Indian Elephant Modern Punjabi n. hathi. M; hathni. F; ਜਲਿ ਹਸਤੀ ਮਲਿ ਨਾਵਾਲੀਐ ਸਿਰਿ ਭੀ ਫਿਰਿ ਪਾਵੈ ਛਾਰੁ ॥ jal hasathee mal naavaaleeai sir bhee fir paavai shhaar || Elephants can be washed and bathed in water, but they only throw dust on their heads again. ਹਰਿ ਮੇਲਹੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਦਇਆ ਕਰਿ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਏਕੰਕਾਰੁ ॥ har maelahu sathigur dhaeiaa kar man vasai eaekankaar || O Kind and Compassionate True Guru, please unite me with the Lord, that the One Creator of the Universe may abide within my mind. Guru Ram Das

ਭਾਰੀ ਭੁਜਾਨ ਕੇ ਭੂਪ ਭਲੀ ਬਿਧਿ ਨਿਆਵਤ ਸੀਸ ਨ ਜਾਤ ਬਿਚਾਰੇ ॥
Bhaari bhujaan ke bhoop bhali bidh(i) niaavat soos na jaat bichaare||
With many kings indescribable, having long arms (of heavy allied forces), bowing their heads in fine array.

ਏਤੇ ਭਏ ਤੁ ਕਹਾ ਭਏ ਭੂਪਤਿ ਅੰਤ ਕੌ ਨਾਂਗੇ ਹੀ ਪਾਂਇ ਪਧਾਰੇ ॥੨॥੨੨॥
Ete bhae tu kahaa bhae bhoopat(i) ant kau naange hoo paane padhaare||2||22||
What matters if such mighty emperors were there, because they had to leave the world with bare feet.2.22.

ਜੀਤ ਫਿਰੈ ਸਭ ਦੇਸ ਦਿਸਾਨ ਕੋ ਬਾਜਤ ਢੋਲ ਮ੍ਰਿਦੰਗ ਨਗਾਰੇ ॥
Joot phirai sabh des disaan ko baajat ?hol mridang nagaare||
With the beat of drums and trumpets if the emperor conquers all the countries.

ਗੁੰਜਤ ਗੂੜ ਗਜਾਨ ਕੇ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਹਿੰਸਤ ਹੈਂ ਹਯਰਾਜ ਹਜਾਰੇ ॥
Gunjat goor gajaan ke sundar binsat hain hayraaj hajaare||
Along with many beautiful roaring elephants and thousands of neighing houses of best breed.

ਭੂਤ ਭਵਿੱਖ ਭਵਾਨ ਕੇ ਭੂਪਤ ਕਉਨੁ ਗਨੈ ਨਹੀਂ ਜਾਤ ਬਿਚਾਰੇ ॥
Bhoot bhavikkh bhavaan ke bhoopat kaun(u) ganai nahoon jaat bichaare||
Such like emperors of the past, present and future cannot be counted and ascertained.

ਸ੍ਰੀ ਪਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਭਗਵਾਨ ਭਜੇ ਬਿਨੁ ਅੰਤ ਕਉ ਅੰਤ ਕੇ ਧਾਮ ਸਿਧਾਰੇ ॥੩॥੨੩॥
Sri pat(i) Sri Bhagvaan bhaje bin(u) ant kau ant ke dhaam sidhaare||3||23||
But without remembering the Name of the Lord, they ultimately leave for their final abode.


Dasam Granth

This is good because we can see another word for "elephant."

Parsadi Hathi

From SikhiWiki



PRASADI HATHI, an elephant trained to perform several unusual feats, was among the presents brought to Guru Gobind Singh by an Assamese chief, Ratan Rai. According to Sikh chronicles, Ratan Rai's father, Ram Rai had served Guru Tegh Bahadur during his travels across Assam in the mid 1660s and received his blessing. Ratan Rai, as he grew up, learnt that after the death of Guru Tegh Bahadur, his son, Gobind Rai, sat on his spiritual seat. He travelled upcountry and came to Anandpur to make obeisance to the Guru, bringing with him as presents a young and trained elephant, five horses of rare breed and a five in one weapon. According to Bhai Santokh Singh, Gur Pratdap Suraj Granth, ritui, ansu 23, the Guru gave the name Prasddi to the elephant. Prasadi was a beautiful little beast with a round white mark on his head and white streaks on its trunk and back. He soon learnt to salute the Guru, wash his feet, put a saffron mark on his forehead, wave a whisk over him, collect and bring back arrows shot by him, and walk before him at night holding a torch high with his trunk. Prasadi soon became famous in the hill territory and instantly excited the envy of Bhim Chand, the Raja of Kahlur, as he once saw it while on a visit to the Guru. Failing to acquire the animal by strategem, he resorted to force and led out an armed contingent to attack Anandpur, but was repulsed. According to Sukha Singh, Gurbilas Dasvem Padshadhi, Prasadi was reduced to a skeleton owing to lack of food during the prolonged siege of Anandpur (1705), and Guru Gobind Singh had him killed to save him the torture.

Dal ji

This story is so wonderful. It is the historical element of Sikhi that makes all the technical language issues and the Gurbani come to life. This is all part of the reality, the stories of the Gurus who were living, breathing, compassionate people.