka. Here “artist” means singer, poet, writer, painter or the practitioner of any fine art. If the actors of a country or society send one of their actors somewhere as their representative, then that person will also be considered as kulaka or the abhinetr-kulaka [representative of the actors].

The feminine form of kulaka is kulaká/kulakii. Kulaká means “that woman who has been born into a good family” or “that woman who acts as a representative of artists”. A woman who is not kulaká herself but the wife of a kulaka is called kulakii.
The word kulaka may also be used for the unknown creepers, shrubs, bushes and roots which have medicinal properties and which grow in mountainous regions.
You might have occasionally seen a sort of green snake among green creeping plants. Their eyes glisten because they are green. That makes people afraid; they think that these snakes must be highly poisonous. These snakes are called láud́agá snakes [Opheodrys aestivus] in certain parts of Bengal. They stare at a person from behind the leaves when they see that person approaching them. They are not easily visible at first because of their green camouflage. People run away the moment they see them. This láud́agá snake is also called kulaka.

There is a controversy over whether or not this láud́agá snake actually bites people, whether or not they are poisonous at all, and whether or not they belong to the snake suborder or the kakt́esiyás order. But many people believe that they are poisonous. They are one among a number of creatures who live or keep themselves alive by camouflage. But they are not chameleons. Nor are they related in any way to the kakt́asiyás [prehistoric reptiles] family creature that we call the chameleon. They are natural camouflage artists, and like other such creatures they camouflage themselves to hunt their prey or to protect themselves from hunters. Lions, giraffes, and several species of deer are also creatures that create natural camouflage. There is a variety of tame deer that survives through natural camouflage. Generally lions, giraffes, and certain types of deer and golden iguana live in larger numbers in the desert areas or in areas where the surrounding natural colours are grey or sandy. Their enemies, their hunters and their prey cannot recognize them because their colour mergeswith the colour of their surroundings. This is called“natural camouflage”. Creating confusion in the mind of the enemy through camouflage has been practiced since ancient times in different armies of different countries by wearing khaki dress and other such colours. The purpose was to camouflage their presence by having the colour of the army dress merge into that of their surroundings. In any case, this láud́agá snake takes full advantage of the opportunity afforded by camouflage.
A proper name for “white ant” in Sanskrit is pluśin (with in at the end). The earthen nest or anthill of the white ant is called valmiika. You must be familiar with that story. When Ratnákara sat for spiritual austerities, he remained immobile, motionless, for such a long time that the white ants built up their nest around his body. Since his body turned into an anthill, or valmiika, people gave him the name Maharshi Valmiiki. Kulaka is another name for “anthill”.
As you well know, there are many species of iṋdur such as the mouse, the rat, the field mouse [marmot group], tree rat, etc. Some of them live in kitchens, some in storerooms, some in holes in the wall and some in tree hollows. They have many names according to their species and dwelling place: iṋdur, muśika, ákhu, kundu, and so on. The mole also has three main species in India. But they are all field moles; they live in burrows in the fields. The entrance to the burrow is towards the bottom and the burrow itself moves upward. So what happens is that during heavy rains when the field is on the point of being submerged, it is difficult for water to seep into the dwelling. If there is water at the mouth of the hole, they can easily come out and escape. Since it lives in a field, the mole’s proper name is vasumitra. During the day the mole cannot see properly, so they mostly come out at night. Certainly you will hardly ever see a mole entering your house during the day. You see it at night.

The mole’s burrow is also called kulaka. One proper name for the mole is kulakeya, in the sense of “kulaka-dweller”, kulakeyii in feminine gender. Do you not call “the mole” that type of firework which runs about hither and thither during the Diipavali [light festival] just like a mole does, making a sharp hissing sound? This mole firework does not stay in a kulaka; it is kept in a box or in one’s pocket. The mole’s hole is called kulaka, but do you know the name of the rat’s hole? It is good that you do. If you do not know, then listen well. The word is kundubil. Kundu means “rat”; bil means “hole” or “opening”. The word bil is used in Hindi and in a few North Indian languages to mean “hole”.
If you use this word kulaka in neuter gender (kulakaḿ, declined in the same way as the word phala), it refers to a large jhiuṋge [Angled gourd; Lufa acutangula Roxb]. You may also use the word kulaka for the smaller type of jhiuṋge that grows in bunches. However, its specific name is saptaputra or saptaputriká. The word satputiá, derived from saptaputriká, is used in certain areas of North India for the smaller variety. The large variety is called jhiuṋgii in those places. This vegetable makes the mouth salivate, so it helps somewhat in eating and digestion. However, if one eats large amounts of jhiuṋge day after day, one runs the risk of contracting dysentery. Jhiuṋge keeps the body cool and fresh, but it makes people more active because it increases blood circulation to some extent. Jhiuṋge-posta [a type of dish made with poppy seeds] protects the body from dryness or contraction during the summer season, just as pigeon-peas do. Many knowledgeable people say that the addition of poppy seeds increases the quality and sweetness of jhiuṋge. A high-level enquiry commission can be set up to determine the veracity of this statement! Jhiuṋges from the Ranchi region are quite long and also tasty as well. The proper name for jhiuṋge-posta is pośita-kulakaḿ.

