Agnipurana 290

English (machine translation) 290

Language: English

290.4 — 1 part
290.15 — 4 parts
290.24 — 5 parts

290.1

Śālihotra said:
I shall explain the pacification rite for elephants that crushes elephant diseases.
On the fifth [lunar day], one should worship Viṣṇu, Śrī, and the elephant Airāvata,

290.2

Brahmā, Śaṅkara, Viṣṇu, Indra, Kubera, Yama,
the moon and the sun, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Agni, the earth, and space,

290.3

Śeṣa, the mountains, and those eight elephants that have divine origin:
Virūpākṣa, Mahāpadma, Bhadra, Sumanas,

290.4

Kumuda, Airāvaṇa, Padma, Puṣpadanta, Vāmana,
Supratīka, and Añjana. Then a fire oblation to the eight elephants, and a sacrificial fee.

Elephants sprinkled with pacifying water [prosper] in growth. Hear the occasional [rite].
For elephants, at the entrance [of the sun] into Capricorn and other [occasions], outside the city in the north-east,

290.6

on an earthen altar, inside a lotus, one should worship Viṣṇu in the center and Lakṣmī on the pericarp;
Brahmā, the Sun, the Earth, Skanda, and Ananta;

290.7

Space, Śiva, the Moon, Indra and the rest, and their weapons on the petals in order:
the thunderbolt, the spear, the staff, the javelin, the noose, the mace,

290.8

the trident, and the lotus; on the outer stem and wheel, the Sun and the two Aśvins;
the eight Vasus and the Sādhyas on the southern and south-western petals;

290.9

the gods born of Aṅgiras, the Aśvins, the Bhṛgus, and the Maruts in the north-west;
the Viśvedevas in the south, and the Rudras in the circle of Indra.

290.10

Then with a circular line, one should worship the deities on the outside:
the authors of the sūtras, the ṛṣis, Sarasvatī, and beginning from the east, the rivers and mountains.

290.11

One should worship the great elements in the corners, beginning with the north-east;
a lotus, a discus, a mace, and a conch; and a square maṇḍala,

290.12

with four gates. Then pots and banners at the south-east and other [corners];
four archways at the door; and the elephants beginning with Airāvata

290.13

in the east and other directions with herbs. There should be a separate vessel for the deities,
and one hundred oblations of ghee for each. Having worshipped the elephants, [they should make] a circumambulation.

290.14

Having [worshipped] the elephant, fire, deities, and others with external [rites], they went to their own house.
One should give a sacrificial fee to twice-borns, as well as to horse-physicians and others.

290.15

Having mounted a cow-elephant, the knower of auspicious times should whisper into its ear:

290.15.p1

[Footnote]

290.15.p2

[Footnote 1: "maruto 'nala" in ms. ja]

290.15.p3

[Footnote 2: "catuḥkumbhāḥ" in ms. ña]

290.15.p4

[Footnote 3: "patākinaḥ" in ms. ja]
[Page 78]

290.15_2

“Having performed the pacification rite over the king of elephants, the immortal one, one should recite this mantra over it:

290.16

‘You have been made the royal elephant by the king; you are his foremost elephant.
The ruler, the king, will worship you with garlands and offerings of the finest food.

290.17

By his order, the people will then worship you.
You must protect the king in battle, on the road, and at home.

290.18

Abandoning the nature of a beast, remember your divine nature.
Long ago in the war between the gods and asuras, a royal elephant was created by the thirty [gods].

290.19

The son of Airāvaṇa was the glorious elephant named Ariṣṭa.
All that splendor of royal elephants attends you.

290.20

May that splendor, endowed with divine nature, attend you, O king of elephants! Hail to you! Protect the king in battle!’”

290.21

Having consecrated him in this manner, the king should mount him at an auspicious moment.
Nine good elephants, equipped with weapons, should follow him.

290.22

In the stables, on an earthen altar, on a lotus, he should worship the regents of the directions on the outside,
and on the filaments Bala, Nāga, Bhū, and Sarasvatī.

290.23

Having worshipped the drum in the center with scents, garlands, and ointments,
and having made fire offerings, a water-pot filled with fluids should be given to a twice-born.

290.24

One should worship the superintendent of elephants, the elephant-trainer, and the astrologer.
One should give that drum to the superintendent of elephants, and he should beat it;
sitting on the elephant's haunches, he should sound it with auspicious, deep tones.

Other recensions (1)

Agnipurāṇa (Nag Publishers edition, Delhi) — Sanskrit

Linked texts (1)

Agnipurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit