Kautilya's Arthashastra 2.29: Chapter 29 (Section 46): The Superintendent of Cattle

2.29.1

godhyakṣo vetanopagrāhikaṃ karapratikaraṃ bhagnotsṛṣṭakaṃ bhāgānupraviṣṭakaṃ vrajaparyagraṃ naṣṭaṃ vinaṣṭaṃ kṣīraghṛtasaṃjātaṃ copalabheta //

THE Superintendent of cows shall supervise (1) herds maintained for wages (vétanópagráhikam), (2) herds surrendered for a fixed amount of dairy produce (karapratikara), (3) useless and abandoned herds (bhagnotsrishtakam), (4) herds maintained for a share in dairy produce (bhágánupravishtam), (5) classes of herds (vrajaparyagram), (6) cattle that strayed (nashtam), (7) cattle that are irrecoverably lost (vinashtam), and (8) the amassed quantity of milk and clarified butter.

2.29.2

gopālakapiṇḍārakadohakamanthakalubdhakāḥ śataṃ śataṃ dhenūnāṃ hiraṇyabhṛtāḥ pālayeyuḥ //

(1) When a cowherd, a buffalo-herdsman, a milker, a churner, and a hunter (lubdhaka) fed by wages graze milch cows (dhenu) in hundreds (satam satam)--for if they graze the herds for the profit of milk and ghi, they will starve the calves to death,--that system of rearing the cattle is termed ‘herds maintained for wages.’

2.29.3

kṣīraghṛtabhṛtā hi vatsān upahanyuḥ / iti vetanopagrāhikam //

2.29.4

jaradgudhenugarbhiṇīpaṣṭhauhīvatsatarīṇāṃ samavibhāgaṃ rūpaśatam ekaḥ pālayet //

(2) When a single person rears a hundred heads (rúpasatam) made up of equal numbers of each of aged cows, milch cows, pregnant cows, heifers, and calves (vatsatari) and gives (to the owner) 8 várakas of clarified butter per annum, as well as the branded skin (of dead cows if any), that system is called ‘herds surrendered for a fixed amount of dairy produce.’

2.29.5

ghṛtasyāṣṭau vārakān paṇikaṃ puccham aṅkacarma ca vārṣikaṃ dadyāt / iti karapratikaraḥ //

2.29.6

vyādhitānyaṅgānanyadohīdurdohāputraghnīnāṃ ca samavibhāgaṃ rūpaśataṃ pālayantas tajjātikaṃ bhāgaṃ dadyuḥ / iti bhagnotṣṛṣṭakam //

(3) When those who rear a hundred heads made up of equal numbers of each of afflicted cattle, crippled cattle, cattle that cannot be milked by any one but the accustomed person, cattle that are not easily milked, and cattle that kill their own calves give in return (to the owner) a share in dairy produce, it is termed ‘useless and abandoned herd.’

2.29.7

paracakrāṭavībhayād anupraviṣṭānāṃ paśūnāṃ pālanadharmeṇa daśabhagaṃ dadyuḥ / iti bhāgānupraviṣṭakam //

(4) When under the fear of cattle-lifting enemies (parachakrátavibhayát), cattle are kept under the care of the superintendent, giving him 1/10th of the dairy produce for his protection, it is termed "herds maintained for a share in dairy produce."

2.29.8

vatsā vatsatarā damyā vahino vṛṣā ukṣāṇaś ca puṃgavāḥ, yugavāhanaśakaṭavahā vṛṣabhāḥ sūnāmahiṣāḥ pṛṣṭaskandhavāhinaś ca mahiṣāḥ, vatsikā vatsatarī paṣṭahuhī garbhiṇī dhenuś cāprajātā vandhyāś ca gāvo mahiṣyaś ca, māsadvimāsajātās tāsām upajā vatsā vatsikāś ca //

(5) When the superintendent classifies cattle as calves, steers, tameable ones, draught oxen, bulls that are to be trained to yoke, bulls kept for crossing cows, cattle that are fit only for the supply of flesh, buffaloes and draught buffaloes; female calves, female steer, heifer, pregnant cows, milch cattle, barren cattle---either cows or buffaloes; calves that are a month or two old as well as those which are still younger; and when, as he ought to, he brands them all inclusive of their calves of one or two months old along with those stray cattle which have remained unclaimed in the herds for a month or two; and when he registers the branded marks, natural marks, colour and the distance from one horn to another of each of the cattle, that system is known as ‘class of herds.’

