Editing Airavata (section)

==Hindu tradition==
[[File:Bangkok Wat Arun Phra Prang Indra Erawan.jpg|thumb|200px|Detail of the Phra Prang, the central tower of the [[Wat Arun]] ("Temple of Dawn") in [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]], showing [[Indra]] on his three-headed elephant Erawan (Airavata).]]

The appearance or birth of Airavata varies according to different Hindu texts. In the [[Ramayana]], Airavata was born to [[Iravati]] (descendant of the sage, [[Kashyapa]]) whereas, the Vishnu Purana notes that Airavata was born from the churning of the [[ocean of milk]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Williams |first=George M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7LOZfwCDpEC&dq=airavata+hindu+mythology&pg=PA52 |title=Handbook of Hindu Mythology |date=2008-03-27 |publisher=OUP USA |isbn=978-0-19-533261-2 |pages=52 |language=en}}</ref>   According to the Matangalila, Airavata was born when [[Brahma]] sang sacred [[hymns]] over the halves of the egg shell from which [[Garuda]] hatched, followed by seven more male and eight female elephants. [[Prithu]] made Airavata king of all elephants. One of his names means "the one who knits or binds the clouds" since myth has it that these elephants are capable of producing clouds. The connection of elephants with water and rain is emphasized in the [[Hindu mythology|mythology]] of Indra, who rides the elephant Airavata when he defeats [[Vritra]].

It is believed that the elephant guards one of the points of compass.<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/64 64]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref> Airavata also stands at the entrance to [[Svarga]], Indra's [[palace]]. In addition, the eight [[Guardians of the directions|guardian deities]] who preside over the points of the [[compass]] each sit on an elephant ([[World Elephant|world elephant]]). Each of these deities has an elephant that takes part in the defense and protection of its respective quarter. Chief among them is Airavata of [[Indra]]. There is a reference to Airavata in the [[Bhagavad Gita]]:

{{Blockquote|Of horses, know Me to be the nectar-born [[Uchchaihshravas]]; of lordly elephants, Airavata and of men, the monarch.<ref>[http://bhagavadgitaasitis.com/10/27/en1 Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 10, Verse 27)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015252/http://bhagavadgitaasitis.com/10/27/en1 |date=30 September 2007 }}</ref>}}

Airavata is also known for being the cause of the churning of the ocean of milk. Once sage [[Durvasa]] presented a garland to Indra, who passed it on to Airavata. The elephant then threw the garland on to the ground, which angered Durvasa and resulted in the demigods to be "subject to old age and death." Reversing the curse required the devas to retrieve the nectar of immortality by churning the ocean of milk.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lochtefeld |first=James G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AbWazgEACAAJ |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M |date=2002 |publisher=Rosen |isbn=978-0-8239-3179-8 |pages=19 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

At [[Darasuram]] near [[Tanjore]] is [[Airavatesvara Temple|a temple]] where it is believed that Airavata worshipped the [[Lingam]]; the Lingam is named after him as Airavateshwara. This temple, which abounds in rare sculpture and [[architectural]] workmanship, was built by [[Rajaraja Chola II]] (1146–73 CE).<ref>{{cite book |title=World Heritage Monuments and Related Edifices in India |url=https://archive.org/details/worldheritagemon00javi |url-access=limited |author=Ali Javid |author2=ʻAlī Jāvīd |author3=Tabassum Javeed |publisher=Algora Publishing |date=2008 |page=[https://archive.org/details/worldheritagemon00javi/page/n66 57]}}</ref>