The proper Bengali word for poppy seed is pośita. Its colloquial form posta is derived from pośita. Pośita is spelled with śa, but posta is spelled with sa because the cerebral letter śa and the dental letter ta cannot be conjoined. So it must take sa. If śa is retained then we have to use t́a instead of ta. In that case the word becomes pośt́a, but it is not pronounced pośt́a but rather puś + kta = puśt́a. The word puśt́a, however, is used with a different meaning. In the months of caetra, vaeshákha and jyaeśt́a, jhiuṋge-posta in small quantities is good for health. Jhiuṋge soup with ginger paste (known as kaŕui in certain places) is considered to eliminate food aversion, increase appetite and increase blood circulation.

Jhiuṋge buds blossom together towards the afternoon with mild crackling sounds. So a person whose virtues flourish all of a sudden is praised in conversational Bengali by comparing them to the jhiuṋge flower.

The matter of water gourd crops up in connection with jhiuṋge. The proper name for water gourd is jalatumbii. This water gourd has hardly any beneficial quality; it is mostly just water.
If there is more than one stanza in a poem they are collectively called kulaka (in neuter gender). If a song has more than one verse then they are also collectively called kulaka. Some people also call a stanza of a poem a stavaka. No, stavaka cannot be used in this sense. The Bengali derivative of the word stavaka is thoká; for example, a thoká [bunch] of flowers, a thoká of fruits. The word thoká is also used for “bouquet”; for instance, a bouquet of flowers may be called puśpa-stavaka. The word stavaka can also be used in the sense of “tier” or “layer”. For instance, instead of saying, “arranged in layers”, one can say, “arranged in stavakas”. The word thák is also a corrupted form of stavaka. In a special sense, stavaka also means, “flower petal”. There is a Sanskrit verse:

Kusumastavakasyeva dve vrtti tu manasvinah,
Sarveśaḿ murdhańi tiśt́het visrijedathvábane.

[The wise, like flower petals, have two traits; either they stay at the top of everybody or they spread out in forests.]

Kulakka

Ku + lak + kan = kulakka. The etymological meaning of the word kulakka is “to harmonize psychic feelings with worldly expression”. Colloquially it means synchronizing the time of a song with its structure, guessing the period of time by singing a song within a specified time limit.

Kulaghna

Kula + han + d́a = kulaghna. The etymological meaning is “one who has killed the family or lineage”. Colloquially, one whose actions greatly harm their family, community or mankind, and who are thus forced to endure the pain ofthat humiliation, is called kulaghna. A fifth columnist or a person engaged in a work of sabotage may also be called kulaghna.

Kulaja

Kula + jan + d́a = kulaja. The etymological meaning is “one who has been born into a good family”. The colloquial meaning of kulaja is:

“Noble”, that is, one who has been accepted by society as an aristocrat. During the selection of brides and bridegrooms for marriage, a bridegroom from a highborn family is also called kulaja.
The genealogical chart is also called kulaja.
Calculations according to family traditions are also called kulaja or kulajii.
The family equalization practiced in the Kayastha community in olden days was also called kulajiikarańa.
What in conversational Bengali is called the gol tree [Cyryota uren], belonging to the coconut group, is also called kulajavrkśa, since this kind of tree generally grows by the seashore (samudrakúl).
Kulaja also refers to the oyster since oysters are found in a large numbers by the seashore. The proper name for the lime that is prepared by burning oyster shells (what is called kalichuńa in spoken Bengali) is kulajacurńa.

