Summary of the Mātaṅgalīlā

Introduction:

Mātaṅgalīlā, is said to have been composed by Nīlakaṇṭha, this text is no doubt the best available Sanskrit work on elephants. It is a brief and succinct treatise in 263 stanzas, divided into twelve chapters of uneven length. Mātaṅga-līlā was first edited and translated by Gaṇapati Śāstri in 1910.^[1] The original palm leaf manuscripts of this work are as follows: Two in Malayalam script and one in Tamil Grantha characters. Of these, the one Malayalam and one in Tamil Grantha characters were obtained from the Palace Library and the third was lent by Brahmaśrī Keśavar Saṅkara Nārāyanar, Kalpakamaṅgalamatham, Manalikkara. These manuscripts are about two centuries old and are not free from errors.^[2]

Nevertheless, as Edgerton argues, the elephant lore of Sanskrit texts shows a strong connection with practical knowledge and is by no means the learned imagination of literatures. On the contrary the high degree of specialised knowledge that readers of these texts would have obtained is impressive. Edgerton gives a long glossary of specialized terms in the elephant lore i.e. the Mātaṅgalīlā, the meanings of which are not found in existing lexicons, neither in the ancient Sanskrit lexicons nor the modern scholarly ones.^[3] His overall argument about the closeness of the elephant knowledge of the Mātaṅga-līlā to that of practitioners, except in places where well known topics of Sanskrit learning are evident, is convincing. It is much the same, one can add, in artistic renderings of elephants from ancient times to the present: Indian representations of elephants, almost all them, show familiarity with live elephants, unlike, say, East Asian representations^[4].

These specialised treatises reflect a tendency towards the reinterpretation and theoretical elaboration of practical knowledge. A clear example is the explanation of the origin of the four classes of elephants in terms of theory of the four yugas that is found in post-Vedic Sanskrit texts, and the three dispositions (guṇas), namely lightness (sattvas), energy (rajas), and dullness (tamas). Interestingly these are found in the Śāṅkhya School of philosophy. Both of these interpretive schemes fall within the expertise of the literate classes and would not have come from the elephant catchers or tamer class. Edgerton mentions that “the authors were evidently pandits, in some cases (notably that of the Mātaṅgalīlā itself) rather well trained in belles-lettres. There are some parts of the “science” which suggest rather the scholar than the elephant trainer.”^[5] The composition of the Hastyāyurveda, a medical treatise for the elephants is an attempt to imbibe the compilation of medical knowledge in keeping with the medical texts for the treatment of humans. An example of such theoretical elaboration is may be cited in the description of the standard list of eight elephant forests mentioned in the Arthaśāstra which later acquires an additional list of secondary forests (upavanas) in subsequent texts for example in the Chapter IV of Gajaśāstra^[6] . Another concerns the life phases of an elephant which is in multiple of twelve. In the Mahābhārata a sixty year old tusker is considered at the height of his power, and Trautmann noted that this may have to do with the fact that tusks never stop growing. But the fact that the last set of Molars is in place at sixty means that the elephant cannot last much longer than that age. Zoologists have attested to this fact in quite recent times. Nevertheless, according to Truatmann this adheres to the scheme of twelve cycles 12 year-long built upon the idea of five cycles of increasing power and five cycles of decline. However this seems to be derived more from theorising rather than from observing. In support of this one can mention the same scheme in the Mātaṅgalīlā where some of the names of the age-grades of elephants are without obvious etymologies in Sanskrit, and so probably derived from the “country” (deśi) terms of elephant handlers. Other names are transparent in Sanskrit, such as yaudha, “fighter”. The age grades from the sixth to the twelfth have no such special names and are simply numbered. Finally, the elephant science treatises show a multiplication of classifications of elephants from different points of view, some of which were surely derived from the intimate knowledge of handlers, while some of the others being artificial constructs by writers without practical knowledge of the matter.^[7]

In the Mātaṅga-līlā, the magnum opus by Nīlakaṇṭha, we do not get any historical information. It is not known when and where the author Nīlakaṇṭha lived, according to Ganapati Shastri, he may be a native of Malabar as this work is widely known in Kerala^[8]. In this context it is important to note that according to the interpretation of the text by Chiruvalli Narayanan Namboothiri, Mātaṅgalīlā dates back a few centuries from Malayalam Era (Kollavarṣam) 761.^[9] But still the date of the treatise remains unsolved and needs a careful research. However a comparative study with other similar texts composed in this typical style leads us to date the text a little early. Probably the idea of the text originated in the early historic period.

Mātaṅgalīlā is an elementary treatise on the science of elephants. The writing style is highly cryptic and condensed which reflects the understanding and acquaintance of a class of people involved with elephants and the science of elephantology. The sūtra-like character of the verses at times makes their meanings obscure or at least doubtful.

There are twelve chapters (Paṭalas) in the text.

The first chapter:

The Prathamaḥ paṭalaḥ or the first chapter i.e. Nāgotpatyadhikāraḥ is introductory in nature and it tells how king Romapāda met sage Pālakāpya, who expounded to him the science of elephants. Then follows the mythic origin of elephants, a journey from divine to mortal animal can be traced here; the story that explains how they were banished to earth and deprived of their powers of supernatural locomotion; the marvellous birth of Pālakāpya himself; description of various “castes” of elephants, already referred to etymological explanations of the various Sanskrit terms for “elephant” such as: because they go everywhere they are called nāga (nāgāḥ sarvatra gatvā), gaja, because they conquer (ji) and likewise because they roar (garj) (gaja iti vijayād garnāñcaiva). They were termed as hastin because they were born from the hand (hasta) of the Creator (vedhohastaprasūtyā). They were also termed as Vāraṇa, because they ward off (vṛ causative) the hosts of hostile kings (paranṛpati ca mūvāraṇād vāraṇo api). They acquired the name Mātaṅga because of the muddiness (mṛt-tva) of their paths, implying–ga from gam, “go” (mātaṅgo vartmamṛttvādati). The term kuñjara was used because they wear out (jar) the earth (ku) with the pressure of their feet (jarayati kuṃ kuñjaraḥ pādatodāt). They are also called padmin, because they are fond of lotuses (padmī padmaprasaktyā). They acquired the name dvipa or “twice-drinking”, because they drink both with the mouth and with the trunk (dvipa iti mukhato hastato api prapānat).

Since they attack with trunk, tail, tusks and four feet also, therefore elephants are called “of eight blows”:

śuṇḍāvāladhidantaiśra caturmiśra padairapi /
praharanti yatastasmādaṣṭaprahaṇā dvipāḥ: v.31.

They (i-me) are afraid (bhi) of all, and their form is superior (a-bhya-dhika) to all on the ground of beauty; so the great sages call them i-bha:

ime bibhyatiti sarvebhyaḥ sarbhevyo abhyadhikaṃ vapuḥ /
kāntatvāñca tathā prāhuribhānetān maharṣayaḥ: v.33.

They are called karin because they are provided with an excellent “hand” (trunk, kara).

praśastakarasaṃyogāt karino

Dantin or is derived from tusks or tusked animal (dantinastathā) similarly sindhura, because of their delight (ram) in bathing in the river (sindhu)

sindhurāḥ sindhuramaṇādevaṃnirvacanakramaḥ^[10].

Here we are appending a table words indicating the Sanskrit terms used for elephants and their implications:

[Table 1: Terms used for elephants and their implications]

Sl. No.	Sanskrit terms for Elephants	Reason for the usage of the term
1.	Nāga	Can go everywhere
2.	Gaja	Can conquer (ji) and also can roar (garj)
3.	Hastin	Born from the hand (hasta) of the Creator
4.	Vāraṇa	Those ward off (vṛ causative) the hosts of hostile kings
5.	Mātaṅga	Because of the muddiness (mṛt-tva) of their paths
6.	Kuñjara	Can wear out (jar) the earth (ku) with the pressure of feet
7.	Padmin	Fondness of lotuses
8.	Dvipa	“Twice-drinking”, drinking both with the mouth and with the trunk
9.	I-bha	They (i-me) are afraid (bhi) of all, and their form is superior (a-bhya-dhika) to all on the ground of beauty
10.	Karin	Provided with an excellent “hand” (trunk, kara)
11.	Dantin	Derived from tusks or tusked animal
12.	Sindhura	Delight (ram) in bathing in the river (sindhu)

The second chapter:

The second chapter (Dvitīyaḥ paṭalaḥ: Śubhalakṣaṇādhikāro) deals with identification of good quality elephants on the basis of their physiognomy, towards end of this chapter the author describes in details different sounds produced or made by elephants (v.13-17).^[11]

The third chapter

The third chapter (Tritīyaḥ paṭalaḥ: Aśubhalakṣaṇādhikāra) deals with unfavourable marks and indicative factors defining the elephants of lower quality. The last verse of this chapter cautions against taking captive a female elephant that is with young calf, and says she should be brought back to a secure place or her own place, otherwise she fetches evil fortune–‘Potānvitā vā kariṇī sagarbhā/ labdhā bhaved vāhaṇakośanāśaḥ I/ tapovane vā svavane atha vāpi/ nitvārpayed diggajadevapūjām II (v.7).^[12] Sanderson and Evan talk about the present day belief in both kinds of marks–favourable and unfavourable.

The fourth chapter

The fourth chapter (Caturthaḥ paṭalaḥ: āyurlakṣaṇādhikāra) deals with the longevity and character of the elephants in different phases of their life. It is worth mentioning here that the life cycle of an elephant has been classified into three categories which Edgerton mentions as ‘caste’^[13] but we would like to disagree with his view these are only based on the longevity of the animal and hence we mention them as class here. There are three classes the deer class, slow class and the state class. The deer class (Mṛgajātyasya) lives for 40 years, the slow class (Mandajātaysya) lives for 80 and the state class (Bhadrajātyasya) for 120 years.^[14]

The fifth chapter

The fifth chapter (Pañcamaḥ paṭalaḥ: Vayolakṣaṇādhikāraḥ) describes the stages of life and their value for the human species. According to this chapter an elephant up to the age of twelve is worthless; in twenty-fourth year his value is of a middle level and up to the sixtieth year, in respect to age, he is considered as best (v.1). A special name is given to them in each of these periods up to and including the fifth decade, after which no names are given.

Such as he is called Bāla or infant in the first year–“Bālāhvayo ayaṃ prathame tu varṣe” (v.2),
in the second year he is called puccuka–“Varṣadvaye Puccuka” (v.3),
in the third year he is known as upasarpa–“Sarpastṛtīye” (v.4),
in the fourth year he has been named as barbara–“…..pṛthulaścatuṣṭaye manāk prarohadaśano hi Barbara” (v.5),
it is named kalabha when reaches the fifth year–“….eṣa Kalabhaḥ prāptaḥ samāṃ pañcamīm” (v.6),
in the sixth year it is known as naikārika–“Naikārikaṃ tamiha ṣaṭsamamāmananti” (v.7),
in the seventh year as śiśu–“…..saptavarṣaḥ Śiśuriti kathito asau….” (v.8)
and in eighth year as majjana–“praharaṇamṛduko asāvaṣṭame Majjanākhyaḥ” (v.9),
ninth year he is known as dantāruṇa -“Dantāruṇaṃ navasamāprabhavaṃ vadanti” (v.10)
and in the tenth year and the first stage of life, it is a vikka–“tejobalāḍhya daśame sukhādī yūthapraharṣī ca sa eva Vikkaḥ” (v.11).

From the tenth year he is named according to his stages of life. So in the second stage (dvitīyāṃ daśām) he is known as a pota or colt–“Potākhyaḥ smaravegavikramabalī yāto dvitīyāṃ daśām” (v.12). In the third stage (tṛtīyāṃ daśām) he is known as javana or swift one–“…..sa eva Javano yātastṛtīyāṃ daśām” (v.13). He is named as kalyāṇa or fine one–“Kalyāṇo hyayameva vāraṇyuvā prāptaścaturthīṃ daśām” (v.14) in his fourth stage, and yaudha or fighter in his fifth stage of life–“Yaudho nāma sadā madāvilakaṭaḥ prāpto daśāṃ pañcamīm” (v.15).^[15]

[Table 2: Showing the life cycles of elephants]

Sl. No.	Age grades	Type / Qualities/ Caste	Value
1.	1-12	Inferior mṛga caste	Useless
2.	13-24	Inferior mṛga caste	Middling value
3.	25-36	Noble and best, mṛga caste	High Value
4.	37-48	Noble and best mṛga caste	High Value
5.	49-60	Noble and best manda caste	High Value
6.	61-72	Not so superior bhadra caste	Commencement of declining phase
7.	73-84	Not so superior bhadra caste	Declining phase
8.	85-96	Not so superior bhadra caste	Declining phase
9.	97-108	Not so superior bhadra caste	Declining phase
10.	109-120	Not so superior bhadra caste	Declining phase

