Gajaratha

Gajaratha · gaja-ratha, “the elephant chariot”

Grammar: masculine noun; a compound of gaja (elephant) and ratha (chariot).

Meaning: the chariot with elephants given in the Gajaratha-Aśvaratha dāna.

In the scriptures: Śrī Kṛshṇa tells Yudhishṭhira the dāna that Śukrācārya told to Bali, by which all pāpas, ādhi, vyādhi and graha-pīḍās are destroyed. It is given on Kārtika pūrṇimā, at ayana-saṃkrānti, at a lunar or solar eclipse, at the vishuva yoga, at Sūrya‘s saṃkrānti or on any puṇya day. A divine wooden chariot is covered with gold, with fine wheels, axle, rim and yoke, a gold dhvaja, white and black flags and garlands. A learned brāhmaṇa sets it on a vedī at a place of water or a river bank, in a gośālā or in the courtyard. Brahmā is worshipped in the middle with the praṇava, Bhagavān Vishṇu on the north with the Purusha-sūkta and Bhagavān Rudra on the south with the Rudra-sūkta, and then the grahas beginning with Sūrya. Homa of sesame and ghee is done in a kuṇḍa of one hasta in the agni-koṇa, with four or eight brāhmaṇas and one ācārya. Two excellent elephants with good marks are yoked to the chariot. The brāhmaṇa, honoured with cloth, ornaments and garlands and given bow, arrows and armour, is seated on it. The yajamāna, in white cloth, walks round it and prays with a mantra that names the eight deva-born elephants, Kumuda, Airāvaṇa, Padma, Pushpadanta, Vāmana, Supratīka, Añjana and Sārvabhauma, and says that the chariot is Yajñapurusha, Bhagavān Vishṇu in form, and the brāhmaṇa on it is Bhagavān Śiva in form; he prays that the elephants be givers of varas and that Bhagavān Vishṇu and Bhagavān Śiva be pleased with the gift. He then gives the chariot to the brāhmaṇa, takes it as far as the brāhmaṇa’s door, satisfies the blind, the poor, the mute, the deaf and the orphaned with cloth and food, and gives a cow (Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 180).

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 180