เอราวัณ
Airavata
愛羅婆拿
Erawan is depicted as a magnificent three-headed elephant of pure celestial white, larger than any earthly elephant, adorned with elaborate golden royal ornaments, jewelled headpieces, and richly decorated caparison cloths. Each of his three heads bears enormous curved tusks, and his trunks hold lotus flowers. He stands upon a lotus pedestal, and his powerful form radiates supernatural strength and divine majesty. In the full cosmological depiction drawn from the Traiphum (Three Worlds) literature, Erawan is described as having thirty-three heads, one for each of the Thirty-Three Gods of Tavatimsa heaven.
Role 職能
Erawan is the divine three-headed white elephant of Indra, the king of the gods, serving as his celestial mount and the embodiment of royal power, auspiciousness, and cosmic might. As a mythic creature of immense strength and beauty, Erawan symbolises the sacred connection between the heavens and the earth, and its image marks sacred thresholds and protective spaces.
Thai Significance 泰式意義
Erawan holds extraordinary cultural and religious significance in Thailand. The famous Erawan Shrine in central Bangkok, one of the most visited religious sites in Southeast Asia, is named after this divine elephant and houses the four-faced Brahma image brought there to appease supernatural forces disturbing the construction site of the Erawan Hotel. The three-headed elephant also appears prominently in the historical royal emblem of the Kingdom of Lan Xang (Laos) and is a recurring motif in Thai royal regalia, temple murals, and national iconography. Erawan is seen as a guardian of royalty and sacred spaces.
Vedic Significance 吠陀意義
Airavata appears prominently in the Puranas as the great white elephant born from the churning of the cosmic ocean (Samudra Manthan), who became the vehicle and companion of Indra. His name means 'son of Iravat' (the ocean of milk) or 'child of the clouds,' and he is described in the Ramayana and Mahabharata as the foremost of all elephants, the lord of the eight Dig-gajas (directional guardian elephants). In Vedic cosmology, each of the eight cardinal and intercardinal directions is guarded by a divine elephant, with Airavata guarding the east — the direction of Indra.
Symbols 象徵
Offerings 供品
- •lotus flowers
- •white garlands
- •sugarcane
- •fruit especially bananas
- •incense
- •jasmine wreaths
- •fragrant flowers
Prayers & Occasions 祈禱時機
- ▸strength and power in challenges
- ▸auspiciousness at the start of important events
- ▸royal blessing and authority
- ▸protection of sacred spaces
- ▸rain and agricultural blessing
- ▸prosperity and abundance