Matangalila and Hastyayurveda (study)

by Chandrima Das | 2021 | 98,676 words

This page relates ‘gaja-shardula concept’ of the study on the Matangalina and Hastyayurveda in the light of available epigraphic data on elephants in ancient India. Both the Matanga-Lila (by Nilakantha) and and the Hasti-Ayurveda (by Palakapya) represent technical Sanskrit works deal with the treatment of elephants. This thesis deals with their natural abode, capturing techniques, myths and metaphors, and other text related to elephants reflected from a historical and chronological cultural framework.

The gaja-śārdula concept

< Previous

Next >

The Jabalpur copperplate of Yaśahkarṇadeva (CE 1122) mentions that Yuvrājadeva of Tripuri destroyed the lords of princes blinded by passion as a young lion does powerful infuriated elephants (v.7)^[1]. It also stated that Yaśoḥkarṇadeva erected high pillars of victory near the confines of the regions, as companions of the posts to which the elephants of the quarters are fastened (v.19). From the Atakur inscription of the time of Kriṣṇa III, we came to know that Śudraka devoted himself only to war, dripping with sweat, with the assistance of the god Hari and the brave Lakṣmī, passed on like a lion, cleaving open the forehead of the elephant that was called “the fortress of the Cola” (l.15)^[2]. Tidgundi plates of Vikramāditya VI tells about one Sinda family who were the submarine fire of the Guṇukas, the fever to the elephants-the rulers of the districts^[3]. According to the Ganesgad plates of Mahāsāmanta Mahārāja Druvasena I, like a lion he defeated alone, by the strength of his own arm, hosts of troops of enemies (who resembled) elephants. Mention may be made previous translators have construed the word siṃha iva with the preceding word Droṇasiṃha. The subsequent mention of the elephants -which are always represented as the natural enemies of the lion, -shows that siṃha iva must be connected with the previous words^[4].

The Rāṣṭrakūṭa king Jagattuṅga described as a lion that destroyed the maddened elephants of his enemies in the Karhad plates of Kriṣṇa III of Śakasamvat 880^[5].

śvetātapatutritayenduvimvalīlodyādreḥ bhākyāt /
tataḥ kṛtārātimadebhabhaṃgojāto jagattuṅgamṛgādhirājaḥ //

Bhadana grant of Aparājita of Śaka Year 919 (997 CE) from Thana district, Maharashtra, considers Aparājita as a lion to his powerful elephant like enemies for their destruction.^[6]

It says–

“Prārthināṃ pūritāso (śo) Ripuvarakarisiṃha rājadhuryaḥ prasiddha” (ll.35-36)^[7].

The Musalipatam plates of Eastern Chalukyan king Vijayāditya III (CE 844-888) describes him valorous like a lion, he with his unsheathed sharp sword split open the frontal globes of the lordly elephants–his adversaries,—

“Utkhāta-śātataravāri-vidārit-ārināgādhipasya hariṇādhipasya-vikramasya //” (v.5, l.8)^[8].

The noticeable is that through his expression the poet could be pointed out to the Gaṅga kings as his adversaries, those were mentioned in the line 7 of the inscription that Cālukya king was a fire of destruction to the Gaṅga family–

“Gaṅgakula-kālānalasya’^[9].

Another consequence of the expression is that there is no doubt this was present to the mind of the author of the verse; comparing Vāsavadattā (p.102)

“hari kharanakhara-vitāritakumbhasthala vikala-vāraṇa.”

According to Fleet in the word “nāgādhipa” would seem “to have a double meaning and to indicate also a defeat of some hostile chiefs of the Nāgas”^[10]. But from the above circumstances, it seemed to be more reliable to identify this “nāgadhipa” with the Gaṅgas. Because it is well known that their elephant squad was very famous and elephant is the royal emblem of Gaṅga kings. Vijayāditya’s seal describes him as “Tribhuvanāṃkuśa”. The inscription also describes Vijayāditya III’s son Mahārāja Viṣṇuvardhana that when he ascended his elephant, his enemies ascend the mountain top….(l.10)^[11]. So, his son was similarly expert in elephant riding in battle field like his father.