Matangalila and Hastyayurveda (study)

by Chandrima Das | 2021 | 98,676 words

This page relates ‘Eight noble Elephants (ashtadiggajas)’ 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.

Eight noble Elephants (aṣṭadiggajas)

Eight male and female elephants:

  1. Airāvata and Abhramu (east);
  2. Kapilā (Kapilo/Kapilayā) (south-east);
  3. Vāmana and Piṅgala (south);
  4. Kumuda and Anupamā (south-west);
  5. Añjana and Tāmrakarṇi (west);
  6. Puṣpadanta and Śubhradanti (northwest);
  7. Sārvabhauma and Aṅganā (north) and
  8. Supratīka and Añjanavatī (north-east

Elephants were indeed regarded as source of strength and steadiness. Hence they were also related to directions and were known to have supported the earth and even the universe. Such references are found in the Purāṇas quite often. Purāṇas mention eight noble elephants (“aṣṭadiggajas’) of the quarters representing each direction and its intersection and these elephants supported the universe. These eight elephants were conceptualized along with their pairs as it is the universe which it supports and life in the planet depends on both male and female conjugality. It is quite interesting that the Purāṇic legend traces the genealogy of eight cardinal elephants along with their pairs i.e. the sixteen original elephants to a mythical golden egg. After the fabulous man-eagle, Garuḍa, had hatched from an egg that had lain dormant for five hundred years, Brahmā collected the two halves of the egg-shells and uttered seven magical charms over them. From the eggshell in Brahmā’s right hand came Airāvata, followed by seven male elephants. From the other half in his left hand emerged eight female elephants[1]. Thus while creating such myths norms were followed i.e. from the stronger side i.e. right came the male elephants and from the relatively weaker i.e. left originated the female elephants. It should be pointed out here that the text on elephant science Mātaṅgalīlā (the date for which is not known yet as it was mostly communicated orally) does not conform to the Purāṇic description (Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa) regarding this particular origin myth. Rather it differs and deviates a little from the latter. Mātaṅgalīlā states that the cosmic egg from which the creation of the sun took place–the unborn (Creator/Brahmā) took solemnly in his two hands the two gleaming half shells of that egg, exhibited (to him) by the Brahmanical sages, and chanted seven summons at once. There upon (from one shell) the elephant Airāvata was born and seven (other) noble elephants (i.e., the eight elephants of the quarters or regions) were born, through the chanting[2]. A comparison of these two texts reflects that description in the Mātaṅgalīlā was definitely prior to the Purāṇic description.

Uniting the eight pairs, Brahmā ordained the elephants as guardians of the universe and assigned them to the cardinal and intermediate points henceforth they were designated as Aṣṭadiggajas (elephants of the eight directions). These pairs of elephants i.e. eight male and eight female are neatly accounted for by name and designate positions: Airāvata and his mate, Abhramu, were given the eastern quarter to guard it. This again is symbolical as this part of the subcontinent being located in the east the first and foremost of the elephants which was born, who as then followed by seven more was assigned the position i.e. east. Puṇḍarika and Kapilā (Kapilo/Kapilayā)[3] (south-east); Vāmana and Piṅgala (south); Kumuda and Anupamā (south-west); Añjana and Tāmrakarṇi (west); Puṣpadanta and Śubhradanti (northwest); Sārvabhauma and Aṅganā (north) and Supratīka and Añjanavatī (north-east)[4]. Out of these the first elephant i.e. Airāvata is also mentioned as the king of the elephants and simultaneously fulfils his duties to Indra. Mention may be made that name of spouses of Aṅganā and Tāmrakarṇ[5] i, the two female elephants are doubtful. Sometimes spouse of Añjanāvatī is assigned to Supratīka.

It is interesting to note that in addition to the Aṣṭadiggajas who have been assigned the four cardinal directions and the rest their intersections, the Purāṇas also mention four other male elephants that are the offspring of Airāvata and Abhramu. Known simply as the Diggajas, the sole function of the quartet is to support the universe on their shoulders at the cardinal directions. They are Himapāṇḍura (in the north), Mahāpadmasama (south),Virūpākṣa (east) and Saumanasa (west)[6]. This definitely was a later interpolation in the text or was an idea which was formulated later. Thus one notices three chronological orders in the evolution of this myth. Initially there were four elephants for four directions then the intersections were added and then in the next phase their consorts were also added and finally the off springs of Airāvata and Abhramu. What exactly was the necessity to have these extra ones is not known and hence is inexplicable.

