ऐरावत

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

कल्पद्रुमः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ऐरावतम्, क्ली, (इरा जलानि सन्त्यस्मिन् । इरा + मतुप् । इरावान् मेघः । तत्र भवः । इत्यण् । जल- वति मेघे सूर्य्यकरपतनादस्योत्पत्तेस्तथात्वम् ॥) इन्द्रस्य ऋजुदीर्घधनुः । इति मेदिनी ॥ रामधनुक् इति भाषा ॥

ऐरावतः, पुं, (इरा जलानि विद्यतेऽस्मिन् । मतुप् । इरावान् समुद्रः । तत्र भवः इति । इरावत् + अण् । समुद्रमथनोत्थितत्वादस्य तथात्वम् । यद्वा इरा- वत्या विद्युत अयं तस्येदमित्यण् ४ । ३ । १२० ।) इन्द्रहस्ती । स तु शुक्लवर्णः चतुर्द्दन्तः समुद्र- मथनोत्थितः पूर्ब्बदिग्गजश्च । तत्पर्य्यायः । अभ्र- मातङ्गः २ ऐरावणः ३ अभ्रमुवल्लभः ४ । इत्य- मरः ॥ श्वेतहस्ती ५ चतुर्द्दन्तः ६ मल्लनागः ७ इन्द्रकुञ्जरः ८ हस्तिमल्लः ९ सदादानः १० । इति जटाधरः ॥ सुदामा ११ श्वेतकुञ्जरः १२ गजाग्रणीः १३ नागमल्लः १४ । इति शब्दरत्नावली ॥ (यथा, कुमारे । ३ । २२ ॥ (“ऐरावतास्फालनकर्कशेन” । “प्रावृषेण्यं पयोवाहं विद्युदैरावताविव” । इति रघौ । १ । ३६ ॥) नागरङ्गः । लकुचवृक्षः । नागभेदः । इति मेदिनी ॥ (“ऐरावतं दन्तशठमम्लं शोणितपित्तकृत्” । इति सूत्रे । ४६ अः । सुश्रुतेनोक्तम् ॥) (इरावत्या नद्याः सन्निकृष्टो देशः । इरावती + अण् । यथा, महा- भारते ३ । १६२ । ३३ । “बभूव परमाश्वानामैरावतपथे यथा” ॥)

अमरकोशः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ऐरावत पुं।

इन्द्रहस्तिः

समानार्थक:ऐरावत,अभ्रमातङ्ग,ऐरावण,अभ्रमुवल्लभ

1।1।46।2।1

स्यात्प्रासादो वैजयन्तो जयन्तः पाकशासनिः। ऐरावतोऽभ्रमातङ्गैरावणाभ्रमुवल्लभाः॥

स्वामी : इन्द्रः

सम्बन्धि1 : इन्द्रः

पदार्थ-विभागः : , द्रव्यम्, पृथ्वी, चलसजीवः, मनुष्येतरः, अलौकिकप्राणी

ऐरावत पुं।

पूर्वदिग्गजः

समानार्थक:ऐरावत

1।3।3।4।1

कुबेरः ईशः पतयः पूर्वादीनां दिशां क्रमात्. रविः शुक्रो महीसूनुः स्वर्भानुर्भानुजो विधुः। बुधो बृहस्पतिश्चेति दिशां चैव तथा ग्रहाः। ऐरावतः पुण्डरीको वामनः कुमुदोऽञ्जनः॥

