Gaja Lakṣaṇa in the Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa
Gaja means elephant, and lakṣaṇa means the marks or features of something. Chapter 251 of the Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa gives an orderly teaching on elephants. It tells how elephants first came into being, sorts them into four classes of quality (jātis), names the eight first elephant families linked to the eight directions, and describes the eight great forest regions (vanas) where each family lives.
In this account, elephants came from the two halves of the shell of the egg from which Sūrya (the sun) was born. Brahmā sang the Rathantara sāman over these halves, and Śani (Saturn) placed them within Irā-devī. Pulaha then caused the eight elephants of the directions (dik-gajas) to be born from her womb. Each dik-gaja started a family line, and within each line elephants fall into four jātis: Bhadra (excellent), Manda (middling), Mṛga (lesser) and Saṅkīrṇa (mixed).
How Elephants Came to Be
The story of elephants begins with the birth of Sūrya from Aditi. When Aditi gave birth to Sūrya, Kaśyapa looked at the shining egg (aṇḍa) but could not see the child inside because of its dazzling light. For a moment he feared the child had died. This is why Sūrya is called Mārtaṇḍa, “born from what seemed a dead egg” (mṛta-aṇḍa). The child then went on to light up all the worlds.
Brahmā took the two kapālas (shell-halves) of Sūrya’s egg and sang the Rathantara Sāma-gāna over them. This is held to be the oldest sāman (Vedic chant), the root of the vibration of creation. Śani (Saturn) then took the two halves and, wishing to create offspring, placed them within Irā-devī, a divine feminine being. Pulaha then caused eight great elephants of huge strength to be born from Irā-devī’s womb.
The Eight Dik-Gajas (Elephants of the Directions)
The eight first elephants born in this way are:
| Elephant | Direction |
|---|---|
| Airāvata | East |
| Padma | Southeast |
| Puṣpadanta | South |
| Vāmana | Southwest |
| Supratīka | West |
| Añjana | Northwest |
| Nīla | North |
| Kumuda | Northeast |
These eight became the vāhanas (mounts) of the eight Dikpālas, the guardian devas of the directions. Each also started a family line of elephants that lives in its own forest region.
The Four Jātis (Classes of Quality)
Within each of the eight elephant families there are four jātis:
| Jāti | Quality | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bhadra | Excellent (uttama) | Full lips, a large domed forehead (kumbhasthala), beautiful eyes, a long thick trunk, tall and powerful, reddish eyelids and gleaming skin, an even body with a comfortable back for riding; understands what the mahout (elephant driver) wants without needing sharp commands |
| Manda | Middle (madhya) | Deep-set, slow to respond (needs forceful commands); large belly; long trunk and tail; wide, spread neck; solid and steady; lion-like eyes; small navel |
| Mṛga | Lesser (adhama) | Short, with a flat head; dry jawbones; easily frightened; a greedy eater; cracked, goat-like nails; cannot move without the company of a herd; long tongue and tusks; long flanks; cannot bear hardship; eats slowly for long periods |
| Saṅkīrṇa | Mixed (from interbreeding) | The features of the other three combined in various ways |
The Eight Forest Regions
Each of the eight elephant family lines lives in its own great forest (vana):
| Forest | Location | Family line | Special features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airāvata-vana | Between the Himavān, Prayāga, the Lohitya (Śoṇa river) and the great eastern forest of the Gaṅgā | Airāvata family | Pinkish, lotus-coloured, lively, large-headed, with soft (puffy) nails, beautiful; little madhu (rut-fluid) |
| Karūṣa-vana | Between the Unmatta-gaṅgā, Tripurī, Daśārṇa and Mekala regions | Padma family | Short, quick-tempered, dark in colour (śyāmavarṇa), with a long, strong bellow, small spot-marks, easily aroused |
| Puṣpadanta-vana | The Bilva hills, Netravatī, Daśārṇa and Mahāgiri region | Puṣpadanta family | Rounded hindquarters; small spot-marks; long, thick trunk, head and neck |
| Mārga-Reṇuka-vana | Between Pāriyātraka, Vaideśya, the bank of the Narmadā and Brahma-vardhana | Vāmana family | Not described separately in the surviving translation |
| Kāleśa-vana | The middle of the Vindhya and Sahya ranges, Utkala and the southern ocean coast | Supratīka family | Very large; medium pace; fast-moving; beautiful form; fragrant (sugandha); also called Kareṇu |
| Aparāntaka-vana | The ocean coast, Premadhāra and the bank of the Narmadā | Añjana family | Bow-patterned nails; short, thick neck; thin skin; long body; pinkish, lotus-coloured |
| Saurāṣṭra-vana | Kuśasthalī, Avanti (Ujjayinī), Arbuda and the Narmadā | Nīla family | Descendants of the elephant Nīla; quick-tempered, small-bodied, with a thin, hard body; do not respond to training |
| Pañcanada-vana | The Himavān, Kālikā, the Sindhu and Kuru-jāṅgala | Kumuda family | Tusks cracked at the tips; no fear of filth; full of rut; do not respond to training |
Why This Teaching Matters
This orderly lore of elephants brings together the story of creation, the study of nature and the running of a kingdom, as the Purāṇas often do. Choosing an elephant of the right jāti and family was important for a king, both for war and as a sign of royal standing. The Airāvata line from the eastern forest was the finest, and it was linked with Airāvata, the mount of Indra. The teaching places each kind of elephant in a real region, and so it keeps alive actual knowledge of where good war-elephants could be found in ancient Bhārata.
Sources
- Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha (first part), Chapter 251