Airavata (ऐरावतः)

Airavata (Samskrit : ऐरावतः) is the celestial white elephant, which arose during ksheerasaraga mathana (churning of the milky ocean) and was offered as the mount for Indra, the swargadhipati according to Vishnupurana (1.9.7, 25). Said to be the son of Iravati, according to another version Airavata was instrumental in bringing about the churning of the ocean. Here we present different aspects of Airavata.

Airavata Swarupa

While in general context Airavata is referred to as the celestial elephant conveyance of Devendra, it also refers to

• Name of a serpent that accompanies Surya in his ratha (chariot) during the month of Kartika Sharat season

विभावसुभरद्राजौ पर्जन्यैरावतौ तथा । विश्वाची-सेनजित्संज्ञौ कार्त्तिके चाधिकारिणाः ।। 11 ।। (Vish. Pura. 2.10.12)

One can come to know the form and lineage of this divine elephant as given below.

• white elephants with four tusks, swift-footed belonging to the lineage of Airavata (Bhag. Pura. 10.59.37)
• a large elephant (Sarga 14, Aranyakanda, Ramayana)

Kauravya was a noble serpent which was born of Airavata. (Maha. Adi Parv. 218.18).

Legends of Airavata

There are many legends about Airavata in different Puranas and Itihasas.

Lineage 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. They were: Mrgi, Mrgamada, Hari, Bhadramada., Mataiigl, Sarduh, Sveta, Surabhi, Surasa and Kadru. Of them Bhadramada gave birth to a daughter, Iravati. Airavata is Iravati's son.

UttaraRamayana - Samudra-manthan Story

This is one anecdote of how Airavata was responsible for the churning of the milk-ocean. According to Uttararamayana version Once the sage Durvasas went to Devaloka. The devis gave him a grand reception at which Menaka presented him with a garland made of fragrant flowers. Durvasa on his way back meets and gives the sacred garland to Devendra. Indra, in all arrogance placed it on Airavata's tusk. The fragrance of the garland attracted a large number of bees to it. They swarmed round the head of the elephant and annoyed it. Airavata pulled the garland to pieces, trampled it and threw it away. Insulted Durvasas pronounced a curse that all the devatas would be subjected to wrinkles and grey hair of old age. Upon request by Indra the rishi relented and told him that if the Devas drank Amrta obtained by churning the ocean of milk they would remain ever youthful. Accordingly, the ocean of milk was churned by the joint effort of the Devas and Asuras and in the end the Devas cleverly took part of it. When the Devas drank Amrta, they remained youthful and immortal.

Mahabharata - Samudra-manthan Story

However, we find another story in Mahabharata (Adi Parva 18.42r) of how Airavata rose as one of the treasures during samudra- manthan. It is said that when the devas and asuras churned the ocean of Milk, Airavata also came up along with the other treasures.

According to Ramayana Indra's elephant Airavata was responsible for the churning of the ocean of Milk. But in the Mahabharata, it is said that a white elephant with four tusks arose during the churning of the ocean of Milk and that Devendra caught and tamed it. An explanation for this discrepancy may be seen in Visnu Purana, 3rd Section, Chapter 1. Now six Manvantaras have passed. This is the seventh Manvantara. Each Manvantara has a new Indra. According to this, different Indras have their own Airavatas.

Adhipati

In the Visnu Purana we are told how Airavata was made the chief of all elephants. When the Maharsis had crowned Prthu as the sovereign King, Brahma gave new posts of honour to many of the devas. He made Soma (Moon) the lord of the Stars and Planets, of Brahmins, Yajnas and herbs. Kubera was made the overlord of all Kings; Varuna was made the master of the seas and all water; Visnu, the lord of the Adityas and Pavaka (Fire) the lord of the Vasus. Along with these Brahma made Airavata the lord of all elephants. (Chapter 22, Visnu Purana).

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, M.B.).

Airavata's Defeat

There is a story of how the tusks of Airavata were broken, narrated in the Asurakanda of Skanda Purana. Once an asura (demon) named Surapadma attacked devaloka. A fierce battle ensued between the devatas and asuras. In the course of this battle, Jayanta, Indra's son, was hit by an arrow and at once he fell dead. Enraged by this Airavata rushed at Surapadma's chariot and shattered it to pieces. Airavata then attacked Surapadma who broke his tusks and hurled him down to the earth. Airavata lay paralysed for a long time; then he got up, retired to a forest and prayed to Lord Siva. With the grace of Siva, Airavata regained his lost tusks and was able to return to devaloka.