Kulapati

One meaning of the word kulapati is “one who is the supreme in the family”, that is, one whose family importance has been accepted by everyone.

The other meaning of the word kulapati is “head of the family”, that is, the chief member of the family. Suppose a family has 105 members. That man or woman who is respected by 104 out of those 105, and whose guardianship is unhesitatingly accepted, is kulapati.

In ancient times students used to study in the residences of their teachers during the period of their education. After the child had attained a certain level of knowledge, intelligence and sense, their guardian used to take him to the house of the teacher and leave him there. He used to be educated in the school attached to the teacher’s residence up to the age of twenty-four. Arrangements were made for free housing, food and clothes. The student used to return home at the age of twenty-four after receiving a certificate. Many intelligent students were able to complete their studies before the age of twenty-four and returned to their own homes in their own countries with their certificates.

In those days, the places in India which were recognized as famous centres of learning included Kancipuram (people mispronounce it as Kanchibharam), southern Mathura (Madurai), Trichur, Udiipii, Puńyanagrii (the holy city) or Pune, Ujjayinii, Avantiká, Bhrgukaccha (Bharoch), Shrishaelam (Salem), Vishakhapattanam, Vidisha, Shivapuri, Taxila (Takśashilá), Varáhamúlá (Baramula), Jullunder, Kányakubja (Kanauja), Vit́hura (Vrśńipura), Prayága, Kashii, Uruvilva (Gaya), Sauráth (Mithila), Madhuvanii (Mithila), Banagráma (Mithila), Maheshii (Mithila – the village of famous scholar Mańd́ana Mishra), Vispii (Visarpii – the birthplace of the poet Vidyapati Thakura), Bhagadattapura/Bhárgavapura (Bhagalapur– Auṋgadesh), Kalhangrám (Kahalgaon –Auṋgadesh), Jayanagara, Janakapura (Nepal), Kanthiká or Contai (Midnapore), Tamralipta, Burdwan, Ekacakrá (Birbhum), Indrahása (Birbhum), Indrahása (Bankura), Kantakiipura (Katwa – Burdwan), Navadwip, Káliná (Kalna–Burdwan), Vaḿishavát́iká (Banshberia), Dvaravasinii, Janai (Hooghly), Páńduká or Peṋŕo (Howrah), Jagaddala (24 Parganas), Vilvapuśkarińii (Nadia), Paṋcastúpii or Páiṋcathupii (Murshidabad), Phullashrii/Gaelá (Bakhargunje), Kot́álipáŕá (Faridpur), Vikramapura (Dacca), Kálikaccha (a District of British Tripura – the district headquarters, or karvat́a, was Comilla), Shrihat́t́a (Sylhet), Shonitapura (Prágjyotiśpura – Assam), Bhat́t́apalli or Bhatpaŕa, Kumárahat́t́a or Halishahar, Darshaná (Nadiá – at present in Kusthia), Jagatii (Nadia – at present in Kusthia), Shrikhanda (Burdwan), and so on. The guardians felt proud to send their wards to such places for their education.

Generally the lecturers or assistant lecturers would teach, teaching were controlled by the professors, the professors’ work was looked after by the acáryas, and the acáryas were assisted in their work by upácáryas. The meaning of the word ácárya is ácarańát pát́hayati ya sa ácárya, “one who teaches through ones conduct”. In other words, the ácárya must teach and have conduct worthy of respect. Only then will the education they imparted have a strong base and be assimilated.

Those who were in charge of those centers of learning, whether big or small, were not rich themselves. Their wealth or capital was the scholarship they had acquired through tireless endeavour. The public, rich people and royalty used to help them with monetary and other kinds of assistance. This was given unconditionally, that is, there were no pre-conditions imposed on them to sing the praises of the kings in return. These centres were not the supporters, carriers or promoters of any “ism”. Their only work was to spread the streams of knowledge and wisdom far and wide, independent of any external interference.

