Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c4.s1.22

c4.s1.22

The elephant was a new animal for the early Vedic Indians who recognized it as the animal with a hand (mṛga-hastin).⁷ But in course of time the people became acquainted with it and, as in the Epics, so in the Jātaka stories, it had taken an honourable rank in the army and on other royal occasions. In the stories before us we find these war-animals clad in armour, mounted upon by mahauts (gāmaṇis) and armed warriors and causing a great havoc in battle. It seems, the king, when he led the army against his enemy, sat on his special elephant (*maṅgalahatthi*) and thence attacked the enemy's city.¹ Besides this state-elephant, there were of course a host of other elephants. Their value in fight was recognised. In fact, the battle-field was thought to be their home. Thus spurs a warrior :