Techniques of Capturing Elephants (Introduction)

Catching elephants was a specialized branch in elephant science. Those who captured elephants belonged to a specific community. Initially we do not find this as a systematic codified knowledge but with time this art of capturing or catching elephants was documented and finally codified in scriptures. This issue has been briefly touched upon even in the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya. One such text which has been handed over generation after generation i.e. transmitted orally and finally written down was Mātaṅgalīlā of Nīlakaṇṭha^[1]. The text vividly describes various aspects of elephant science.

Nīlakaṇṭha narrates the nuances of capturing and catching elephants in the X^th Chapter of this treatise. The text is in Sanskrit language and it mentions five different methods for capturing of elephants which were prevalent or popularly practiced in early India. It is interesting to note that other well-known works on elephants in early India such as Gajaśāstra of Pālakāpya, he is also credited with the composition of the Hastyāyurveda a medical text on treatment of elephants, and Mānasollāsa or Abhilāṣitārthacintāmaṇi written by Western Cālukyan king Someśvara or Somadeva III (c.12^th century CE), also refer to the five methods of capturing elephants as mentioned in the Mātaṅgalīlā.

A passage in Mātaṅgalīlā describing these five techniques reads thus (Chapter X):

“vārīkarmavaśāvilobhanavidhibhyāṃ cānugatvā tathaivā pātena tato âvapātata itīhebhagrahaḥ pañcadhā /” (v. 1)^[2]

[The five techniques are:]

1. vārīkarman (the trap-pen method);
2. vaśāvilobhana or vaśālobha or vaśālobhana (seductive method);
3. anugata or Anugati (pursuit method);
4. āpāta (assault method);
5. avapāta (by deep pitfall method).

The first and best technique of catching elephants as described in the treatise is Vārī-karman i.e. the trap-pen method. The second is vaśāvilobhana / vaśālobha / vaśālobhana i.e. seductive method. This was applied on male elephants and to seduce them tamed female elephants were used. The third is Anugata or Anugati i.e. pursuit method. The fourth is Āpāta i.e. assault method. The fifth is Avapāta—by deep pitfall method.

Though Nīlakaṇṭha mentions these five techniques yet he holds a strong opinion against the use of last two techniques. The inclusion of these five techniques in later texts as shown above clearly reflects that all of them were practiced in early India till the early medieval times if not further. Nīlakaṇṭha criticises the last two methods, especially the fifth one and mentions them as objectionable and not recommended, because these techniques may cause injury to the elephants, sometimes elephants would die in the process.

Mātaṅgalīlā mentions–

“nindyāste tu yathottaroṃ kila gajā naśyanti yasmāttato varjyāvantyabhavāvubhāvapi viśeṣādetayoścāntimaḥ II” (v. 1)

It is noteworthy that Arthaśāstra, Gajaśāstra and Mānasollāsa or Abhilāṣitārthacintāmaṇi also condemned the last two methods which reflect empathy of early Indian psyche towards this animal.

Besides these five techniques texts do not refer to any other technique of capturing of elephants.

If we consider the hunt for elephants as a campaign then it’s quite possible that there was a pre and post preparatory management involved in the process of exploration both for capturing elephants and for acquiring elephant products especially ivory. So, before indulging in the process there was a preparatory phase and adequate precautions were also taken.

As far as the topic of capturing elephants is concerned Gajaśāstra (Chapter 6, v.15-19)^[3] mentions how to locate elephant herds before explaining the method. It mentions that one can locate elephant herd when one notices that the forest tract has turned muddy with the elephants‘urine and excreta then one should start looking for an elephant herd nearby. Their foot prints and marks, marks of scraping on trees caused by them, the place where they lie down and their trumpeting all should be noticed carefully and all these would help in the capturing process. The treatise further also mentions lord Vyāsa as an expert in elephant science he was an expert in elucidating the marks of the elephant-paths (‘gajānāṃ mārgalakṣaṇam’).

The text then mentions the following passage:

ityāha bhagavān Vyāso gajānāṃ mārgalakṣaṇam /
kariṇīturagāruḍairmantribhirbahubhirvṛtaḥ // (v. 17)
parikarmayutaḥ pādapāśajālaissamanvitaḥ /
samādiṣṭaḥ kṣitīśen karilakṣmavicakṣaṇaḥ // (v. 18)
dviradāndhārayed grīṣme yatnato lakṣaṇānvitān /
dhārayettrividhairbandhairdvipānhastipakādibhiḥ // (v. 19)

