Diggaja
Diggajas ( Sanskrit दिग्गज diggaja ) also Dikkarin ( दिक्करिन् dikkarin ) are the eight elephants in Indian mythology that serve the Dikpalas , better known as Lokapalas , the eight guardians of the world and are accordingly assigned to the cardinal points of the Lokapalas.
Its topmost is the white elephant Airavata in the east, which serves as a mount ( Vahana ) for the creator god Indra .
In the Amarakosha of the grammarian Amara Simhan the following list of Diggajas appears:
Diggaja | Sanskrit | Dikpala | Compass direction | Sanskrit |
---|---|---|---|---|
Airavata | आरवत āiravata | Indra | east | पूर्व pūrva |
Pundarika | पुण्डरीक puṇḍarīka | Agni | southeast | आग्नेय āgneya |
Vamana | वामन Vamana | Yama | south | दक्षिण dakṣiṇa |
Kumuda | कुमुद kumuda | Surya | southwest | नैरृत nairṛta |
Anjana | अञ्जन añjana | Varuna | west | पश्चिम paścima |
Pushpadanta | पुष्पदन्त puṣpadanta | Vayu | Northwest | वायन vāyana |
Sarvabhauma | सार्वभौम sārvabhauma | Kubera | north | उत्तर uttara |
Supratics | सुप्रतीक supratīka | Ishana | Northeast | ऐशान aiśāna |
There are, however, deviations in the tradition, so it is mentioned in the commentary of the Kshriasvamin on the Amarakosha that the lexicographer Bhaguri uses the first five names Airavata, Pundarika, Kumuda, Anjana, and Vamana.
The following order appears in the Vishnudarmottara : Airavana (= Airavata), Padma (= Pundarika), Pushpadanta, Vamana, Supratika, Anjana, Nila (= Sarvabhauma) and Kumuda.
literature
- E. Washburn Hopkins: Epic mythology. Trübner, Strasbourg 1915, p. 17f. Reprint: Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi 1986
- DC Sircar: Studies in the geography of ancient and medieval India. 2nd edition Delhi 1971, p. 331
Individual evidence
- ↑ Amarakosha 1, 2, 8