Hastin 5603847 196714882 2008-03-08T07:03:17Z Charles Matthews 12978 /* Ibha */ lk '''Hastin''' is a term for [[elephant]] used in Vedic texts. Other terms for elephant include ibha and varana. == The elephant in the Rigveda == In Rig Veda 1.84.17 and 4.4.1. and probably other instances the Rig Veda seems to refer to [[elephant]]s (e.g. Bryant 2001: 323), an animal that is native to South Asia. It has been speculated that some of these verses might be references to domesticated elephants.<ref>RV 4.4.1, 9.57.3 (where "the people deck him like a docile king of elephants"), 6.20.8; Talageri, Shrikant (2000)</ref> In RV 1.64.7, 8.33.8 and 10.40.4, "wild" elephants are mentioned. === Mrga Hastin === In the Rigveda and in the Atharvaveda, the term is translated as elephant (according to Keith and Macdonell, Roth and other scholars).<ref>Vedic Index, II, 501; II, 171</ref>. In the Rig Veda, ''Mrga Hastin'' (animal with a hand) occurs in RV 1.64.7 and RV 4.16.14. === Ibha === [[RV 9]].57.3 and [[RV 6]].20.8 mention ''{{IAST|ibha}}''s, a term meaning "servant, domestics, household" according to Roth, Ludwig, Zimmer and other Indologists.<ref>In RV 4.4.1 and 6.20.8, ibha is translated as servants/attendants by Griffith.</ref> Other scholars like Pischel and [[Karl Friedrich Geldner]] translate the term as elephant.<ref>Vedic Index, I, 79</ref> According to [[Sayana]]<ref>Vedic Index, I, 79</ref>, [[Mahidhara]]<ref>Vedic Index, I, 79</ref> and the [[Nirukta]]<ref>Vedic Index, I, 79</ref>, ibha is translated as elephant. [[Megasthenes]]<ref>Vedic Index, I, 79</ref> and [[Nearchos]]<ref>Vedic Index, I, 79</ref> also connect ibha with elephant. The term ibha is only used in the Samhitas, and especially in the Rig Veda.<ref>Vedic Index, I, 79. </ref><ref>RV 1.84.17; 4.4.1; 9.57.3; and perhaps 6.20.8. Vedic Index, I, 79.</ref> === Varana === Another term that may mean elephant is "Varana" (RV 8.33.8; RV 10.40.4). According to Macdonell and Keith, "Varana" refers to elephants.<ref>Vedic Index, II, 288</ref> == The elephant in other Hindu texts == The [[Akananuru]] (27) and the [[Purananuru]] (389) state that elephants were raised and trained in [[Tirupati]]. According to another [[Sangam]] poem, the [[mahout]]s trained the elephants using Sanskrit.<ref>[[Mullaippattu]] 35, quoted from Kalavai Venkat, Review of "Early India"</ref> == Notes== <references/> == References == *Bryant, Edwin (2001). The Quest for the Origins of Vedic Culture. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-513777-9. *Macdonell, A.A. and Keith, A.B. 1912. The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects. *Talageri, Shrikant: The Rigveda: A Historical Analysis. 2000. ISBN 81-7742-010-0 == See also == *[[Sacred cow]] [[Category:Sanskrit words and phrases]] [[Category:Elephants]] [[Category:Mammals of India]]