Supratika (Sanskrit:सुप्रतीक,romanized: Supratīka) is the name of many kings, sages and legendary figures, including three different famous elephants inHindu mythology, foremost among whom is listed as one of theAshtadiggajas, each representing theeight quarters of the universe. The Hindu epicMahabharata describes two more elephants by the same name – an elephant that was an incarnation of a sage, and the one that belonged toBhagadatta, the king ofPragjyotisha.
TheAmarakosha, a thesaurus of Sanskrit, mentions the names of eightmale elephants that bear the world together, asAiravata, Pundarika, Vamana, Kumunda, Anjana, Pushpadanta, Sarvabhauma, and Supratika.[1] Supratika represents the north-east direction, the quarter ofSoma. Anjanavati is described to be the wife of Supratika.[2]
On the twelfth day of theKurukshetra War,Duryodhana sent a large elephant division againstBhima. Bhima killed all the elephants with his mace. This created a havoc among theKaurava army and they fled for their life in all directions. Angered by this, the king ofPragjyotisha,Bhagadatta,[3] seated on Supratika, charged against Bhima. The elephant rushed forward and crushed Bhima's chariot into pieces, killing his charioteer and horses. Bhima escaped destruction by jumping off his chariot. He got underneath the elephant and severed its vital points causing exceeding pain. Enraged at this, the elephant grew mad and tried to throw him off. In an instant, it caught Bhima with its trunk and was about to crush him under the knees. But Bhima managed to escape from its hold and again got underneath the elephant and in between its limbs and started attacking it. Bhima was hopeful that another elephant from thePandava side would come for his rescue. When he got underneath the elephant for the second time, hiding in between its legs, theKaurava army thought he had been slain by the beast.[4]
Yudhishthira, Bhima's elder brother, was struck with grief and urged his forces to destroy Bhagadatta and Supratika. The king ofDasarna charged against them. In the great battle that took place between Supratika and Dasarna's elephant, Supratika crushed Dasarna's elephant to death. Utilising his time, Bhima emerged from beneath Supratika and fled. The Pandava army was relieved when they saw Bhima alive.[4]
Supratika was later killed the same day, byArjuna's arrows, who also later killed its rider, Bhagadatta.
The legend of Sage Supratika, the younger brother of Vibhavasu, is described in theSkanda Purana. The two brothers are described to have been hostile towards each other ever since their birth. Once, the sages grew furious during a monetary dispute and exchanged curses: Vibhavasu cursed Supratika to become an elephant, and Supratika cursed Vibhavasu to become a tortoise. The elephant Supratika is described to have become sixyojanas tall and twelve yojanas wide. Engaged in battle along a lake, the two animals were seized byGaruda, who took them in his claws to a mountain and ate them on the advice of his fatherKashyapa.[5]
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