| Valmiki Ramayana in the Aranyakanda 14th Sarga, the wounded Jatayu describing his family history to Sri Rama, gives the following account about the origin of Airavata : | | Valmiki Ramayana in the Aranyakanda 14th Sarga, the wounded Jatayu describing his family history to Sri Rama, gives the following account about the origin of Airavata : |
− | Kasyapa, one of the Prajapatis, married the eight daughters of Daksa. One of them named Krodhavasa had ten daughters by Kasyapa. <blockquote>दश क्रोधवशा राम विजज्ञे अपि आत्मसंभवाः । मृगीम् च मृगमंदाम् च हरीम् भद्रमदाम् अपि ॥३-१४-२१॥ (Valm. Rama. 3.14.21)<ref>Valmiki Ramayana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AA Aranya Kanda Sarga 14])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>daśa krōdhavaśā rāma vijajñē api ātmasaṁbhavāḥ । mr̥gīm ca mr̥gamaṁdām ca harīm bhadramadām api ॥3-14-21॥</blockquote><blockquote>मातंगीम् अथ शार्दूलीम् श्वेताम् च सुरभीम् तथा । सर्व लक्षण संपन्नाम् सुरसाम् कद्रुकाम् अपि ॥३-१४-२२॥ (Valm. Rama. 3.14.22)</blockquote><blockquote>mātaṁgīm atha śārdūlīm śvētām ca surabhīm tathā । sarva lakṣaṇa saṁpannām surasām kadrukām api ॥3-14-22॥</blockquote><blockquote>ततः तु इरावतीम् नाम जज्ञे भद्रमदा सुताम् । तस्याः तु ऐरावतः पुत्रो लोकनाथो महागजः ॥३-१४-२४॥ (Valm. Rama. 3.14.24)</blockquote><blockquote>tataḥ tu irāvatīm nāma jajñē bhadramadā sutām । tasyāḥ tu airāvataḥ putrō lōkanāthō mahāgajaḥ ॥3-14-24॥ </blockquote>Meaning : They were: Mrgi, Mrgamada, Hari, Bhadramada., Matangi, Shardula, Sveta, Surabhi, Surasa and Kadruka. Of them Bhadramada gave birth to a daughter, Iravati. Airavata the large elephant is Iravati's son. | + | Kasyapa, one of the Prajapatis, married the eight daughters of Daksa. One of them named Krodhavasa had ten daughters by Kasyapa. <blockquote>दश क्रोधवशा राम विजज्ञे अपि आत्मसंभवाः । मृगीम् च मृगमंदाम् च हरीम् भद्रमदाम् अपि ॥३-१४-२१॥ (Valm. Rama. 3.14.21)<ref>Valmiki Ramayana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AA Aranya Kanda Sarga 14])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>daśa krōdhavaśā rāma vijajñē api ātmasaṁbhavāḥ । mr̥gīm ca mr̥gamaṁdām ca harīm bhadramadām api ॥3-14-21॥</blockquote><blockquote>मातंगीम् अथ शार्दूलीम् श्वेताम् च सुरभीम् तथा । सर्व लक्षण संपन्नाम् सुरसाम् कद्रुकाम् अपि ॥३-१४-२२॥ (Valm. Rama. 3.14.22)</blockquote><blockquote>mātaṁgīm atha śārdūlīm śvētām ca surabhīm tathā । sarva lakṣaṇa saṁpannām surasām kadrukām api ॥3-14-22॥</blockquote><blockquote>ततः तु इरावतीम् नाम जज्ञे भद्रमदा सुताम् । तस्याः तु ऐरावतः पुत्रो लोकनाथो महागजः ॥३-१४-२४॥ (Valm. Rama. 3.14.24)</blockquote><blockquote>tataḥ tu irāvatīm nāma jajñē bhadramadā sutām । tasyāḥ tu airāvataḥ putrō lōkanāthō mahāgajaḥ ॥3-14-24॥ </blockquote>Meaning : They were: Mrgi, Mrgamada, Hari, Bhadramada., Matangi, Shardule, Sveta, Surabhi, Surasa and Kadruka. Of them Bhadramada gave birth to a daughter, Iravati. Airavata the large elephant is Iravati's son. |
− | There is a belief that Airavata is one of the eight elephants guarding the eight zones of the universe. These eight elephants are called the Astadiggajas. Airavata is supposed to guard the eastern zone. (Chapter 66, Adi Parva, Mahabharata). Airavata and three other diggajas are supposed to reside in Puskara Island. (Chapter 12, Bhisma Parva). | + | There is a belief that Airavata is one of the eight elephants guarding the eight zones of the universe. These eight elephants are called the Astadiggajas. Airavata is supposed to guard the eastern zone. (Chapter 66, Adi Parva, Mahabharata). |