History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c89.288

v7.c89.288

The Bṛhatsaṁhitā (chap 93 verses 1-14), Bṛhadyogayātrā (chap. 21 verses¹³⁰² 1-21) and Yogayātrā (chap. 10 verses 1-75) dwell at length on the prognostications to be drawn from the arrangement of the tusks of elephants, from the marks seen when the tusks are cut, from the tired appearance and movements of elephants, particularly when the king is to march on an invasion, since as the Yogayātrā says the king's victory depends on elephants.¹³⁰³ These, however, do not describe any śānti and are hence passed over here as not relevant to the subject of śāntis. But the Agnipurāṇa (chap. 291 verses 1-24), Viṣṇudharmottara (II. 50. 1-93), Baud. gṛhyaśeṣasūtra I. 20 and Hemādri (on Vrata, vol. II. pp. 1036-1051) prescribe śāntis for removing diseases of elephants and therefore a brief note is added here from Baud. gṛhyaśeṣa-sūtra, which is probably the earliest and simplest description of a Gajaśānti.