पत्नी : ऐरावतस्य_हस्तिनी

स्वामी : पूर्वदिशायाः_स्वामी

सम्बन्धि1 : पूर्वदिक्

पदार्थ-विभागः : , द्रव्यम्, पृथ्वी, चलसजीवः, मनुष्येतरः, अलौकिकप्राणी

ऐरावत पुं।

नारङ्गी

समानार्थक:ऐरावत,नागरङ्ग

2।4।38।1।1

ऐरावतो नागरङ्गो नादेयी भूमिजम्बुका। तिन्दुकः स्फूर्जकः कालस्कन्धश्च शितिसारके॥

पदार्थ-विभागः : , द्रव्यम्, पृथ्वी, अचलसजीवः, वृक्षः

वाचस्पत्यम्

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ऐरावत¦ त्रि॰ इरा जलानि भूम्ना सन्त्यस्य इरा + मतुप् मस्यव इरावान् समुद्रस्तत्र भवः अण्। समुद्रजाते इन्द्रगजे।
“प्रावृषेस्यं पयोवाहं विद्युदैरावताविव” ऐरावतास्फा-लनविश्लथं हरिः” रघुः।
“ऐरावतस्फालनकर्कशेस” कुमा॰
“कुर्वन् कामं क्षणमुखपटप्रीतिमैरावतस्य” मेघ॰।

३ नारङ्गेवृक्षे

४ नकुचद्रुमे च गेदि॰।

५ पञ्चकलमात्रा-प्रस्तारे आदिलघुके अन्त्यगुरुद्वयके प्रथमे भेदे पु॰

६ ऋजुदीर्घे शत्रुधनुषि मेदि॰। इरावत्याः नद्याः सन्नि-कृष्टोदेशः अण्।

७ मरुस्थलभेदे न॰।
“बभूव परमाश्वानामैरावतपथे यथा” भा॰ व॰

१६

२ अ॰ तत्र भवः
“धन्वयोपधा-द्वुञ्” पा॰ वुञ्। ऐरावतक ऐरावतरूपधन्वदेशभवे त्रि॰।

शब्दसागरः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ऐरावत¦ m. (-तः)
1. INDRA'S elephant.
2. The same, considered as the elephant of the north quarter.
3. An orange.
4. A fruit, (Arto- carpus lacucha.)
5. A serpent, one of the chiefs of the Naga or serpent race, inhabiting the infernal regions. f. (-ती)
1. Lightning.
2. A particular kind of it.
3. The female of INDRA'S elephant.
4. The Ravi river in the Panjab. n. (-तं) INDRA'S bow unbent, the rainbow. E. इरावत् water-having; that is, the ocean, a cloud, &c. अण् affix implying origin or descent; born from the ocean, (the elephant,) proceeding from watery clouds, (lightning, &c.)

Apte

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ऐरावतः [airāvatḥ], [इरा आपः तद्वान् इरावान् समुद्रः तस्मादुत्पन्नः अण्]

N. of the elephant of Indra. ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणाम् Bg. 1.27.

An excellent elephant; a species of elephant; ऐरावतानैन्द्रशिरान्नागान्वै प्रियदर्शनान् Rām.2.7.23.

One of the chiefs of the Nāgas or serpent-race (inhabiting Pātāla); अहमैरावत ज्येष्ठभ्रातृभ्यो$करवं नमः Mb.1.3.139.

The elephant presiding over the east.

A kind of rainbow.

A kind of lightning; (said to be n. also in these two senses).

The orange tree.

तम् A vast and waterless region.

(pl.) N. of a Varṣa.

N. of the northern path of the moon.

A kind of cloud; 'मेघस्योपरि मेघो यः स ऐरावत उच्यते' इति दक्षिणावर्तः (Commentator of मेघदूत).

ती The female of Indra's elephant.

Lightning.

N. of a plant (वटपत्री)

N. of river Rāvi in the Panjab (= इरावती).

N. of a particular portion of the moon's path.

Monier-Williams

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ऐरावत m. (fr. इरा-वत्) , a descendant of इरा-वत्

ऐरावत m. N. of a नागor mythical serpent AV. viii , 10 , 29 Ta1n2d2yaBr. MBh. Hariv. etc.