After pointing out the paths, with the order of king, the servant, experts on elephant signs surrounded by many advisors riding on female elephants and horses, along with chains for the feet and nets, should carefully capture elephants with the (good signs) in summer, by three methods, (assisted) by the elephant-tamers. This passage is highly significant for several reasons. Firstly it attests or corroborates the fact that the king had a monopoly over the elephants or elephants were a commodity of royal monopoly. As this clearly mentions about the king’s order which was the approval before indulging into the activity of capturing of elephants. There were foresters who would be responsible for noticing such tracts or paths and their duty was to report it to relevant officials who would initiate the process of capture accordingly. The passage not only mentions the process of capture but also indirectly refers to the people involved in this process for example the servant mentioned here may be a reference to officials in service of the king, besides these general officials who in all probability were experts of elephant science, there were other experts who specialised in elephant signs, again it mentions the involvement of several advisors who surrounded these experts. These advisors travelled on elephant backs especially on female elephants and horses. The mention of female elephants here in the passage indicates the employment of seduction technique. The group of officers and experts who set out for capture carried along with them chains for tying the elephants after capturing them. The elephants were chained by their feet. They also carried nets which were used for pit capture technique and on these nets dried branches and leaves were scattered to mislead the elephant herds. It is noteworthy that such official missions for capturing elephants were carried on in summer. In this process the role of elephant-tamers was of prime importance. Thus the above mentioned passage is an example of the preparatory or pre capture situation in the process of capturing of elephants.

Thus what evolves from the above discussion is that summer was the most suitable time for capturing elephants. Texts on elephantology clearly mention a fully developed system and knowledge of the art of capturing elephants. In this context Gajaśāstra provides valuable information as it clearly describes the suitable and unsuitable times for catching elephants. Thus the elephant experts and advisors were expected to be well read and should have the knowledge of such texts on elephant science. All elephants captured were not suitable for royal possessions.

Gajaśāstra (Athagajaśāstrānubandhaḥ: Atha gajagrahaṇayogyāyogyakālaḥ, v. 1-5)^[4] gives details of good and auspicious dates, stars, days and moments for capturing elephants which would be worthy for the king^[5] –

tithinakṣatravāreṣu praśasteṣu muhūrtake /
supraśaste śubhairiṣṭe gṛhītāśśubhadā gajāḥ // (v.1)

As far as suitable time for capture is concerned the text under discussion mentions that the elephants captured at dawn turn out to be expert at work, sturdy, healthy, valiant and able to crush enemy forces (v. 2).

As auspicious time of capture is mentioned the opposed as also finds mention in the text. The inauspicious times on all days for catching elephants has been mentioned here, i.e. between (two) days, stars, fortnights as also in the evening, and when there is a prediction of a malicious planet or star (v. 3-4).

Thus an elephant expert was supposed to have the knowledge of all these as well. Even at auspicious times, elephants of auspicious signs should not be caught if they are to die (at those times) (v. 5).

As far as the auspicious signs in an elephant are concerned the following are mentioned in Mātaṅgalīlā (Chapter II, v. 1-17)^[6]:

The elephants with six highly raised body parts, such as two temporal bosses, two tusks, the withers, and the backbone were considered as good vehicle for the king (v.1).

The elephant who has the two trunk ends, penis, tongue, lip, anus and palate -these seven parts of his body red coloured is called excellent one (v. 2).

An elephant whose feet has twenty nails, the tall temporal bosses is great, whose two ears are red coloured and their ends are not frayed, elephant along with smooth girth and honey coloured tusks with the higher right one, whose stomach is well bulged, the tail and trunk are dynamic, straight, long and dignified, who is brown like areca, is good (v.3).

The elephant is considered worthy of a king when it has smooth and swarthy body looks blackish like sword, or else ruddy with the sheen of gleaming spots in the shape of the svastika, the śrīvatsa symbol, the wheel, the conch and the lotus. These elephants‘hip stand out like breast and those have a good penis, depending from a firm stomach, their kalā parts are broad, very fleshy and high (v. 4).

The fine elephant has large, long, round neck, trumpeting with a roar like clouds full of water, with sparrow like honey coloured eyes and with trunks like tree-stems along with three fold wrinkles (v. 5).

The elephants, auspicious for kings are symbolized by radiant, glittering eyes and ruddy trunk ends, rod-like penis, handsome with the beauty of mango-shoots, dazzling as red lotuses, with voice like the cuckoos (v. 6).

The elephant which is a good vehicle for a prince is characterised by his higher right tusk tip than the left, mighty trunks and faces are marked with light spots, whose firm legs have invisible joints (v. 7).

The elephant who is worthy of a king has such signs i.e. their backs have stout spines well concealed with flesh, long and curved looked like bows, like the bulging breasts of a beautiful woman, with long ears, jaw, navel, forehead and pudenda, whose lip, palate and tusks are copper-coloured (v. 8).

An elephant is valued of a king whose body is variegated with spots like one thickly painted with vermilion, given with eighteen or twenty toe nails, curved like a tortoise and moon-coloured, gifted with strength, spirit and fortitude, also distinguished by fragrance of the water he spurts from his trunk (v. 9).

The most valuable battle-elephant of a king should not be weak, evil, dull and mischievous. He should be majestic, efficient, proficient in the eight ways of fighting, heroic, firm, speedy, his mind eager to kill all living creatures, provided with favourable marks (v. 10).

The elephant who is worthy of a king is not like warriors who only fight or horses those only draw chariots, but excellent in both fighting and drawing (v. 11).

“A gait like an antelope, lion, parrot, ape, wrestler, haṅsa or kādamba-bird shall be regarded as excellent, or like a gandharva, kinnara, eagle, boar, tiger, king, śarabha (fabulous animal), serpent, or cakravāka-bird” (v. 12).

