As the sacred Sāman was sung, a wondrous event unfolded: an elephant came into being instantly. Bhauvana, desiring a son, bestowed this majestic creature upon Irāvatī. Because he was the son of Irāvatī, he became known as Airāvata. When Airāvata was yoked to the chariot of the king of the gods, he shone as the foremost lord of all elephants—radiant like a white cloud, adorned with four glorious tusks. Another elephant, golden-hued and noble, was born from the single root of Apsuja. This one possessed six tusks; Bhadra was yoked to the chariot, and Bala was his strength. Bhadra’s sons were Añjana, Supratīka, Vāmana, and Padma—the fourth being Padma. Hastinī and Ābhramū were also born in this lineage. Śvetā gave birth to four swift elephants, guardians of the quarters: Bhadra, Mṛga, Manda, and Saṅkīrṇa. Among these, Saṅkīrṇa—also known as Añjana—was yoked to Yama, the lord of death. Bhadra, who is Supratīka, was green and belonged to the lord of waters. Padma, who is Manda, shone white and served as the elephant of Ailavila. Mṛga, also called Śyāma, was yoked to the fire gods. Padmottara, who is Padma, became the elephant of Varuṇa’s host. Upalepana, the ram, had eight sons born to him. From his lineage came elephants endowed with great vigor—white young nails, tawny color, and large bodies. The story of elephants and other nāgas unfolds in this order. Among them were Kapila, Puṇḍarīka, Sumanābha, and Rathāntara—well-established and mighty sons. There were also Śūlā, Sthūlā, Śirodānta, and those with pure white nails, strong and powerful, known as the Ākulikas. Puṣpadanta, Bṛhatsāmā, Ṣaḍdanta, Dantapuṣpavān, and Tāmravarṇa were sons adorned with companions and splendid tusks. In this lineage were elephants with thick lips and beautiful faces; dark-skinned, handsome, fierce, and marked by various afflictions. Vāmadeva, dark as collyrium, was born from Sāmna, followed by Vāmana. Āṅgadā was his wife, and their two sons bore marks of blue vines. Among these, Caṇḍa stood out with a head and neck like a pillar, a broad chest, and swift movement. In their family, some elephants were born deformed and bound by men. Supratīka had no equal in form among elephants; his three sons were Prahārī, Sampātī, and Pṛthu-citti. Gentle, noble elephants with long palates and lips, well-shaped heads and bellies, were born in his lineage. From Añjana came Añjanā, and from Sāmna was born Añjanāvatī, making their mother renowned. The two sons of Ayuraja arose from this line. These elephants had greatly divided heads, resembling glossy thunderclouds; they were handsome, well-built, lotus-hued, rounded, tuskless, and possessed yellowish, elongated mouths. Such elephants appeared in her lineage. From Candramasa and Sāmna, Piṅgalā was born, radiant as a lotus. Her two sons were Mahāpadma and Urmimālī. In their lineage were elephants with equal gifts, fierce and powerful bellies, beloved in elephant combat. During the battle between gods and demons, the gods seized these elephants for victory. Having fulfilled their purpose, those previously mentioned were sent to guard the directions. From their lineage, the gods gifted well-trained elephants to Aṅga, Lomapāda, and Sūtrakāra. The elephant is known by many names: dvirada from its two teeth, hastī from its hand, karī from its trunk, varaṇa from protection, dantī from its tusks, and gaja from its roaring. Kuñjara refers to its wandering, nāga for opposing mountains, mataṅga from the sage Mataṅga, dvipa from two, and sāmaja for being born of Sāmna—thus is the order of their names. Their tongues turn back, as if affected by Agni’s curse. The lack of strength and the concealed penis among elephants are due to the curse of Svayambhū and the gods. Gods, demons, gandharvas, piśācas, serpents, and rākṣasas—among their daughters, elephants of various origins were born. The origin and manifestation, as well as the explanation of names, should be understood regarding elephants whose king is Vibhāvasu. The Kauśikas and others arose from the ocean, then from the Ganges; from Añjana’s single root, the eastern elephant forest was born. North of the Vindhya and south of the Ganges, from the Ganges’ emergence in Karūṣa, lies the forest of Supratīka. With another boundary, from the north and also from the Āvedis, the fifth forest is remembered as that of the dwarf-bodied one. Another boundary follows the Lauhitya river, and to the west of the ocean, lies the forest of Yama, stretching along the mountains. Bhūti gave birth to beings and to the attendants of Rudra, the Lord—some massive, some thin, some tall, some dwarfish, some short, some of equal stature. They had pendant ears, hanging lips, drooping tongues, and sagging breasts and bellies; some with single forms, some with double forms, some with heavy buttocks and thick calves. These beings dwelled in lakes, ponds, seas, and riverbanks; they were black, fair, blue, white, and red-hued. Some were brown, spotted, smoky, tawny, harsh as wild asses; some had munja grass-like hair, bristling hair, and some wore serpents as sacred threads. Others had protruding eyes, deformed eyes, thin eyes, and many-eyed; some had many heads, some none, and some just one. Fierce and monstrous, hairy and very hairy, blind, matted-haired, dwarfish, and those who neigh like horses—they all dwelled in lakes, ponds, seas, and riverbanks. Among them were beings with single ears, great ears, conch-shaped ears, and those without ears; some had tusks, some claws, some were toothless, some double-tongued; some had one hand, two hands, three hands, and some none at all. Thus, the story of the elephants and their wondrous kin unfolds, each bearing the marks of divine origin, with their forms, names, and lineages shaped by the will of the gods and the mysteries of creation.