ऐरावत m. " produced from the ocean " , N. of इन्द्र's elephant (considered as the prototype of the elephant race and the supporter of the east quarter ; See. नाग, which means also elephant and serpent) MBh. Ragh. Megh. etc.

ऐरावत m. a species of elephant R. ii , 70 , 23

ऐरावत m. the tree Artocarpus Lacucha

ऐरावत m. the orange tree L.

ऐरावत m. N. of a particular portion of the moon's path

ऐरावत m. of a form of the sun VP. MBh.

ऐरावत mn. a kind of rainbow MBh. Ragh. etc.

ऐरावत mn. N. of a river MBh.

ऐरावत mn. lightning L.

ऐरावत mn. a species of fern Sus3r.

ऐरावत mnf( ई, आ). a particular portion of the moon's path (including the lunar mansions पुनर्वसु, पुष्य, and आश्लेष) VarBr2S.

ऐरावत n. the fruit of Artocarpus Lacucha Sus3r.

ऐरावत n. N. of a वर्षMBh.

Purana index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

(II)--the नाग presiding over the month of तपस्य (फल्गुन); फलकम्:F1:  भा. XII. ११. ४०; Br. II. २३. 3 and १४; III. 7. ३३ and ३२७; M. 6. ३९; १२६. १५.फलकम्:/F with the sun in the शरत्। फलकम्:F2:  वा. ५२. १४; ६९. ७०.फलकम्:/F

(III)--Bhauvana got hold of the sun's अण्ड- कपाल and sang the रथन्तर portion of सामगान when an elephant appeared given to इरावति as son. Hence ऐरावत the vehicle of Indra--the first king among elephants; फलकम्:F1:  वा. ६९. २०९-11; M. 8. 7.फलकम्:/F fourteen tusks; फलकम्:F2:  भा. VI. ११. ११; M. १३३. १०; १७७. ४८.फलकम्:/F Indra's mount; defeated by वृत्र; फलकम्:F3:  भा. VIII. 8. 4; X. २५. 7.फलकम्:/F came out of the अमृतमथन; फलकम्:F4:  Ib. VIII. 8. 4.फलकम्:/F sacred. फलकम्:F5:  भा. XI. १६. १७.फलकम्:/F

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Airāvata^1 : m.: A mythical king of serpents (nāgarāja 6. 86. 6) living in Bhogavatī Purī 5. 101. 11, 1.


A. Birth: Son of Surasā and Kaśyapa 5. 101. 4, 17; description 5. 101. 5-7; also listed by Sūta among the sons of Kadrū 1. 31. 5.


B. Children: His son (not named) picked up the kuṇḍalas, given to Uttaṅka by Madayantī, and entered the nāgaloka 14. 57. 39 (airāvatasuta), 22 (airāvatakulotpanna) [According to 1. 3. 136 ff. the kuṇḍalas were taken away by Takṣaka]; Airāvata gave his widowed daughter (not named, Ulūpī ?; but cf. the next) to Arjuna in marriage 6. 86. 6-8.


C. Descendants: Founder of a family (kula) 1. 52. 11; Kauravya, father of Ulūpī born in Airāvata's kula 1. 206. 18; Sumukha, son of Cikura, was born in his kula 5. 101. 23; serpents living in the nāgaloka described as born in the family of Airavata (airāvatodbhavāḥ), who have Airāvata as their king (airāvatarājānaḥ), and whose eldest brother is Airāvata (airāvatajyeṣṭhabhrātṛbhyaḥ… namaḥ) 1, 3. 140, 139. 143; his descendants (airāvatāḥ) sided with Arjuna when mythical beings, gathered in the sky, took sides between Karṇa and Arjuna 8. 63. 37.


D. An arrow from the vaṁśa of Airāvata: A fierce, burning arrow having a serpent at its sharp point (sarpamukha śara), very poisonous (mahāviṣa) [on which Aśvasena, son of Takṣaka, lay 8. 66. 23], and which was reserved by Karṇa to be shot at Arjuna described as belonging to the vaṁśa of Airāvata (airāvatavaṁśasaṁbhava) 8. 66. 5, 6.


