ĀNA I (A Malayalam word meaning elephant). Bhāgavata relates the story of how Indradyumna became an elephant by the curse of Agastya. (See under Indradyumna).
ĀNA II (Elephant). Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa narrates the origin of elephants thus: “Kaśyapa was born to Marīci, son of Brahmā. Kaśyapa married the daughters, Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kālikā, Tāmrā, Krodhavaśā, Manu and Analā, of Dakṣaprajāpati. Of these Krodhavaśā gave birth to ten girls, Mṛgī, Mṛgamadā, Harī, Bhadramatā, Mātaṅgī, Śārdūlī, Śvetā, Surabhi, Surasā, and Kadrū. Elephants were born as the sons of Mātaṅgī.
[Sarga 14, Araṇya Kāṇḍa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.] . There is a story in the Mahābhārata to explain why the tongue of the elephant is curved inside. “Bhṛgu Maharṣi cursed Agni and greatly dejected over this he disappeared from public and hid somewhere. The Devas started searching for him and it was an elephant that showed the devas the hiding place of Agni. Agni then cursed the elephants and said that thereafter all the elephants would have their tongues curved inside.
[Śloka 36, Chapter 85, Anuśāsana Parva, M.B.] . The signs of good elephants and the treatment to be accorded to sick ones are detailed in
[Agni Purāṇa] . “Elephants with long trunks and heavy breathing belong to the top class and they will possess great endurance power. Those who have nails eighteen or twenty in number and who became turbulent during winter belong to a superior class. Those ones whose right tusks are a bit raised, whose cry is stentorian as that of thunder whose ears are very big and whose skins are spotted are the best of the species. Other varieties especially the dwarfish type and she-elephants in the early stage of pregnancy are not good and not fit to be tamed. Elephants who have Varṇa, Sattva, Bala, Rūpa, Kānti, Śarīraguṇa and Vega will conquer enemies in a battle; there is no doubt about it. Elephants are an ornament for any battle-array. The victory earned by a King with his elephants is more respected. For all diseases of an elephant Anuvāsana or Snehavasti is recommended. A bath after anointing it with oil or ghee is good. For skin diseases the ghee may be combined with Mañjal (Turmeric), Maramañjal or gomūtra (cow urine). If it suffers from enlargement of the belly, giving it a bath with sesame oil is good. It can be given Pañcalavaṇas and Vāruṇīmadya to drink. If there is fainting it must be given rice mixed with Vlalari, Triphala, Cukku, Mulaku and Tippali and water mixed with honey to drink. If there is headache anointing the head with sesame oil and inhalation of the same is good. For diseases of the foot, treatment with Snehapuṭas is prescribed. To get motion of the bowels Kalkaṇṭa Kaṣāya (infusion of sugar candy) is good. To those who have shivers should be given the flesh of peacock, Tittiri bird and Lāva bird mixed with Tippali and pepper. For dysentery the tender fruit of Kūvala, skin of Pāccotti, flower of Tātiri should be dried and powdered and be given mixed with sugar along with rice. For Karagraha (pain inside the trunk) Nasyam of ghee with Īntappū mixed in it should be done. It must be given “Muttaṅga Kañci with tippali, Cukku and Jīraka in it. For Utkarṇaka (pain in the ear) flesh of pigs should be given. For Galagraha (pain in the neck) a liniment made of Daśamūla, Mutirappuli and Kākkappancci in oil should be rubbed at the site of pain and the elephant kept under chains. If there is difficulty in passing urine light liquor containing powdered Aṣṭalavaṇas should be given. For all skin diseases use Vep oil as an ointment and give the infusion of Āṭaloṭaka to drink. For worms (inside the stomach) give cow's urine with powdered Vlālari