The scholarship of the heads of the centres of learning or mahávidyálaya (college or residential university: a large centre of learning in which every branch of knowledge was taught) was renowned far and wide. People used to pay them more respect than they would to royalty. Even the king used to stand up from his throne when he saw them. Those among these pundits or great scholars who used to arrange for free food, clothing, lodging and education for ten thousand students in an educational institution were called kulapati. I find nowadays that in certain regions of northern India the chancellor of a university is called kulapati and the vice-chancellor is called upakulapati. (In earlier times a university was called a gurukula. The word vishvavidyálaya is quite recent. It is the literal translation of the word “university”). This creates a certain semantic confusion regarding these words because a chancellor does not make arrangements for free food, clothing, lodging and education for thousands of students. However, if somebody has done this or does so in the future, then they will certainly be categorized as kulapati. In Bengali the chancellor is erroneously called ácárya and the vice-chancellor upácárya. This is also a misuse of the words. The ácáryas and upácáryas are neither teaching nor serving as examples of conduct. The words used for this should be prajiṋádhiipaka or vidyádhiipaka.

So I hope that you have correctly understood the meaning of the word kulapati.

Kulashreśt́ha

One meaning of the word kulashreśt́ha is “one who is born into a high family”.
The second meaning of the word is “famous artist”.
The third meaning of the word kulashreśt́ha is “one who creates equality in the family lineage”, that is, whose father’s family, mother’s family and father-in-law’s family are all highborn.
Kulashreśt́ha is the name of a sect of the Kayasthas. In ancient times the Kayasthas had twelve sects: Ambaśt́ha (Dásha-Ghosh), Bhattanágara (Vasu), Sakhasená (Mitra), Shrivastava (Datta), Máthura (Guha), Gauŕ, Súryadhvaja, Válmiiki, Kulashreśt́ha, Aśt́háná, Nigama and Karańa.

Kulácárya

Kula + ácárya.

One meaning of the word kulácárya is “one who teaches by heredity”.
The second meaning of the word kulácárya is “one who keeps the family almanac”. In other words, those who determine the family relations in the genealogical tree, the place and time of marriages, equalization of family heredities for matrimonial purposes, horoscopes, etc. are also called kulácárya or paiṋjiikára. This kulácárya is called “genealogist” in English. In ancient times in Bengal, kulácáryas were also called matchmakers in a limited sense. But the duties and responsibilities of the matchmakers were less than those of the kulácáryas. The duty of such matchmakers comes to an end once the marriage is arranged and the bride and the bridegroom receive their blessings. They have hardly any duty or responsibility in any other matter.

At one time in Mithila the genealogists exerted a great influence among the Maethila Brahman and Maithila Kayastha (Maethilakarańa) communities. Brides and bridegrooms were generally chosen in a large mango garden called Saorát́ha near Madhuvanii. The Saorát́ha fairgrounds were called Sabhágáchi. There the guardians would come with the prospective brides and bridegrooms, or sometimes without them, and finalize the choice of bride and bridegroom and the date and time of marriage with the help of these genealogists. Sabhágáchi still exists but the Saorát́ha fair is no longer very important. These genealogists had the main role in this Sabhágáchi. This Sabhagáchi of Saorát́ha had more influence among the Maethila Brahmans than among the Maethila Kayasthas (whose surnames were Karańa-Kayastha Kańt́ha, Láladása, Datta, Sharańa, Mallika, etc.). The genealogists are one of the four main branches of the Maethila Brahmans. The three other branches are Shrotriya, Yoga and Jáyavára. The word kulácárya has been used from ancient times for these genealogists or matchmakers.
The other meaning of the word kulácárya is “one who taught kulasádhaná or vamácára tantra sádhaná”.

Kulát́a

Kula + at́a or kula + áta. The etymological meaning of kulát́a is “that which roams near the kula or shore”. The colloquial meaning of kulát́a is “prawn.”

Kulát́a + kan = kulát́aka. Kulát́aka means “large prawn”.

Kulát́a refers to all kinds of crusaceans – mud-prawn, small prawn, lobster, and crayfish of all varieties. But kulát́aka refers to the lobster, crayfish, and the reddish sea prawn of the southern Sundarabans. The word kulát́aka can also be used for the huge “monster prawn” which is found in certain places in the sea.

Kulála

Kula + alac/álac (kalac/kálac). Kulála means:

“That artist who becomes accomplished through their own efforts”, or “artist of great genius”. Its feminine form is kulálii.
The other meaning of the word kulála is “trained technician” or “dexterous technician”. Its feminine form is also kulálii.
Another meaning of the word kulála is “expert potter” or “craftsman in clay”. Any artist who works with metals or non-metals may be called kulála. In all cases its feminine form is kulálii.
Another meaning of the word kulála is “wild cock”, which can emit rhythmic sounds from its throat like an expert singer. Its feminine form, that is, the wild hen, is also kulálii.
Another meaning of the word kulálii is the stone powder that is used for medicines.
Another meaning of the word kulálii is “industrial products made with lac”. It is worth remembering in this regard that at one time the lac industry in Bengal was of a very high standard. At one time this industry reached such a high state of excellence in Singbhum, Manbhum, Eastern Ranchi (five Parganas), Bankura, western Burdwan and Birbhum that lac products were even exported to distant countries. It is also worth remembering that in order to transform the town of Krishnanagar into an ideal town in all respects, Krishnachandra, the king of Nadia , brought in confectioners from Burdwan and Natore and also potters that were expert lac artisans of Ilambazar in the district of Birbhum. Some of the expert potters of Krishnanagar also came from North Bengal. Because high quality clay suitable for pottery was available at Ghurńii, adjacent to Krishnanagar, he arranged for these potters to settle down there. The word kulála may be used as a proper word for these potters. Its feminine form is kulálii.
Another meaning of kulála is “one who shows scholarly excellence in matters of aesthetics, thinking and ideology, and who plans and moves ahead accordingly”. Terrified by this sort of excellence and planned approach, many people, especially those who are exponents of opposite views, often become panic-stricken and pour out their venom against those kulálas [ideal leaders with exceptional brilliance]. This matter should be investigated with the neutral outlook of a judge or a critic.

The intense kulála consciousness that stimulated and churned public opinion on the eve of Indian Independence was the result of the kaolálika role [exceptionally brilliant role] of Subhash Bose in the political arena. The day has come for those who want to remain neutral in matters of judgment to ponder the issue carefully. I can say, without showing the slightest disrespect to the Indian leaders of those days, they not only lacked social and revolutionary consciousness but also a clear vision of a well-defined and sound economic structure. They wanted to irritate the British by swaying public opinion in various ways and then reap the harvest of Indian freedom, like cutting a crop gently with a sickle and storing it in a granary. “Kill the snake but do not break the stick.” Those who think that the policy of non-violence is no policy at all, that it is merely the political strategy of people with no other alternative, should remember that the mental attitude of the leaders of those days was not the result of having no other alternatives. With the help of the influence they had over the people, they could have tried to gain independence by vigorously stirring the collective consciousness.

No one can deny that Mahatma Gandhi aroused the consciousness of the public, but he could not direct that awakened consciousness to the path of struggle. It can be said that the uniqueness of their policies centered around a kind of negativism and lack of struggle. The excellence of Subhash Bose was of a different kind. He wanted to capture freedom by exploiting the situation, or in plainer language, overpowering and stunning the opposition by adopting a policy of “strike while the iron is hot”. Herein lies the qualitative difference between him and other leaders of that time.

Although simplicity and straightforwardness was not completely lacking in the so-called creed of non-violence of Gandhism, it was somewhat absent. Gandhi’s followers were perhaps not as simple as he was in his personal life; as a result this kulálatva difference [qualitative difference of leadership] became more pronounced in the public eye. The Congress chairman was called the President of the State in those days. Was this not rather ludicrous? There was no state; how could there be a state president? If there is no head then how can there be a crown on that head? The contest between Subhash Bose and Pattabhi Sitaramaiya for the Congress party chairmanship was a contest of this kulálatva.

Gandhiji was a simple man. So when Subhash Bose won and Sitaramaiya was defeated in that contest, he said openly, “Sitaramiya’s defeat is my defeat.” Subhash Bose never allowed this difference in kulálatva with Gandhiji to become personal, nor did Gandhiji. But some ambitious Congress leaders did just that. And their spewing of venom, as well as use of the chains of non-violence, at the personal level, were two of the many reasons for Subhash Bose’s emigration. Those who used to call Subhash Bose a traitor or a misguided patriot based on mere superficial knowledge, without any deep understanding of politics, or being goaded by different kinds of motives, had perhaps lost sight of one fact. If Britain, France and the United States could dine together with Russia in order to protect their countries’ freedom, despite being poles apart in economic outlook, then what serious fault did Subhash Bose commit when he sought the help from the Axis powers (Germany, Japan and Italy) in the cause of a country having no military strength and aspiring for freedom? Actually the war was between two imperialist as well as expansionist forces. Neither of the parties was pure and holy. Whichever side Subhash Bose had joined for the cause of freedom of the country, his opponents would have certainly condemned him. Those who call the working plan or ideology of Subhash Bose “Subhashism” are mistaken. There is no such “ism” as “Subhashism”. Subhash Bose wanted freedom for the country and he wanted it very strongly. So he took the role of a pragmatist and an opportunist. If some have condemned him for this, then it has to be understood that they wanted success the easiest way possible without suffering any scratches themselves in their political life.

If the Allied forces (Britain, France, America and Russia) condemn Subhash Bose for political or social reasons of their own, or punish Tojo declaring him to be a war criminal, would it be proper for an Indian at that time to join chorus with them to oppose Subhash Bose, in spite of his being an embodiment of kulála [ideal leaders]? The fact of the matter is that a person’s thinking becomes clouded if there is a marked difference between them and someone else in respect to kulálatva. With their clouded thinking they muddy the waters of social life, hardly a sign of elevated thinking. This kind of mentality is diametrically opposed to clear thinking and is the worst result of geo-sentiment. Anyhow, I hope you have properly understood the meaning and idea of the word kulála in this context.

Kuláya

Kula + ay a + ac = kuláya. The etymological meaning of kuláya is “to run towards kula or family”. The colloquial meanings of kuláya are:

Bird’s nest. A bird is flying back from a long distance at evening time. Its destination is that tree which shelters its family. The meaning of the root verb aya is “to come”. The bird is coming to its kula or family. For this reason, the place where it comes to is called kula + aya = kuláya.
Kuláya also means “residence”. A gentleman is asked, “Sir, where do you live?” He replies, “In Hooghly District”. In this case Hooghly District is the kuláya of that gentleman. But Hooghly District is quite large. So saying Hooghly is not enough to understand the specific place where he lives. If after this he is again asked, “Where, Sir, is your exact residence?” and the gentleman answers, “Balarambatii”, then in this case Balarambatii is the gentleman’s residence. However Balarambatii is a large village. Can we know the exact residence of the gentleman by saying Balarambatii? No, we cannot. Even then the exact residence must be looked for. The gentleman says, “at Brahmanapara”. This time the gentleman has mentioned the right place, but even this does not take us to the gentleman’s doorstep. All the ways in which you may introduce him, without arriving at the right house, can be described as kuláya.
If this word kuláya is used in neuter gender (kuláyáḿ) then its meaning becomes “body of a living being”. The body of a living being bears the identity of its race or family or species, so kuláyaḿ also refers to the body of a living being.
The other meaning of the word kuláya in neuter gender is shúrpa (shúrpa > shúppa > shúpa). In most parts of northern India the word shúpa is used to mean kuláya. In old Bengali the Sanskrit derivative of the word kuláya is kulá, and in modern Bengali it is used in the form kulo [winnowing tray]. Kuláya > Kulá > kulo.

Mára ár dhara ámi pithe bendhechi kulo,
Baka ár jhaka ámi káńe diyechi tulo.

–Bharatchandra

[You may hit me and hold me captive, but I have tied a winnowing tray to my back. You may rebuke me, but I will continue to turn a deaf ear.]

The word shúrpa has been used in the sense of “winnowing tray” since ancient times. In the Rámáyańa the name of Ravana’s sister is Shurpanakha. In other words, one whose nails (nakha) are as large as a shúrpa or winnowing tray is Shurpanakha. According to grammar, if there is ra, r or sa in the first word, then na is used in the following word, not ńa; however the word shúrpańakhá is an exception. Examples of this exception are ayańa, ahńa, úhińii, grámiińa and shúrpańakhá.

Kulmáśa

Kul + kvip + maś + ghaiṋ = kulmáśa.

One meaning of the word kulmáśa is “stigma” or “sin” or “indelible blemish”
Another meaning is the large variety of green gram that is known as rájamáśa or rájamáh in the western regions.
Another meaning of kulmáśa is a certain type of food prepared by mixing equal parts old rice and barley powder, regarded as an excellent dietary supplement for stomach ailments. Here old rice refers to rice that is more than three years old and which is cooked in an earthen pot over a cow dung flame. Although the nutritional value of this rice is limited, it is excellent as a diet for patients.
If rice is cooked at night and kept in an earthen pot with some water, tamarind juice, and if necessary a tiny bit of salt, it ferments by the next day. If this is then thoroughly strained through a piece of fine cloth then the resultant liquid is called ámáni. This ámáni is a kind of fermented wine, mildly intoxicating. Ámáni is considered to be a medicine for various ailments. If pomegranate flowers and ámáni are made into a paste and ingested it serves as a medicine for a number of female ailments. If hibiscus flowers and ámáni are made into a paste and ingested, it is considered to be an excellent medicine for several female diseases. If diarrhea or dysentery develops due to eating certain foods, ámáni can be used as a medicine for that as well. The proper name for ámáni is kulmáśa.
Khichuŕi (khecaránna or bird’s food) prepared from a combination of rice and lentils is also known as kulmáśa.

Kulira/Kuliira

Kuli + rá + d́a or kulii + rá + d́a. Both spellings, kulira and kuliira, are correct.

Kuliira refers to saltwater or sea crabs.
It also means large, saltwater oysters or oysters with slightly reddish shells or red oysters, also called rakta kulira. Kuliraka is derived by adding the suffix kan to kulira; it means “a large ocean crab”.

Kulisha

Kuli + shii + d́a = kulisha. The word kulisha is generally used in two senses .

Extremely powerful thunderbolt.
The second meaning of the word kulisha is “young fish” or “small fish”. In some people’s opinion, kulisha does not refer to all kinds of young or small fish, but only to a variety of small-scaled fish called párshe.
Kulii + shii + d́a = kuliishá. Kuliisha means the powerful thunderbolt of Indra.

Kuliina

Kul + iin = kuliina. The etymological meaning of kuliina is “one who is established in kula”, or “theory connected with kula”.

Colloquially kuliina refers to one who is born into a high family or an aristocratic family.
Kuliina also means one who is an expert in their chosen profession or art form and who has won the acclaim of the society for this.
Kuliina means “tall, fast horse”, or Arabian horse.
Kuliina also means one who is engaged in kula-sádhaná or Tantra-sadhana.
Another meaning of the word kuliina is “worshipper of Cańd́iká Shakti” [goddess of power].
During the time of King Ballala Sena certain Brahmans and Kayasthas of Bengal were called kuliina by royal decree based on certain particular qualities. Since then their descendants have enjoyed kuliina status irrespective of whether or not they possess those virtues. One of the important features of this system was that this special status would be maintained through daughters, that is, the parents would give their daughters in marriage to bridegrooms with the same kuliina status. If a daughter was given in marriage to a non-kuliina (i.e., shrotriya Brahman or maolika Kayastha) then the family lineage would be adversely affected.

If three lineages remain kuliina (the mother’s, one’s own and the father-in-law’s), it is known as naekaśya kuliina [pure kuliina]. If the three lineages are not kuliina, but if every daughter has been married to a kuliina, it is called normal kuliina or natural kuliina. If a daughter marries into a non-kuliina family, it is called broken kuliina – bhauṋga kuliina, káp kuliina or shuddha maolik. If this continues for seven generations they are called shrotriiya or ordinary maolika. If shrotriiyas or ordinary maolikas have no marital relations with shrotriiyas or ordinary maolikas, then they become known as pure shrotriiyas or pure maolikas. Otherwise they are known after seventh generation as Vaḿshaja Brahmans or Kayasthas ( váuṋsh bámun or váuṋsh káyet – “non-kuliina of defective lineage”). In the case of Brahmans, in the absence of a royal directive if their link with their original settlement is lost, then they lose their kuliina status. For instance, a resident of the village Bandyoghatii in Ráŕh (the person’s name was Guro Bandyopadhyaya) who started living in the Másacát́aka area of Bhuluyá, that is, Noakhali, lost their kuliina status and became shrotriiya, that is, their surname became Másacaŕaka, which became transformed into Másacát́aka/Másacáŕaka/Cakravartii.

How advantageous this kuliina system was, it is difficult to say. But its main disadvantage was that these kuliinas were often forced to marry their daughters to a man with many wives in order to preserve their kuliina status. Often they were compelled to marry their underage daughter to an old man with many wives. Quite often their daughter had to remain unmarried all her life. On the other side the disadvantage was that while individual kuliinas had many marriages (Ram Chandra Mukhopadhyaya of the village of Janai married one hundred sixty-five times), the shrotriiya or non-kuliina men could not find brides. Many men had to remain bachelors. As a result, while on one hand the number of kuliinas increased by leaps and bounds, the shrotriiya families were on the verge of extinction. Consequently all sorts of improper behaviour was seen in society. Unmarried daughters of kuliina families and unmarried men from shrotriiya families created social problems. Finding no way out, society had to close its eyes to such improper conduct. Such a state of affairs cannot bode well for any community.

As a result of this faulty kuliina system the number of Banerjees, Mukherjees and Chatterjees in the Bengali Brahman community increased like wildfire, while the number of Másacáŕakas, Kusháriis, Bat́abyals, Káṋijláls, Pákŕáháshis, Pálodhis, Patitundis, Diirgháuṋgiis, and Gaŕhgaŕhis, etc. decreased almost to the verge of extinction. The Ghoshas (Dash Ghośa), Vasus and Mitras of the Bengali Kayasthas increased in large numbers, while the number of pure maolika – Sena, Siḿha, Deva, Dutta, Kara, Guha, Das and Palita decreased considerably. The normal maolikas such as the Sura, Pal, Niyogi, Rudra, Dhar, Brahma, Bhaiṋjas, Damas, Naha, Raha, Aikat, Aica, Chandra, Cáki, Nandi, etc., nearly reached the point of extinction.

The situation reached such a critical stage during the Pathan era in Bengal when the Nawab was Hussain Shah. Hussain Shah found the situation alarming. He consulted his prime minister Purandar Khan⁽¹⁾ and attempted to change the system. Purandar Khan held a large meeting with the kuliina Kayasthas and changed the kuliina system from a system of lineage through the daughter to a system of lineage through the eldest son. That is, a kuliina Kayastha would be able to give his daughter in marriage to any kuliina or pure maolika or ordinary maolika bridegroom. He would be able to arrange the marriage of his other sons to any such family.But the firstborn son would have to be married to a kuliina Kayastha. In other words, a Kayastha with the surname Ghosh would be obligated to marry their firstborn son to someone in a Basu or Mitra family, but they would be at liberty to arrange the marriage of their other sons and daughters with any family. This both preserved the kuliina system in the Kayastha community and also prevented the degeneration of their scholarly genius.

The Nawab and Purandar Khan attempted to arrange such a meeting with the Brahmans as well, but they did not agree to their proposal. As a result, the kuliina system among the Brahmans continued to be passed on through the daughters. In later times it was discovered that there were hardly any kuliinas left among the Brahmans. Anyhow, some Brahmans and some Kayasthas continued to be called kuliina in accordance with the kuliina system introduced by Ballal Sena among the Brahmans and Kayasthas of Bengal.
Another meaning of the word kuliina is “flowers and fruits of thorny trees”, for instance, jujube, pineapple, baiṋci, shiyákula, lemon, rose, lotus, screwpine, etc.
The word kuliina can also be used in the sense of “superior”. For instance, in the sense of financial superiority we can say arthakaoliinya.

Kulottha

Kula + ut – sthá + d́a = kulottha. Its etymological meaning is “that which has risen in family status”. The colloquial meanings of kulottha are:

Those who were initially branded as outcastes or degraded, but who later achieved the right to reintegrate into society through penance or acquisition of social power, are called kulottha.
Kulottha also refers to kurtii or kurthii, what is called “horse-gram” in English.

Kulottha [Dolichos biflorus] is a very ancient variety of pulse. Although it is somewhat substandard in quality, its use is quite widespread among the common people. Since it is not properly boiled even after a long time, people fry it and make it into a powder that they mix with rice. Kulottha powder has a strange smell. One meaning of the word kulottha in feminine gender (kulotthá) is “blue stone”. The other meaning is a grain of the millet family that is used as an alternative to wheat.

Kulotthaka is derived by adding the suffix kan; it means a pearl with a slightly reddish tint. Its second meaning is mándára [Atrocarpus lakoocha Roxb] (also called d́yáphala in certain regions). The third meaning is a grain of the millet family that is used as an alternative to wheat.

Footnotes

(1) He was a resident of Kuliinagrama near Jaogram railway station in the Jamalpur police station of Burdwan district. His original name was Gopiinatha Vasu. Purandar Khan was the name given by the Nawab. Subhash Chandra Bose was his descendant. Maladhar Basu, brother of this Gopiinatha Basu, translated the Bhagavata scripture into Bengali. The Nawab was pleased; he bestowed on him feudal status and gave him the name Guńarája Khan. The Nawab gave the title Srikrishna Vijaya to the Bengali translation of the Bhagavata.

4 May 1986, Madhumálaiṋca, Kolkata

Published in:
Shabda Cayaniká Part 5

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