E. Importance: He is one of the guardians of Bhogavatī Purī 5. 107. 19; one of the nāgas who wait on Varuṇa in his sabhā 2. 9. 8; Sumukha chosen as bride-groom for Guṇakeśī, daughter of Mātali, out of regard for Airāvata 5. 102. 10; Vāsuki consulted him, together with others, who were all dharmaparāyaṇa how to neutralize the curse uttered by their mother on them 1. 33. 2; Uttaṅka said no one would want to move in the army of the enemies unless Airāvata accompanied them 1. 3. 141.


F. Events: (i) His dwelling (niveśana) filled with smoke when Uttaṅka blew into the anus of a horse 14. 57. 47; (ii) He and Citra were agitated on hearing the roar of Skanda; when Skanda saw Airāvata and Citra approaching he caught them in his hands 3. 214. 22, 23.


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*1st word in left half of page p8_mci (+offset) in original book.

Airāvata^2 : m.: A lordly mythical elephant.


A. Birth and Origin: Son of Bhadramanā (daughter of Tāmrā ? 1. 60. 54) 1. 60. 61; born in the vaṁśa of Supratīka 5. 97. 15; produced by Kṛṣṇa along with clouds and lightning 13. 143. 36.


B. Description: White in colour, had four tusks (caturdanta); hence looked like mount Kailāsa with its peak (?) 3. 43. 36; well-tamed and covered with lustre all around 6. 60. 52; 12. 220. 10; endowed with good marks (lakṣaṇair yutam) 5. 18. 1; decorated with two bells (ghaṇṭā) called Vaijayantī which were given by Indra to Guha 3. 220. 18.


C. Status: Celestial elephant (devanāga) 1. 60. 61; king of elephants (nāgarāja) 1. 3. 174, (gajarāja) 12. 220. 116, best among elephants 9. 97. 15 (vāraṇasattama), 12. 220. 13 (dvipaśreṣṭḥa), 5. 18. 1 (dvipendra), 12. 220. 10 (vāraṇendra); as the best among the lordly elephants counted as one of the vibhūtis of Bhagavān 6. 32. 27; Airāvata, with his followers, came to attend the abhiṣeka of Skanda 9. 44. 13; the way to the residence of Kubera from the Gandhamādana mountain named after him (airāvatapatha) 3. 159. 31.


D. Cosmographical function: Mentioned among the four diggajas 6. 13. 33; 6. 60. 50.


E. Association with Indra: Vehicle of Indra (mahendravāha) 9. 16. 51; Indra called gajarājavāhana 12. 220. 116; bull and a man seen by Uttaṅka were Airāvata and Indra 1. 3. 174; after the fall of Nahuṣa, Indra seated on Airāvata roamed the three worlds 5. 18. 1; seated on Airāvata Indra went over the earth in search of Bali 12. 216. 11; 12. 220. 10, 12, 13; when Śiva proceeded towards Bhadravaṭa, Indra, riding Airāvata, followed him 3. 221. 6; riding on Airāvata Indra arrived to meet Arjuna to invite him to heaven 3. 42. 13; Arjuna saw Airāvata at the gate of Amarāvatī 3. 43. 36; Indra took Airāvata out also in battles, e. g. in his fight against Skanda 3. 216. 3; hence Bhagadatta fighting from his elephant Supratīka compared with Indra fighting from his Airāvata 5. 164 38; 6. 91. 33; Abhimanyu boasted that he would fight even against Indra on his Airāvata 7. 35. 6.


F. Standard of comparison: Śālva's huge, mountain like elephant, born in the family of Mahābhadra (9. 19. 3), compared with Airāvata 9. 19. 2, 6; Śalya compared with Airāvata (mahendravāhapratima) 9. 16. 51, 52.


