Airāvata (Airavata) was a nāga (naga or a kind of serpent) who was born out of the womb of the womb of Kadrū (Kadru), the daughter of Dakṣa (Daksha). Kaśyapa (Kasyapa) was the father of him. In the Āstīka (Astika) parva of the Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), Airāvata (Airavata) was mentioned with the other sons of Kadrū (Kadru) while describing the Sarpanāma (Sarpanama or name of the snakes). Actually nāga (naga) means both sarpa or serpent and hastī (hasti) or elephant. In the epics and the Purāṇas (Puranas), the name of Airāvata (Airavata) was used many times, sometimes to indicate sarpa or serpent. Sometimes Airāvata (Airavata) implies the names of hastī (hasti) or elephants. This similarity in naming indicates that they were the representatives of the nāga (naga) tribes who lived scattered all over in ancient India, though the Pourāṇikas (Pouranikas or the writers of the Purāṇa [Purana]) marked them differently as sarpa or serpents and hastī (hasti) or elephant. This Airāvata (Airavata) was a king of the nāga (naga or a kind of serpent) tribe.

Many tales about the nāgas (nagas) belonging to the clan of Airāvata (Airavata) were strewn apart in the vast narrative of the Mahābhārata (Mahabharata). During the twelve years Vanavāsa (Vanavasa or living in the forest), it was known that Arjuna married Ulūpī (Ulupi), the daughter of Kouravya, the king of nāgas (nagas), belonging to the lineage of Airāvata (Airavata)-

Airāvatakule jātaḥ kouravyo nāma pannagaḥ.

For this relationship, the nāgas (nagas) belonging to the clan of Airāvata (Airavata), participated with their army in support of the Pāṇḍavas (Pandavas) in the Kurukṣetra (Kurukshetra) war. Irāvān (Iravan), the son Arjuna, himself led this army of the nāgas (nagas).
In the Udyogaparva of the Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), there was a narrative of Nārada (Narada) and Mātali (Matali). It can be seen in this narrative that Mātali (Matali), the Sārathi (Sarathi or chariot driver) of Indra chose Sumukha, a nāga (naga) of the clan of Airāvata (Airavata), as an eligible groom for his daughter, Guṇakeśī (Gunakesi). These two incidents prove though the nāgas (nagas) were Anārya (Anarya or other than Aryan) tribes, in the era of the epics, the Āryas (Aryas or Aryans) could accommodate them. They were finally included within the culture of the Āryas (Aryas or Aryans).
It was known that later, in the Sarpayajña (Sarpayajna or Sacrifice of Snakes in fire) performed by Janamejaya, the great grandson of Arjuna, many nāgas (nagas) of the Airāvata (Airavata) clan were burnt down.

It was depicted in the Vāyu, Viṣṇu and Brhmāṇḍa Purāṇas (Vayu, Vishnu and Brahmanda Puranas) that Airāvata Nāga (Airavata naga) stayed in the chariot of Sūrya (Surya or Sun) during the month of Kārtika (Kartika).

But in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (Bhagavata Purana), it was said that (Airavata naga) was situated in the chariot of Sūrya (Surya or Sun) during the month of Phālguna (Phalguna).