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Airavata
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"Erawan" redirects here. For other uses, seeErawan (disambiguation).

"Gajendra" redirects here. For elephant rescued by the god Vishnu, see Gajendra Moksha. For film,
seeGajendra (film).

Airavata is a mythological white elephant who carries the Hindu

god Indra. It is also called 'abhra-Matanga', meaning "elephant of the
clouds"; 'Naga-malla', meaning "the fighting elephant"; and
'Arkasodara', meaning "brother of the sun".[1]'Abharamu' is the
elephant wife of Airavata. Airavata has four tusks and
seven trunks and is spotless white. It is also known as Erawan in
Thai. Airavata is also the third son of Kashyap and Kadru. In
Indra (alias Sakra) and Sachi
the Mahabharata he is listed as a great serpent.[2] Riding the five-headed Divine
Elephant Airavata, Folio from a Jain
Contents  [hide]  text, Panchakalyanaka (Five
1In Hindu traditions Auspicious Events in the Life of
Jina Rishabhanatha [Adinatha]),
2Flags with Airavata
circa 1670-1680, Painting
3Erawan inLACMA museum, originally
4In popular culture fromAmber, Rajasthan.
5References

In Hindu traditions [ edit ]

According to theRamayana, the elephant's mother was Iravati.

According to the Matangalila, Airavata was born when Brahmasang
sacredhymns over the halves of the eggshell from
whichGaruda hatched, followed by seven more male and eight
femaleelephants. Prithumade Airavata king of all elephants. One of
his names means "the one who knits or binds the clouds" since myth
has it that these elephants are capable of producing clouds. The
connection of elephants with water and rain is emphasized in
the mythology of Indra, who rides the elephant Airavata when he
defeats Vritra. This mighty elephant reaches down his trunk into the
wateryunderworld, sucks up its water, and then sprays it into the
clouds, which Indra then causes to rain forth cool water, thereby
linking the waters of the sky with those of the underworld.

As per another legend, Airavatha is believed to have come out of

churning the Ocean of milk and it is believed that the elephant Detail of the Phra Prang, the
guards one of the points of compass.[3] Airavata also stands at the central tower of the Wat
Arun("Temple of Dawn")
entrance toSvarga, Indra's palace. In addition, the eight guardian
in Bangkok,Thailand -
deities who preside over the points of the compasseach sit on an showing Indra on his three-headed
elephant. Each of these deities has an elephant that takes part in the elephant Erawan (Airavata).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airavata 1/3
1/28/2016 Airavata - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

defense and protection of its respective quarter. Chief among them

is Airavata of Indra. There is a reference to Airavata in theBhagavad Gita:

"Of horses, know Me to be the nectar-born Ucchaisravas; of lordly elephants, Airavata and of men, the
monarch."[4]

At Darasuram near Tanjore is a temple where it is believed that Airavata worshipped the Lingam; the

Lingam is named after him as Airavateswara. This temple, which abounds in rare sculpture
andarchitectural workmanship, was built by Rajaraja Chola II (1146–73).

Part of a series on

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"Thong Airaphot" (ธงไอยราพต) King's "Thong Chuthathipathai" (ธง ฑา ป

Absent Standard (1855-1891 & 1897- ไตย) King's Absent Standard (1891 -
1910) 1897)

Flag of Bangkok Metropolitan

Administration

Erawan [ edit ]

Erawan (Thai:เอรา ณ, from PāḷiErāvana, orSanskrit Airāvana) is one

of the Thainames of Airavata. It is depicted as a huge elephant with
either three or sometimes thirty-three heads which are often shown
with more than two tusks. Some statues show Indra, the king of
Tavatimsa Heaven, riding on Erawan. The elephant is sometimes
associated with the old Lao Kingdom of Lan Xang and the
defunct Kingdom of Laos, where it was more commonly known as
the "three-headed elephant" and had been used on the royal flag.[5] Erawan statue in Chiang Mai,
Thailand.
In popular culture [ edit ]

Airavata is a recruitable character in the Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor video game.

Airavata is referenced in the song The Animal Tent on the album The Circus by The Venetia Fair:

"Here comes Airavata; the elephant controls the rainclouds,

His skin the rumbling earth (Airavata!)"

Airavata is the name of the Volvo bus service thatKarnataka State Road Transport Corporationprovides.[6]

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