To forge a divine origin and also to describe that the divine creatures are on earth due to a punitive curse the Purāṇas provide us with a narrative. This narrative describes the Aṣṭadiggajas as winged creatures that fly about, changing their shapes and colours at will–a picturesque allusion to cloud formation. In an elegiac tale of their later fortunes, a flock of youngsters one day settle on the branch of a huge banyan tree in the Himalayas under which sat a sage, Dīrghatapas, presenting a discourse[7]. Enraptured by the sage’s eloquence, the elephants lean forward. Predictably, the branch snaps and falls, instantly killing one of the sage’s disciples. Oblivious to the bedlam they have caused, the elephants rise into the air and perch on a different branch. Enraged, Dīrghatapasa hurls a terrible curse: from that day on, all elephants would lose the gift of flight to wander instead on earth, constantly thrusting for water and in the service of humans. The parent-Aṣṭadiggajas, however, are spread the sage’s wrath and be him to forgive their children. The curse is, of course, irreversible. Dīrghatapasa instead assured the elephants that there would soon appear on earth another sage, Pālakāpya, destined to be partial to the eccentricities of earth-bound pachyderms[8]. This was definitely a way to introduce Pālakāpya as a sage par excellence and also to highlight his soft corner for elephantology. In other words the inclusion of the narrative was to introduce Pālakāpya and also to assign elephants an important position. Since the animal was on the earth and was also used by humans extensively to serve them in different ways the elephant riders and keepers could have created this myth or oral tradition which made its way into the Purāṇas which could have added the curse, its irreversible character and a remedy to further uplift the position of the animal among the other animals.

The dissemination of the knowledge of veterinary sciences, surrounding elephants exclusively, is done using a narrative which gradually gains prominence. The narrative proceeds to further mention that Pālakāpya, a name that suggests that its bearer is himself fond of elephants, in course of his good works shares his knowledge of elephant-magic and medicine (Gaja-śāstra) with a mythical king, Romapāda (Lotus-foot). Pālakāpya’s mythical monologue reappears in the form of an instructional discourse in three different Sanskrit treaties on the life and lore of the Indian elephants. The Mātaṅgalīlā oscillates between fantasy and fact whereas the theme of the other text i.e. Gaja-śāstra, authored by Nīlakaṇṭha revolves around the care and husbandry of domesticated elephants.

The creation myth of the elephants is not only restricted to their creation and divine origin and introduction of Pālakāpya and Romapāda but also goes beyond that claiming a special status for the other elephants in the forests. In this context it may be highlighted that the Aṣṭadiggajas and their four descendants had several other descendants who also claimed special status as the texts mention that in course of time those elephants, their many sons and grandsons, etc. endowed with spirit and might range at will own the forests, rivers, and mountains of the whole world thus gaining prominence and divine pedigree[9].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Pt.2, Sec.3, Chap.7, v.314-324; Mahābhārata, Ādi Parvva, Chap.66.

[2]:

Mārtaṇḍasya yatoaṇḍato janirabhūd brahmarṣibhirdarśitaṃ/ sandīptaṃ kila tatkapālayugalaṃ pāṇidvayenādarāt/saptāgāyadajaḥ pragṛhihya yugapat sāmānyathairāvato/ nāgoabhūdatha sapta vāraṇavarā jātāḥ pṛthag gānataḥ”, Gaṇapati Śāstri. ed. The Mātaṅgalīlā of Nīlakaṇṭha, Prathama Paṭala, v. 22, Trivandum: Trivandum Sanskrit series, No.X, 1910, p. 4 & Franklin Edgerton. The Elephant-lore of the Hindus, Chapter I, v. 22, p.47.

[3]:

Shri Mantramurti K.S. Subrahmanyaśāstri, ed. &tr. (in Tamil) with a summary in English by Shri S.Gopalan, Gajaśāstra [Gaja-śāstram] of Pālakāpya muni with extracts from other works and Coloured Illustrations, Chapter 2, v. 2629, Saraswati Mahal Series No. 76, Tanjore: T.M.S.S.M. Library, 1958, p. 19.

[4]:

Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Pt.2, Sec.3, Chap.7, v.314-324; Mahābhārata, Ādi Parvva, Chap.66.

[5]:

John Dowson. A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature, London: Routledge, 2000 (reprint), (First published in 1879), p. 180.

[6]:

Rāmāyaṇa, Book I, Canto.-40.

[7]:

Franklin Edgerton. The Elephant-Lore of the Hindus, Chapter1, v.11-13, p.14.

[8]:

Vikramajit Ram. Elephant Kingdom-Sculptures from Indian Architecture, Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 2007.

[9]:

Franklin Edgerton. The Elephant-Lore of the Hindus, v.23, pp.47-48.

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