G. Myths and Miracles: Airāvata takes water from pātāla and puts it into the clouds which Indra then sends down as rain 5. 97. 7; the bull seen by Uttaṅka on his way to king Pauṣya in order to fetch the kuṇḍalas was Airāvata 1. 3. 174; what Upamanyu saw as Airāvata on whom Indra was seated turned into a bull on whom Maheśvara and Umā sat 13. 14. 105, 110; Ghaṭotkaca created Airāvata with his māyā, rode on him, and attacked Bhagadatta 6. 60. 50, 53; this Airāvata, created with the help of māyā, attacked Bhagadatta's elephant 6. 60. 54.

[See Airāvaṇa]


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Airāvata : nt.: Name of a Varṣa.


A. Location: It lay beyond the Śveta and the Hairaṇyaka Varṣa and beyond the Śṛṅgavant mountain (śvetād dhairaṇyakaṁ param/varṣam airāvataṁ nāma tataḥ śṛṅgavataḥ param) 6. 7. 35; beyond the Śṛṅgavant mountain it reached up to the ocean (uttareṇa tu śṛṅgasya samudrānte janādhipa/varṣam airāvataṁ nāma tasmāc chṛṅgavataḥ param) 6. 9. 10.


B. Characteristics: Among the seven Varṣas, beginning with the Bhāratavarṣa in the south and ending with the Airāvata in the north (in between lay Haimavata, Hari, Ilāvṛta, Śveta and Hairaṇyaka, See Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 6. 37-38), each succeeding one excelled its immediately preceding one in the duration of life, in health, as well as in qualities related to dharma, kāma and artha; people lived there in association with one other (uttarottaram etebhyo varṣam udricyate guṇaiḥ/āyuṣpramāṇam ārogyam dharmataḥ kāmato 'rthataḥ//samanvitāni bhūtāni teṣu varṣeṣu bhārata) 6. 7. 37-38 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 6. 40: samanvitāni bhinnabhāvena saṁgatāni ?); the sun does not get hot there, men do not grow old, the moon, together with the nakṣatras, is as though all light; men are born there having the brightness, colour and fragrance of lotus, and having eyes like lotus leaves; their eyes do not wink, they are fragrant, they live without food, and have control over their sense-organs; they are all descended from the world of gods and are free from the quality of passion; their life span is of thirteen thousand years (na tatra sūryas tapati na te jīryanti mānavāḥ/candramāś ca sanakṣatro jyotirbhūta ivāvṛtaḥ//padmaprabhāḥ padmavarṇāḥ padmapatranibhekṣaṇāḥ/padmapatrasugandhāś ca jāyante tatra mānavāḥ//aniṣpandā sugandhāś ca nirāhārā jitendriyāḥ/devalokacyutāḥ sarve tathā virajaso nṛpa//trayodaśa sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṁ te janādhipa/āyuṣpramāṇaṁ jīvanti narā bharatasattama//) 6. 9. 11-14.


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Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Airāvata^1 : m.: A mythical king of serpents (nāgarāja 6. 86. 6) living in Bhogavatī Purī 5. 101. 11, 1.


A. Birth: Son of Surasā and Kaśyapa 5. 101. 4, 17; description 5. 101. 5-7; also listed by Sūta among the sons of Kadrū 1. 31. 5.


B. Children: His son (not named) picked up the kuṇḍalas, given to Uttaṅka by Madayantī, and entered the nāgaloka 14. 57. 39 (airāvatasuta), 22 (airāvatakulotpanna) [According to 1. 3. 136 ff. the kuṇḍalas were taken away by Takṣaka]; Airāvata gave his widowed daughter (not named, Ulūpī ?; but cf. the next) to Arjuna in marriage 6. 86. 6-8.


