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In the period of Somesvara the society was quite eager about elephant fighting. The citizens and kings were much interested in witnessing these fightings. Somesvara discusses in details. He gives the title for this Gajavahyali-Vinoda. Somesvara describes many varieties of elephants. According to Somesvara elephants are divided under three 60. manusmrti 9.223. apranibhiryatkriyate talloke yutamucyate | | gyfyfa: fthad veg a faau: auteqT: || 61. mahabharata santiparva 139.60. bhaksartha kidanartha va nara vacchanti paksinam | gatut artea autant audutga &A: ||

118 heads namely, Mrga, Manda, and Bhadra. He calls the mixed varieties as Misra and Sankirna. The temperament of the elephants is of three kinds, namely Sattvika, Rajasa, and Tamasa, to which the two mixed classes Misra and Sankirna are added. The temperament of elephants having predominance of Kapha, Pitta, and Vata is respectively classified Sattviki, Rajasi and Tamasi. Then he gives the qualities of the three kinds of elephants, namely the Sattavika, Rajasa and Tamasa. Elephant has been regarded important in India from the earliest times. The ancient writers have given an elaborate description of its origin, characteristics, training and so on. In the tenth mandala of the Rgveda there is a description of two elephants fighting with each other. The Ramayana also describes various types of It also, 62 elephants, both the pure and the mixed ones. msal mentions different kinds of elephants found in the different 62. rgveda 10.106.6. mrnyeva jarbhari turpharita naitoseva turphari parpharika | udanyajeva jemana maideru ta me jarabajaram marayu ||

119 regions of the country. 64 63 The Mahabharata mentions wild elephants. The king Somesvara recommends that a king should keep the best types of elephants in his army. 65 Gajavahyalivinoda means the sport with elephants in the arena. The king is asked to witness the sports and fight of elephants in the arena and thereby amuse himself and public. Only those elephants that are in rut can run and fight and therefore, good training should be imparted to them for fighting with the Yavanas. Further, Somesvara 66 63. ramayana balakanda 6.26. nityamnattaih sada purna nagairacalasamnnibhaih | sa yojane ca dve bhuyah satyanama prakasate || 64. mahabharata adiparva 70.26. punsasvadhyayasamdhustam pulinaismasobhitam | mattavaranasardula- bhujagendra-nisevitam || 65. suro rudho mahakayah sarvalaksanasamyutah | eko vijayate danti madaghurnitalocanah || mukhyam dantibalam rajnam samare /vijayaisinam | tasmannijabale karya bahavo varanottamah || 2.6.621-622. 66. idani gajavavali vinodah parikirtyate | gajaivinodanam kuryadvaddavalisato nrpah || satyamartham sramastesam karyom yavanayodhane | mardahina na dhavanti na yudhyante matajah || 43.205-206.

120 tells about the medicines, and gives suggestions regarding their maintenance, and so on. Here he suggests that Samakaksa elephant is the best for the fighting, raiding, and entertainments. Somesvara mentions Kopadipana medicines which excite anger in elephants and recommends that these should be administered to the elephants the day previous to the fight so that they may be able to run and fight furiously. Then he describes the twelve stages of anger or madavasthas, five of which are internal and seven 67 external. madavasthas. Then he describes the stages of each Further, Somesvara mentions the sports. The servants of the elephants should, surrounding the sports elephants, make war-cries (simhanada) and thus animate the warriors. Having heard these animating sounds the king should present the keepers of the elephants with elegant raiments, and oil sindura (lead oxide) etc. 568 For the purpose of fighting, 67. tatah sa jatasobhasya madavasthastu dantinah | antah ca made sapta dvadaseti samiritah || 4.3.481. 68. srrngarartham nrpo dadyattesam tesam prthak prthak | || mandanartham madebhanam tailam sindurameva ca || 4.3.508. ko