[Table 3: Table showing the various stages of life of an elephant (first ten years and five stages)]

Sl. No.	Months/Years	Sanskrit terms	Reference
1.	First year	bāla	Mātaṅga-līlā, Chapter V, v.2
2.	Second year	Puccuka	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter V, v.3
3.	Third year	Upasarpa	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter V, v. 4
4.	Fourth year	Barbara	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter V, v. 5
5.	Fifth year	Kalabha	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter V, v. 6
6.	Sixth year	Naikārika	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter V, v. 7
7.	Seventh year	Śiśu	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter V, v. 8
8.	Eighth year	Majjana	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter V, v. 9
9.	Ninth year	dantāruṇa	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter, V, v. 10
10.	Tenth year	Vikka	Mātaṅga-līlā, Chapter, V, v. 11. Completion of the first stage of life
11.	Second stage	Pota	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter, V, v. 12. From this period of time they were called by their life stages counted in decades. 11-20 Years
12.	Third stage	Javana	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter, V, v. 13. 21-30 years
13.	Fourth stage	Kalyāṇa	Mātaṅgalīlā, Chapter, V, v.14. 31-40 years
14.	Fifth stage	Yaudha	Mātaṅga-līlā, Chapter, V, v.15. 41-50 years
15.	Sixth stage	No specific name	51-60
16.	Seventh stage	No specific name	61-70
17.	Eighth stage	No specific name	71-80
18.	Ninth stage	No specific name	81-90
19.	Tenth stage	No specific name	91-100
20.	Eleventh stage	No specific name	101-110
21.	Twelfth stage	No specific name	111=120

Mention may be made that Gaja-śāstra also mentioned life circle of an elephant along with the references to other śāstras which includes first month to different stages. It shows the life circle of elephants which started from first month of an elephant. Mātaṅgalīlā mentioned names of elephants age up to fifth stage of their life circle. Following table shows a complete list of names of different stages of elephant’s age.

[Table 4: Showing different stages of elephant’s age]

Sl. No.	Months/Years	Sanskrit terms	Reference
1.	First month	Śiśu, Viklaba	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.1 & 43
2.	Second month	Haṃsa, Maṇḍaka	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.2 & 43
3.	Third month	Yūthaniṣkrāmī	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.2 & 44
4.	Fourth month	Capalāṅga	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.3
5.	Fifth month	Viklabākṣa	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.3 & 44
6.	Sixth month	Lakṣopadaṃśa	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.4
7.	Seventh month	Laṇḍabhakṣa	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.4 & 46
8.	Eighth month	Capala	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.5 & 46
9.	Ninth month	Krodhana	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.6
10.	Tenth month	Mātṛvatsala	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.6 & 47
11.	Eleventh month	Vyaktatālu	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.7 & 47
12.	Twelfth month	Vinidra, Jātavarṣa	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v.7-8 & 47 (only Vinidra)
13.	Second year	Cūlika	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 54
14.	Third year	Romaśacūlika, Kṣīradanta, also Apasarpa	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 10 & 49, 56
15.	Fourth year	Paryasta, Barbara	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 11 & 49, 57
16.	Fifth year	Alpanidra, Kalabha	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 13 & 49, 58
17.	Sixth year	Vaikārika	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 49, 59
18.	Seventh year	Śiśu	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 50, 60
19.	Eighth year	Añjana, Añjanābha	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 50 & 61
20.	Ninth year	Prabhava	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 50,62
21.	Tenth year	Vikka	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 50, 64
22.	From tenth to twentieth year	Kalabha	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 51
23.	Second stage	Pota	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 66
24.	Third stage	Javana, Kūlaṅkaṣa	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 51& 67, 68
25.	Fourth stage	Kalyāṇa	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 52, 70
26.	Fifth stage	Yūtha	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 52, 72
27.	Sixth stage	Niḥsṛtadanta, Niḥsṛtadantamūla	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 52 & 73
28.	Seventh stage	Vivarṇaka, Vivarṇa	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 52 & 74
29.	Eighth stage	Viravi/ Viravī	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 53, 76
30.	Ninth stage	Purāṇa	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 53, 78
31.	Tenth stage	Sthavira, Vṛddha	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 53 & 80
32.	Eleventh stage	Pūrvaka	Gaja-śāstra, Chapter V, v. 41 & 53

Chapter six

Chapter six (Ṣaṣṭhaḥ paṭalaḥ: Mānanirṇayādhikāraḥ), i.e., Determination of measurements of each of the three main castes; these agree quite well with figure given in other ancient sources and with the data of modern authorities.