The sound of an elephant is also symbolized to auspicious and inauspicious signs. Such as the auspicious sound of an elephant should come from the tongue root i.e. soft palate shall be called ‘forthy’; the sound come from lip and the hard palate is called ‘boated’, the sound which come from elephant’s throat is called ‘roar’, and sound come from their cheek and trunk is called ‘laughter’. When an elephant makes sound from hunger, thirst, sorrow and fear is very inauspicious sign (v. 13).

The auspicious sounds of an elephant are distinguished by a dip, delightful, joyous, strong, passionate and cordial–these six sounds are denoted a noble elephant (v. 14).

An elephant who sounds with his trunk like a drum, with ears like a kettle-drum and with his mouth like a flute is considered high rated princely elephant (v.15).

Elephants those sound like ‘haṃsa, crane, peacock, koil, tiger, lion and bull’ are also considered high rated elephants. But those elephants make sounds like a ‘camel, crow, jackal, boar and ape’ are inauspicious (v. 16).

Above said list of good signs of elephants cannot be predicted as auspicious if they have more or less toe nails than eighteen to twenty as mentioned in verses 3 and 9, rather they described as evil elephants. Otherwise all elephants with auspicious signs are recognised as good elephants (v. 17).

Thus an expert should also have detailed knowledge of such signs i.e. both auspicious and inauspicious ones.

The inauspicious signs are mentioned in the Gajaśāstra (Athagajaśāstrānubandhaḥ: Atha grāhyagajalakṣaṇam, v. 1-6)^[7] as follows:

These elephants should not be possessed (even if they are caught one should not capture them for further possession since) they are lacking or have an excess of (signs): those with thin bellies, bent in three places, old and ailing (v. 1).

The elephants with sewn up tusks, large limbs, large genitals, indifferent to females, with disabled limbs and pregnant females or females with calves (should not be possessed (v. 2).

Those with very good signs, with divine qualities, while (elephants), excessively red or reddish (elephants), miserable (elephants) and those, whose the colour of the sun, should not be possessed (v. 3).

The elephants which are the colour of kuśa grass or peacock coloured, those with four tusks and those which live in the forest always bring good luck, health and timely rain should not be possessed (v. 4).

It further mentions that the leader of a herd should not be caught (v. 5) as it is at his command that the elephants in rut and others live in the forest. Thus this also reflects upon the preservation of the elephant reserves and the consciousness of early Indians about the elephantology.

It is interesting to note that the text clearly mentions that even if it is endowed with all excellent qualities, a calf should never be captured even the Mātaṅgalīlā mentions that such elephant calves which are below the age of 12 should not be captured as they would consume a lot of food and will not be a good option for the owner. Gajaśāstra mentions that the king should kill those wicked elephants which kill humans or cause damage. It also mentions that if elephants die by chance which was quite common in pit fall technique then the text mentions that their tusks should be collected. As in case of dead elephants only the whole tusks could be collected and in case of other living elephants only 1/3^rd of the tusk can be cut for procurement (Chapter 3, v. 64).^[8]

We have briefly mentioned the five techniques of capturing of elephants. Now we would be elaborating upon each technique.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

T. Gaṇapati Śāstri. ed. The Mātaṅgalīlā of Nīlakaṇṭha, Trivandrum: Trivandrum Sanskrit Series, No. X, 1910, pp. 25-28, and Franklin Edgerton. tr. The Elephant-Lore of the Hindus, Delhi: MotilalBanarsidass, 1985, pp.8791.

[2]:

Ibid., p.25, p.87 respectively.

[3]:

Shri Mantramurti K.S. Subrahmanyaśāstri, ed. &tr. (in Tamil) with a summary in English by Shri S.Gopalan, Gaja-śāstra [Gajaśāstram] of Pālakāpya muni with extracts from other works and Coloured Illustrations, Saraswati Mahal Series No. 76, Tanjore: T.M.S.S.M. Library, 1958, pp. 59-60.

[4]:

Shri Mantramurti K.S. Subrahmanyaśāstri, ed. &tr. (in Tamil), Gaja-śāstra [Gajaśāstram] of Pālakāpya muni with extracts from other works and Coloured Illustrations, pp. 130-131.

[5]:

Ibid., p. 130.

[6]:

T. Gaṇapati Śāstri. ed. The Mātaṅgalīlā of Nīlakaṇṭha, pp. 7-10, and Franklin Edgerton. tr. The Elephant-Lore of the Hindus, pp.54-57.

[7]:

Shri Mantramurti K.S. Subrahmanyaśāstri. ed. &tr. (in Tamil), Gaja-śāstra [Gajaśāstram] of Pālakāpya muni with extracts from other works and Coloured Illustrations, pp. 131-132.

[8]:

H.V. Nagaraja Rao. ed. & tr. Śrī Śivamārabhūpāla Praṇītam Kalpanāratnam, Bangalore: Poorna Prajna Samshodhana Mandiram, 2009, p. 21.