121 medicines should be given to the elephants to make them excited. On the day of the fighting no food or water should be given to the elephants. Oil should be applied to their hips and sindura to the heads. There should be Tilaka mark on the forehead in the middle. 69 "The space Then Somesvara tells about the arena. required for the arena should be one hundred Dhanus in length and sixty Dhanus in breadth. The ground must be smooth, free from pits, stones and thorns, and some-what raised to the east. "70 Further, he describes the seating arrangement. There should be two raised seats with network and ditches, one in the south and the other in the north. elephant. These should be as high as the chest of an 71 When the arena is completed thus, the king 69. tailena jaghanam lepyam sindurena ca mastakam | vatakumbhasya madhyetu kuryattilaka muttamam || 4.3.513. 70. satadhanvantarayamam vistare sasti sammitam | sakkugartadrsadvinam kantakadivivarjitam || apam samam slaksnam purvabhagonnatam manak | apamsulam bhuvam kumbhavrtam kuryadadayai dvaradvaya vikatam || 4.3.575-516 71. parikhavestitam tugam citrabhittisamanvitam | suramyam suvisalam ca paramandalikasrayam || 4.3.523.

122 should be informed of the arrangements by the Chamberlain. Thereupon the king after finishing his sacrifice, should issue a proclamation in the city with the help of drummers that men who are fat, women who are pregnant, children, and those who are lame and defective in some limb, should not move out in the public thorough-fares, as there is danger to life from furious elephants. Thus, the king should take care of his public. 72 Having completed his meals, he should dress himself and put on ornaments, send proper dress to the princes, their wives and to his tributary princes, and go along with his queen and ladies of the harem to the arena in the afternoon when the sun is setting. On reaching the arena, he should get his queen, princes, governors of the provinces, tributary princes, ministers and councillors to 73 to go the Alokamandira with the help of lights. The 72. aghosya dindimam raja puravithyam catuspathe | tundilairgarbhinivrndairbalaih padangakunthitaih || na yatavyam na yatavyam kautukaddharsanotsukaih | visama mattamatanga marayanti krttantavat || 4.3.528529. 73. tatah samprapya vayalimupavesya karenukah | uttanyentatah kantah purastacca pravesayet || kumaramandaladhisa- samantamatyamanyakan | sevakanvividhananyanalokena pravesayet || 11 4.3.537-538.

123 king should get all these that have entered the Alokamandiro seated in their proper places. Then he should ask his Then, the king should Gajadhyaksa to call the runners. ask them to state their reasons as to why they venture 74 to run with the elephants. Runners give their opinions. They want Gold wealth, etc. On hearing them he should give proper answer. There are three kinds of runners according to their speed in running. The total ground of the arena is divided into three parts; the first is called the Dvipabhumi, the second the Nrpabhumi and the 75 third the Parikarabhumi. The runner who is able to maintain his position before the first class elephant even by one cubit in any one of the three Bhumis mentioned is considered to be the best. Similarly one who is able to maintain his position before an elephant of the middle class, is considered to be the second best, while the one who is able to maintain his position before a third class elephant is the third best." Somesvara then gives 74. avam matsarinau deva vayam kanakaka ksinah | maya dvipasanam ruddhamaham paribhavanvitah || 75. prathama dvipabhumih syatmadhyama nrpatermahi | trtiya parikarasya 4.3.544. gdur qfestezu Hyfard faut hat || 4.3.547. bhumirevam mata ||

124 the definition of the best, middle and low speed of elephants. Somesvara remarks further that when a runner goes ahead by one Bhumi leaving the elephant in the previous Bhumi, he is considered to have won the race and the elephant is defeated. But on the other hand, the runner who leaves the track fixed for running and goes astray or who is caught by the elephant is said to be defeated. He, who runs for others, obtains a reward if successful; defeat brings no reward and if caught by the elephant he is 76 dead. Then Somesvara mentions riders, namely the best, the middling, and the low. And he describes the methods of maintaining the elephants and different positions of riding. He tells about ten types of ridings, which are followed by different kinds of movements of the rider's body, the manipulations of the elephant's goad in respect t of touching and piercing with it and the strokes of its point. 76. tumbikam va pariksyajya vithim hitva snyato vrajet | sarpavadvapi yah sarveddhrto va samparajitah || parartham dhavamanastu yadvanamapnuyat | | parajaye dhanam nasti kunjarena hato hatah || 4.3.562-563.

125 A fight between two elephants is then started. Somesvara here describes different kinds of strokes made by the tusks. The elephants are placed face to face and the fight starts. When the fight is over, presents are given to the Officer in-charge of elephants, the keeper of elephants, the runners, the riders, the drum-beaters and the horsemen (running by elephants. Somesvara tells here that these entertainments 77 are for the king as well as his public. The king should thereafter ride an elephant and return to his palace.