C. Descendants: Founder of a family (kula) 1. 52. 11; Kauravya, father of Ulūpī born in Airāvata's kula 1. 206. 18; Sumukha, son of Cikura, was born in his kula 5. 101. 23; serpents living in the nāgaloka described as born in the family of Airavata (airāvatodbhavāḥ), who have Airāvata as their king (airāvatarājānaḥ), and whose eldest brother is Airāvata (airāvatajyeṣṭhabhrātṛbhyaḥ… namaḥ) 1, 3. 140, 139. 143; his descendants (airāvatāḥ) sided with Arjuna when mythical beings, gathered in the sky, took sides between Karṇa and Arjuna 8. 63. 37.


D. An arrow from the vaṁśa of Airāvata: A fierce, burning arrow having a serpent at its sharp point (sarpamukha śara), very poisonous (mahāviṣa) [on which Aśvasena, son of Takṣaka, lay 8. 66. 23], and which was reserved by Karṇa to be shot at Arjuna described as belonging to the vaṁśa of Airāvata (airāvatavaṁśasaṁbhava) 8. 66. 5, 6.


E. Importance: He is one of the guardians of Bhogavatī Purī 5. 107. 19; one of the nāgas who wait on Varuṇa in his sabhā 2. 9. 8; Sumukha chosen as bride-groom for Guṇakeśī, daughter of Mātali, out of regard for Airāvata 5. 102. 10; Vāsuki consulted him, together with others, who were all dharmaparāyaṇa how to neutralize the curse uttered by their mother on them 1. 33. 2; Uttaṅka said no one would want to move in the army of the enemies unless Airāvata accompanied them 1. 3. 141.


F. Events: (i) His dwelling (niveśana) filled with smoke when Uttaṅka blew into the anus of a horse 14. 57. 47; (ii) He and Citra were agitated on hearing the roar of Skanda; when Skanda saw Airāvata and Citra approaching he caught them in his hands 3. 214. 22, 23.


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Airāvata^2 : m.: A lordly mythical elephant.


A. Birth and Origin: Son of Bhadramanā (daughter of Tāmrā ? 1. 60. 54) 1. 60. 61; born in the vaṁśa of Supratīka 5. 97. 15; produced by Kṛṣṇa along with clouds and lightning 13. 143. 36.


B. Description: White in colour, had four tusks (caturdanta); hence looked like mount Kailāsa with its peak (?) 3. 43. 36; well-tamed and covered with lustre all around 6. 60. 52; 12. 220. 10; endowed with good marks (lakṣaṇair yutam) 5. 18. 1; decorated with two bells (ghaṇṭā) called Vaijayantī which were given by Indra to Guha 3. 220. 18.


C. Status: Celestial elephant (devanāga) 1. 60. 61; king of elephants (nāgarāja) 1. 3. 174, (gajarāja) 12. 220. 116, best among elephants 9. 97. 15 (vāraṇasattama), 12. 220. 13 (dvipaśreṣṭḥa), 5. 18. 1 (dvipendra), 12. 220. 10 (vāraṇendra); as the best among the lordly elephants counted as one of the vibhūtis of Bhagavān 6. 32. 27; Airāvata, with his followers, came to attend the abhiṣeka of Skanda 9. 44. 13; the way to the residence of Kubera from the Gandhamādana mountain named after him (airāvatapatha) 3. 159. 31.


D. Cosmographical function: Mentioned among the four diggajas 6. 13. 33; 6. 60. 50.


E. Association with Indra: Vehicle of Indra (mahendravāha) 9. 16. 51; Indra called gajarājavāhana 12. 220. 116; bull and a man seen by Uttaṅka were Airāvata and Indra 1. 3. 174; after the fall of Nahuṣa, Indra seated on Airāvata roamed the three worlds 5. 18. 1; seated on Airāvata Indra went over the earth in search of Bali 12. 216. 11; 12. 220. 10, 12, 13; when Śiva proceeded towards Bhadravaṭa, Indra, riding Airāvata, followed him 3. 221. 6; riding on Airāvata Indra arrived to meet Arjuna to invite him to heaven 3. 42. 13; Arjuna saw Airāvata at the gate of Amarāvatī 3. 43. 36; Indra took Airāvata out also in battles, e. g. in his fight against Skanda 3. 216. 3; hence Bhagadatta fighting from his elephant Supratīka compared with Indra fighting from his Airāvata 5. 164 38; 6. 91. 33; Abhimanyu boasted that he would fight even against Indra on his Airāvata 7. 35. 6.


