Anatomically this is entirely possible and I remember reading about such function by mahouts.
They were sitting on the “neck” of the elephant. Just like in humans the connection between the spine and the skull must be easily visible ( dimple) and palpable. The mahout stabbed the elephant there with the spear- like projection of the ankus, thus severing its spinal cord. Right away it caused the so-called quadriplegia , ie paralysis of all four extremities ( remember Christopher Reeves?) with inability to move even another inch.
Big game hunters aimed their shot between the eye and the ear of their prey: kind of “temple”, the shortest way to the brain stem: same effect. One must have been pretty strong to penetrate the skull with the Katar blade, but you do not become a Rajah just for nothing.
Neuroanatomy rules!
The only astonishing thing in this story is how did this guy manage to mount a berserked elephant that must have been running full speed.
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