Kircher says that “the veneration which, in the Burman Empire, is paid to the white elephant, is in some degree connected with the doctrine of metempsychosis. Xaca sustained seventy thousand transmigrations through various animals, and rested in the white elephant.” Hindoo mythology teaches that the earth is supported by eight elephants; and that this was believed, is shown by Bernier, who witnessed a dialogue between an aga at the court of Delhi, and a Pundit Brahmin. The harangue concluded with these words: “When, my lord, you place your foot in the stirrup, marching at the head of your cavalry, the earth trembles under your footsteps; the eight elephants, on whose heads it is borne, finding it impossible to support the extraordinary pressure.”
In the Rámáyana, one of the most celebrated sacred books of the Brahmins, is a very curious account of the journey of a party of men who penetrated to the interior of the earth, and had an audience with the famous elephants. It will be seen from the following, that the white elephant is an important member of this subterranean band:—
“The sixty thousand descended to Patala, and there renewed their digging. There, O chief of men! they saw the elephant of that quarter of the globe, in size resembling a mountain, with distorted eyes, supporting with his head this earth, with its mountains and forests, covered with various countries, and adorned with numerous cities. When, for the sake of rest, O Kakootstha! the great elephant, through distress, refreshes himself by moving his head, an earthquake is produced. Having respectfully circumambulated this mighty elephant, guardian of the quarter, they, O Rama! fearing him, penetrated into Patala. After they had thus penetrated the east quarter, they opened their way to the south. Here they saw that great elephant Muhapudma, equal to a huge mountain, sustaining the earth with his head. Beholding him, they were filled with surprise; and, after the usual circumambulation, the sixty thousand sons of the great Sugura perforated the west quarter. In this, these mighty ones saw the elephant Soumanuca, of equal size. Having respectfully saluted him, and inquired respecting his health, these valiant men, digging, arrived at the north. In this quarter, O chief of Ruzhoo! they saw the snow-white elephant Bhudra, supporting this earth with his beautiful body.”
The Persians have, according to Chardin, a festival in honor of the inspiration of an elephant, when Abraha, a prince of Yemen, marched an army to destroy the Kaaba of Mecca, the sacred oratory which Abraham built in that city. Prior to the birth of Mohammed, the Arabians reckoned from this epoch, which they called the year of the coming of the elephants. The tradition is thus told in Sale’s Koran: “The Meccans, at the approach of so considerable a host, retired to the neighboring mountains, being unable to defend their city or temple. But God himself undertook the defence of both. For when Abraha drew near to Mecca, and would have entered it, the elephant on which he rode, which was a very large one, and named Mahmud, refused to advance any nigher to the town, but knelt down whenever they endeavored to force him that way, though he would rise and march briskly enough if they turned him towards any other quarter: and while matters were in this posture, on a sudden, a large flock of birds, like swallows, came flying from the sea-coast, every one of which carried three stones, one in each foot, and one in its bill; and these stones they threw down upon the heads of Abraha’s men, certainly killing every one they struck.”
In many old works, reference is made to the fact that the elephant was a religious animal. Kircher, in his description of China, gives a plate showing a white elephant worshipping the sun and moon, which was copied from the Chinese. It was supposed that all elephants worshipped the sun. Pliny says, “We find in him qualities which are rare enough amongst men,—honesty, prudence, equity, religion also, in his worship of the sun and moon. Authors say, that, in the forests of Mauritania, the elephants, at the sight of the new moon, descend in troops to a certain river called Anelo, where they solemnly wash themselves, and, having rendered their homage to the star, return to the woods, supporting the young ones that are fatigued.”
According to Vincent, in Pali Scriptures it is duly set forth “that the form under which Buddha will descend to the earth for the last time, will be that of a beautiful young white elephant, open-jawed, with a head the color of cochineal, with tusks shining like silver sparkling with gems, covered with a splendid netting of gold, perfect in organs and limbs, and majestic in appearance.”
It would seem from the above, that there was at least little doubt that among some classes in ancient times the white elephant was worshipped. The term white is deceptive. The pure white elephant figured on the arms and flag of Siam has conveyed the impression that the Siamese and Burmese possessed pure white proboscidians; but this is a gross error. A pure white elephant probably never existed, at least was never captured. All the so-called sacred elephants of the present and former days possessed very few characteristics to distinguish them from ordinary elephants to be met with any day in Bombay. Mr. Barnum’s white elephant is an exceptionally fine example, being whiter than many owned in Siam, and much more so than the late white elephant of Theebaw. In fact, the white elephant is not white at all, the term being applied to any elephant who shows the slightest evidence of albinism. There are two terms applied to abnormally white or black animals,—albinism and melanism. The former is given to animals, including men, who have a deficient supply of coloring matter; while the latter is associated with those who have an excess of pigment. Men and women with white hair and pink eyes, the white rabbit, etc., represent the albino phase; and the white elephant belongs to this category, being simply an ordinary elephant, who, to a greater or less extent, lacks coloring matter; and, as a result, it is often a dark mouse color, a little lighter than the ordinary elephant, and has numerous pinkish splashes about the head, or on various parts of the body. The eyes in some are pink; and the toe-nails, when scraped, are perhaps some lighter, and in some cases a yellowish white. The blotches of the white elephant are not hereditary. It is the offspring of black parents, and the condition does not affect the health of the animal in any way.
In India, the white elephant is not appreciated; but the Singhalese are fond of elephants having the pink blotches which constitute a white elephant in Siam or Burmah; and they are liable to be found in any elephant country.
While we assume that the white elephant is not worshipped or revered by the nobles of Siam and Burmah of the present day, the honor that is paid it is somewhat astonishing. Thus, the King of Cambodia, who claims that his ancestors owned seventy thousand elephants, is called the “first cousin of the white elephant;” the prime minister of Siam, “general of the elephants;” the foreign minister of Cochin China, “mandarin of elephants;” while the late Theebaw and the King of Siam enjoyed the distinction of being called “lord of the celestial elephant,” and “master of many white elephants.”