F. Standard of comparison: Śālva's huge, mountain like elephant, born in the family of Mahābhadra (9. 19. 3), compared with Airāvata 9. 19. 2, 6; Śalya compared with Airāvata (mahendravāhapratima) 9. 16. 51, 52.


G. Myths and Miracles: Airāvata takes water from pātāla and puts it into the clouds which Indra then sends down as rain 5. 97. 7; the bull seen by Uttaṅka on his way to king Pauṣya in order to fetch the kuṇḍalas was Airāvata 1. 3. 174; what Upamanyu saw as Airāvata on whom Indra was seated turned into a bull on whom Maheśvara and Umā sat 13. 14. 105, 110; Ghaṭotkaca created Airāvata with his māyā, rode on him, and attacked Bhagadatta 6. 60. 50, 53; this Airāvata, created with the help of māyā, attacked Bhagadatta's elephant 6. 60. 54.

[See Airāvaṇa]


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Airāvata : nt.: Name of a Varṣa.


A. Location: It lay beyond the Śveta and the Hairaṇyaka Varṣa and beyond the Śṛṅgavant mountain (śvetād dhairaṇyakaṁ param/varṣam airāvataṁ nāma tataḥ śṛṅgavataḥ param) 6. 7. 35; beyond the Śṛṅgavant mountain it reached up to the ocean (uttareṇa tu śṛṅgasya samudrānte janādhipa/varṣam airāvataṁ nāma tasmāc chṛṅgavataḥ param) 6. 9. 10.


B. Characteristics: Among the seven Varṣas, beginning with the Bhāratavarṣa in the south and ending with the Airāvata in the north (in between lay Haimavata, Hari, Ilāvṛta, Śveta and Hairaṇyaka, See Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 6. 37-38), each succeeding one excelled its immediately preceding one in the duration of life, in health, as well as in qualities related to dharma, kāma and artha; people lived there in association with one other (uttarottaram etebhyo varṣam udricyate guṇaiḥ/āyuṣpramāṇam ārogyam dharmataḥ kāmato 'rthataḥ//samanvitāni bhūtāni teṣu varṣeṣu bhārata) 6. 7. 37-38 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 6. 40: samanvitāni bhinnabhāvena saṁgatāni ?); the sun does not get hot there, men do not grow old, the moon, together with the nakṣatras, is as though all light; men are born there having the brightness, colour and fragrance of lotus, and having eyes like lotus leaves; their eyes do not wink, they are fragrant, they live without food, and have control over their sense-organs; they are all descended from the world of gods and are free from the quality of passion; their life span is of thirteen thousand years (na tatra sūryas tapati na te jīryanti mānavāḥ/candramāś ca sanakṣatro jyotirbhūta ivāvṛtaḥ//padmaprabhāḥ padmavarṇāḥ padmapatranibhekṣaṇāḥ/padmapatrasugandhāś ca jāyante tatra mānavāḥ//aniṣpandā sugandhāś ca nirāhārā jitendriyāḥ/devalokacyutāḥ sarve tathā virajaso nṛpa//trayodaśa sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṁ te janādhipa/āyuṣpramāṇaṁ jīvanti narā bharatasattama//) 6. 9. 11-14.


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Vedic Index of Names and Subjects

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Airāvata, ‘son of Irāvant,’ is the patronymic of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, as a snake demon, in the Atharvaveda and the Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa.