Reflection on Elephant Words in Sanskrit

Abstract

The Sanskrit lexicon (Kośas) is a collection of synonymous and polysemous words. The present paper attempts to study the selective elephant words from the Sanskrit lexicons in the light of grammatical derivation. It will be seen that each word marks some peculiar meaning different from the other and thereby reveals some characteristic of the elephant. Thus, the word stambherama used for elephant indicates the practice of tying an elephant to the post. The word kareṇu suggests that the elephant bears pollen or dust on his head. The words dvipa and anekapa reveal that the elephant drinks water twice. The word sāmaja used for an elephant is suggestive of the origin of the elephant. The paper also considers the range of usage of the elephant words recorded by the lexicon in Sanskrit literature.