in it. If the elephant is getting reduced and weak it should be given milk or meat soup with Cukku, Tippali and grapes well mixed in it. If there is lack of appetite it is to be given Mulgaudana (rice boiled along with Cerupayar) to which is added Cukku, Mulaku and Tippali. If it is Gulma it should be given sesame oil boiled with the following: Trikotpakkonna, Cukku, Mulaku Tippali, Kotuvelikkilaṅgu, Nāgadantiveru, Erikkinveru, Nātkkotpakkonna, Milk and Attittippali. Navara rice with sort of cerupayar can also be given. For swellings on the face, a paste made of tender Kūvala fruits can be rubbed at the site of the swelling. For all sorts of pains in the stomach rice well mixed with the powder made by grinding together Vlālari, Kuṭakappālayari, Asafoetida, Carala, Mañjal, Maramañjal may be given. The best food for elephants is the rice of Navara, Vrīhi and cennellu. Yava and wheat are next to the above. Any other food is inferior to these. Yava and sugarcane will give strength to elephants. Dry yava rice is not good. Milk and meat cooked with carminative ingredients are good for elephants who have gone lean. If the elephants receive great injuries in a battle the meat of birds like crow, fowl, cuckoo and Hari mixed with honey is good. Fumigation by the burning of chilli, fish, Vlālari, caustic soda, Puttal, Pīram and maramañjal mixed together is effective. Dropping honey medicated with tippali tandula, sesame oil, and fruit honey in the eyes is not only good for the eyes but is also inducive of digestion. Make an ointment with the faces of the birds cātaka and Pārāvata mixed with the burnt skin of Nātpāmara dissolved in light spirit. If this ointment is applied, the elephant would defeat all enemies in a battle. Powder Nīlotpala, Muttaṅga and Takara and make an ointment using rice gruel. Applying this ointment in the eye is excellent. If the nails grow they should be cut at least once a month. Once in a month an oil bath is good for the elephants. Elephant sheds should be spread with cowdung discs and dust. Doing Seka with ghee during autumn and summer is advisable.
[Chapter 287, Agni Purāṇa] . 1. Vlālari--The grain of Vlal--Viḍaṅga (Babreng) 2. Triphalā--A combination of the three fruits: a) āmalakī [Emblic Myrobalam] b) Vibhītakī (Beleric Myrobalam) and c) Harītakī (Myrobalam) 3. Cukku--Suṇṭhī (dry ginger) 4. Mulaku--Raktamarica (chilli) 5. Tippali--Pippalī (long pepper) 6. Kūvala--Vilva (Bengal Kins) 7. Pāccotti--Lodhra (symplocos Racemosa) 8. Tātiri--Dhātakī (Grislea Tomentosa) 9. Nasyam--A method of introducing medicine through the nose 10. Intappū--Śallakī Puṣpa (Flower of Boswellia Thurifera) 11. Muttaṅga--Mustā (Cyperus Rotendus) Kañcī means rice boiled with water and Muttaṅga Kañcī means rice and muttaṅga boiled together. 12. Jīraka--Jīraka (cumin seeds) 13. Daśamūla--A combination of ten herbs. 14. Mutirappuh 15. Kākkappanacci--Kākatindu 16. Aṣṭalavaṇas--Eight salts like common salt, rock salt, magnesium sulphate etc. 17. Āṭaloṭaka--Āṭarūṣa (Vasaka) 18. Cerupayar--Mudga (green-grain) 19. Gulma 20. Trikotpakkonna--Trivṛt (Turbithroot) 21. Koṭuvelikkilañgu--Citraka (Plumbago rose) 22. Nāgadantivcru--Root of Nāgadantī (Glancous leaved Physicnut) 23. Erikkin Veru--Root of Arkka (Gigantic swallow wort) 24. Nātkkotpakkonna--Kṛṣṇa Trivṛt 25. Attittippalī--Hasti-pippalī 26. Navara--Ṣaṣṭikā--A kind of rice. 27. Carala--Saralā (long leaved pine) 28. Mañjal--Haridrā (Turmeric) 29. Maramañjal--Dārvī 30. Vrīhi--Cīnaḥ (A kind of paddy) 31. Cennellu--Śāli (Red rice) 32. Yava--yava (Barley) 33. Puttal 34. Piram 35. Taṇḍula--same as Vlāl 36. Nātpamara--Four trees: Vaṭa, Vaṭa, Aśvattha and Udumbara. 37. Nīlotpala--Nīlapadma (Blue water-lilly) 38. Takara--Tagara 39. Seka--A drip-bath with medicated oil.