Snakes

[Allen W Thrasher]

I didn't post that article, so can't take thanks or credit.

Allen

>>> s.hodge at PADMACHOLING.FREESERVE.CO.UK 7/13/2004 11:03:10 AM >>>
Birgit Kellner

> Incidentally, is anyone aware of snakes being described with the
> attribute "visphUrjat"? This occurs in examples for a specific kind
of
> inference in logical treatises - from observing a snake which is
> "visphUrjat", one infers the presence of the mongoose, its
arch-enemy,
> behind the bushes. Some texts suggest "visphUrjat" is a noise
(hissing?
> growling?), but I've never found out what it really means, and what
kind
> of snake this could be (the snake is just referred to as "ahi").
Some
> modern translators render it as "agitated, angry".
As was mentioned in the article posted by Allen Thrasher, the
saw-scaled
viper makes a characteristic rasping or rattling noise with its scales
-- it
seems to be the only snake in India that does this.  Could this be the
meaning, given that this snake is quite common in parts of India ?

Best wishes,
Stephen Hodge