The seventh chapter

The seventh chapter (Saptamaḥ paṭalaḥ: Mūlyaviśeṣādhikāraḥ) is the shortest, it deals with the price of elephants, but gives no specific information of interest or value.

The eighth chapter

The eighth chapter (Aṣṭamaḥ paṭala: Sattvalakṣaṇādhikāraḥ) is on “marks of character”. The major part of it consists of rather fantastic description of the “character” of elephants, based on physical and mental characteristics and classified as resembling supernatural beings of various sorts.

The ninth chapter

Chapter nine (Navamaḥ paṭalaḥ: Madabhedādhikāro) describes the stages of must i.e. the fluid which secretes mainly from the elephant’s temple, frontal globe and ears.

The tenth chapter

Chapter ten (Daśamaḥ paṭalaḥ: Gajagrahādhikāro) tells us the methods of catching elephants.

The eleventh chapter

The eleventh chapter is the longest one entitled (Ekādaśaḥ paṭalaḥ: Gajarakṣaṇadinartucaryādhikāra) -“On the keeping of elephants and their daily and seasonal regimen”. Interestingly this chapter respects the freedom of the elephant and clearly mentions that it is best in its natural environment and that captivity is bad for them.

Elephants’ disease and their medicines are also prescribed here. An interesting section of this same eleventh chapter is the group of verses describing the seasonal differences to be observed in the care of elephants in each of the six seasons of the Indian year.

The twelfth chapter:

The twelfth and the last chapter (Dvādaśaḥ paṭalaḥ: ādhoraṇaguṇāddhādhikāro) is miscellaneous, but is a very important chapter dealing primarily with the character and activities of elephant managers, trainers and drivers.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Gaṇapati Sāstrī. ed.The Mātaṅgalīlā of Nīlakaṇṭha, Trivandum: Trivandum Sanskrit Series, No.X, 1910.

[2]:

Ibid, p. Preface.

[3]:

Franklin Edgerton. The Elephant-Lore of the Hindus, pp.113-125.

[4]:

Thomas R. Trautmann. Elephants and Kings An Environmental History, Ranikhet: Permanent Black in association with Ashoka University, 2015, p.150.

[5]:

Franklin Edgerton. The Elephant-Lore of the Hindus, p. 6.

[6]:

Shri Mantramurti K.S. Subrahmanyaśāstri. ed. &tr. (in Tamil) with a summary in English by Shri S.Gopalan, Gaja-śāstra [Gajaśāstram] of Pālakāpya muni with extracts from other works and Coloured Illustrations, Chapter IV, v. 1927, Saraswati Mahal Series No. 76, Tanjore: T.M.S.S.M. Library, 1958, pp. 36-38.

[7]:

Thomas R. Trautmann. Elephants and Kings An Environmental History, pp.150-152.

[8]:

Gaṇapati Sāstrī. ed.The Mātaṅgalīlā of Nīlakaṇṭha, p. Preface.

[9]:

Sreedhar Vijayakrishnan. Elephant in the Room II, C.N. Namboothiri. Mātaṅgalīlā, Arthavedīvyākhyānam, Kodungalloor: Santha Publishers, 2009.

[10]:

Franklin Edgerton., pp.50-51 and Ga , p. 6.

[11]:

Franklin Edgerton. The Elephant-Lore of the Hindus, pp.56-57 and Gaṇapati Śāstrī. ed.The Mātaṅgalīlā of Nīlakaṇṭha, pp.9-10.

[12]:

Ibid., p.59 and p. 11, respectively.

[13]:

Franklin Edgerton. The Elephant-Lore of the Hindus, pp.60-61.

[14]:

Franklin Edgerton., pp.50-61 and Ga , pp.11-12.

[15]:

Franklin Edgerton., pp.62-66 and Ga , pp. 12-15.