Elephant as a Fertility Symbol

Abstract

Elephant is a sacred animal in Indian mythological and theological literature. It is called Gaja in Sanskrit. Etymologically, gaja means animal born in the space. Here, ‘ga’ is denotative to gajana i.e., space and ‘ja’ signifies janma meaning birth. In fact, Gaja in its physical form symbolizes movement of the cloud, basically the vehicle of the rain God Indra. The vehicle of Indra has been called Airavata, the son of Ira. Ira is female aspect of fertility. Therefore, her son, is known as Airavata. Ira means white fluid that contains power of procreation. In this respect Airavata is also associated with power of fertility. In Buddhist mythology itself the dream of Maya, the mother of Buddha reflects similar viewpoint. An artistic testimony of this idea is available at Dhauli hillock in Odisha where a monolithic elephant has been depicted as a space animal emerging from cloud. An inscription found there depicts ‘gajatama’, the most revered elephant who reminds us of the Airavata. In the Buddhist art of Mathura, Sanchi, Bharhuta, Nagarjunikonda, Amravati and many other places of India the dream of Maya is a popular scene. The entry of the white elephant in womb of Maya is adequately associated with the birth of an ‘enlightened being’. The figure of ‘jalabhisheka Lakshmi’ found from Bharuta stupa to the Kailash temple of Ellora with two elephants pouring sacred water on goddess of wealth is a vibrant expression of the water cosmology and fertility cult. The sole of many Indian temples has multiple figures of elephants. This type of sculptural schemata is called gajathara or gajasamghata. Here, elephants are shown as figures that are carrying the vimana of the presiding deity of the temple. Composite figures of elephants are equally common in temple art. The composite figure of elephant is often called gajavyata. Generally, the trunk of this composite figure is reminiscent to a crocodile, specifically a sea monster. Again it shows the association of elephant with the aquatic world. This paper envisages the significance of elephant as a motif of sacredness and a figure of great sanctity in Indian art and literature.