Kausheya
Wild silk variety from ancient India, mentioned in Sanskrit epics.
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Kausheya (also known as kauseya, Kiau-she-ye, or Kaushika) was a wild variety of ancient silk produced in India. Both domesticated and undomesticated silk were made in India and China, with silk weaving mentioned in Indian texts from the 3rd century BC. The 4th-century BC grammarian Kātyāyana defined kausheya specifically as a silk fabric, a product of the cocoon.
Quick Facts
- Earliest textual mention
- 3rd century BC
- Grammarian defining term
- Kātyāyana (4th century BC)
- Silkworm variety for kusa
- kuswari or kuswara
Facts from the source article.
Mention
Kausheya appears in the Indian Sanskrit epics Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Manusmriti. The Hindu goddess Sita is called "Kausheya vasini," meaning one who wears silk garments. In the Mahabharata's Sabha Parva (51.26), kausheya is mentioned in connection with Yudhishthira.
Did You Know?
- Kausheya is derived from "kosh," meaning cocoon of a silkworm, as given by the grammarian Pāṇini.
- Kshauma and kausheya were considered pure in Hinduism and were also permitted on Buddhist clothing.
- The Sushruta Samhita categorises kausheya under articles of bandaging.
More in Silk in India
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Kausheya (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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