The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c14.s9.t4.35

c14.s9.t4.35

In *'Ain* 41 which deals with the imperial elephant stables the four kinds of elephants (namely, *bhaddar*, *mand*, *mirg* and *mir*) and their three dispositions (namely, *sat*, *raj*, and *tam*) are derived from the Sanskrit treatises on elephants. Abul Fazl names also the eight *diggajas* or elephants as guardians of the quarters or points of the earth in the Hindu manner and gives likewise another Hindu classification of elephants. The entire chapter (pp. 117-124) points to a fine assimilation of Sanskrit *gajaśāstras* by Moslems in regard to other items as well. Abul Fazl quotes neither Varāhamihira's *Brihat Samhitā* nor Bhoja's *Yuktikalpataru* nor any treatise like the *Śukranīti*. He is, however, not a plagiarist as he says explicitly that these ideas about elephants are Hindu.