Kautilya's Arthashastra 2.17: Chapter 17 (Section 35): The Director of Forests

2.17.1

kupyādhyakṣo dravyavanapālaiḥ kupyam ānāyayet //

THE Superintendent of Forest Produce shall collect timber and other products of forests by employing those who guard productive forests. He shall not only start productive works in forests, but also fix adequate fines and compensations to be levied from those who cause any damage to productive forests except in calamities.

2.17.2

dravyavanakarmāntāṃś ca prayojayet //

2.17.3

dravyavanacchidrāṃ ca deyam atyayaṃ ca sthāpayed anyatrāpadbhyaḥ //

2.17.4

kupyavargaḥ - śākatiniśadhanvanārjunamadhūkatilakasālaśiṃśapā.arimedarājādanaśirīṣakhadirasaralatālasarja.aśvakarṇasomavalkakuśāmrapriyakadhava.ādiḥ sāradāruvargaḥ //

The following are forest products.

Sáka (teak), tinisa (Dalbergia Ougeinensis), dhanvana (?), arjuna (Terminalia Arjuna), madhúka (Bassia Latifolia), tilaka (Barleria Cristata), tála (palmyra), simsúpa (Dalbergia Sissu), arimeda (Fetid Mimosa), rájádana (Mimosops Kauki), sirisha (Mimosa Sirísha), khadira (Mimosa Catechu), sarala (Pinus Longifolia), tálasarja (sal tree or Shorea Robesta), asvakarna (Vatica Robesta), somavalka (a kind of white khadíra), kasámra (?), priyaka (yellow sal tree), dhava (Mimosa Hexandra), etc., are the trees of strong timber (sáradáruvarga).

2.17.5

uṭajacimiyacāpaveṇuvaṃśasātinakaṇṭakabhāllūka.ādir veṇuvargaḥ //

Utaja, Chimiya, Chava, Vénu, Vamsa, Sátina, Kantaka, and Bhállúka, etc., form the group of bamboo.

2.17.6

vetraśīkavallīvāśīśyāmalatānāgalatā.ādir vallīvargaḥ //

Vetra (cane), sokavalli, vási (Justicia Ganderussa?), syámalatá (Ichnocarpus), nágalata (betel), etc., form the group of creepers.

2.17.7

mālatīmūrvārkaśaṇagavedhukātasyādir valkavargaḥ //

Málati (Jasminum Grandiflorum), dúrvá (panic grass), arka (Calotropis Gigantea), sana (hemp), gavedhuka (Coix Barbata), atasí (Linum Usitatis simum), etc., form the group of fibrous plants (valkavarga).

2.17.8

muñjabalbajādi rajjubhāṇḍam //

Munja (Saccharum Munja), balbaja (Eleusine Indica), etc., are plants which yield rope-making material (rajjubhánda).

2.17.9

tālītālabhūrjānāṃ pattram //

Táli (Corypha Taliera), tála (palmyra or Borassus Flabelliformis), and bhúrja (birch) yield leaves (patram).

2.17.10

kiṃśukakusumbhakuṅkumānāṃ puṣpam //

Kimsuka (Butea Frondosa), kusumbha (Carthamus Tinctorius), and kumkuma (Crocus Sativus) yield flowers.

2.17.11

kandamūlaphalādir auṣadhavargaḥ //

Bulbous roots and fruits are the group of medicines.

2.17.12

kālakūṭavatsanābhahālāhalameṣaśṛṅgamustā.kuṣṭhamahāviṣavellitakagaurārdrabālakamārkaṭa.haimavatakāliṅgakadāradakāṅkolasārakoṣṭrakādīni viṣāṇi, sarpāḥ kīṭāś ca ta eva kumbhagatāḥ viṣavargaḥ //

Kálakúta, Vatsanábha, Háláhala, Meshasringa, Mustá, (Cyperus Rotundus), kushtha, mahávisha, vellitaka, gaurárdra, bálaka, márkata, haimavata, kálingaka, daradaka, kolasáraka, ushtraka, etc., are poisons.

Likewise snakes and worms kept in pots are the group of poisons.

2.17.13

godhāserakadvīpyṛkṣaśiṃśumārasiṃhavyāghrahasti.mahiṣacamarasṛmarakhaḍgagomṛgagavayānāṃ carmāsthipittasnāyvakṣidantaśṛṅgakhura.pucchāni, anyeṣāṃ vāpi mṛgapaśupakṣivyālānām //

Skins are those of godha (alligator), seraka (?), dvípi (leopard), simsumára (porpoise), simha (lion), vyághra (tiger), hasti, (elephant.), mahisha (buffalo), chamara (bos grunniens), gomriga (bos gavaeus), and gavaya (the gayal).

Bones, bile (pittha), snáyu (?), teeth, horn, hoofs, and tails of the above animals as well as of other beasts, cattle, birds and snakes (vyála).

2.17.14

kālāyasatāmravṛttakaṃsasīsatrapuvaikṛntaka.ārakūṭāni lohāni //

Káláyasa (iron), támra (copper), vritta (?), kámsya (bronze), sísa (lead), trapu (tin), vaikrintaka (mercury?), and árakuata (brass), are metals.

2.17.15

vidalamṛttikāmayaṃ bhāṇḍam //

Utensils (bhanda), are those made of cane, bark (vidala), and clay (mrittiká).

2.17.16

aṅgāratuṣabhasmāni, mṛgapaśupakṣivyālavāṭāḥ kāṣṭhatṛṇavāṭāś ca / iti //

Charcoal, bran, and ashes are other things.

Menageries of beasts, cattle, and birds.

Collection of firewood and fodder.

2.17.17

bahir antaś ca karmāntā vibhaktāḥ sārvabhāṇḍikāḥ /
ājīvapurarakṣārthāḥ kāryāḥ kupyopajīvinā //E

The superintendent of forest produce shall carry on either inside or outside (the capital city) the manufacture of all kinds of articles which are necessary for life or for the defence of forts.