2.29.9

māsadvimāsajātān aṅkayet //

2.29.10

māsadvimāsaparyuṣitam aṅkayet //

2.29.11

aṅkaṃ cihnaṃ varṇaṃ śṛṅgāntaraṃ ca lakṣaṇam evam upajā nibandhayet / iti vrajaparyagram //

2.29.12

corahṛtam anyayūthapraviṣṭam avalīnaṃ vā naṣṭam //

(6) When an animal is carried off by thieves or finds itself into the herds of others or strays unknown, it is called ‘lost.’

2.29.13

paṅkaviṣamavyādhijarātoyāhārāvasannaṃ vṛkṣataṭakāṣṭhaśilābhihatam īśānavyālasarpagrāhadāvāgnivipannaṃ vinaṣṭam //

(7) When an animal is entangled in a quagmire or precipice or dies of disease or of old age, or drowned in water: or when it is killed by the fall of a tree or of river bank, or is beaten to death with a staff or stone, or is struck by lightening (ísána), or is devoured by a tiger or bitten by a cobra, or is carried off by a crocodile, or is involved in the midst of a forest fire, it is termed as “irrecoverably lost.”

2.29.14

pramādād abhyāvaheyuḥ //

Cowherds shall endeavour to keep them away from such dangers.

2.29.15

evaṃ rūpāgraṃ vidyāt //

2.29.16

svayaṃ hantā ghātayitā hartā hārayitā ca vadhyaḥ //

Whoever hurts or causes another to hurt, or steals or causes another to steal a cow, should be slain.

2.29.17

parapaśūnāṃ rājāṅkena parivartayitā rūpasya pūrvaṃ sāhasadaṇḍaṃ dadyāt //

When a person substitutes an animal (rúpa) bearing the royal brand mark for a private one, he shall be punished with the first amercement.

2.29.18

svadeśīyānāṃ corahṛtaṃ pratyānīya paṇitaṃ rūpaṃ haret //

When a person recovers a local cattle from thieves, he shall receive the promised reward (panitam rúpam); and when a man rescues a foreign cattle (from thieves), he shall receive half its value.

2.29.19

paradeśīyānāṃ mokṣayitārdhaṃ haret //

2.29.20

bālavṛddhavyādhitānāṃ gopālakāḥ pratikuryuḥ //

Cowherds shall apply remedies to calves or aged cows or cows suffering from diseases.

2.29.21

lubdhakaśvagaṇibhir apāstas tenāvyālaparābādhabhayam ṛtuvibhaktam araṇyaṃ cārayeyuḥ //

They shall graze the herds in forests which are severally allotted as pasture grounds for various seasons and from which thieves, tigers and other molesting beasts are driven away by hunters aided by their hounds.

2.29.22

sarpavyālatrāsanārthaṃ gocarānupātajñānārthaṃ ca trasnūnāṃ ghaṇṭātūryaṃ ca badhnīyuḥ //

With a view to scare out snakes and tigers and as a definite means of knowing the whereabouts of herds, sounding bells shall be attached to (the neck of) timid cattle.

2.29.23

samavyūḍhatīrtham akardamagrāham udakam avatārayeyuḥ pālayeyuś ca //

Cowherds shall allow their cattle to enter into such rivers or lakes as are of equal depth all round, broad, and free from mire and crocodiles, and shall protect them from dangers under such circumstances.

2.29.24

stenavyālasarpagrāhagṛhītaṃ vyādhijarāvasannaṃ cāvedayeyuḥ, anyathā rūpamūlyaṃ bhajeran //

Whenever an animal is caught hold of by a thief, a tiger, a snake, or a crocodile, or when it is too infirm owing to age or disease, they shall make a report of it; otherwise they shall be compelled to make good the loss.

2.29.25

kāraṇamṛtasyāṅkacarma gomahiṣasya, karṇalakṣaṇam ajāvikānām, puccham aṅkacarma cāśvakharoṣṭrāṇām, bālacarmabastipittasnāyudantakhuraśṛṅga.asthīni cāhareyuḥ //

When an animal dies a natural death, they shall surrender the skin with the brand mark, if it is a cow or a buffalo; the skin together with the ear (karnalakshanam) if it is a goat or sheep; the tail with the skin containing the brand mark, if it is an ass or a camel; the skin, if it is a young one; besides the above, (they shall also restore) the fat (vasti), bile, marrow (snáyu), teeth, hoofs, horns, and bones.

2.29.26

māṃsam ārdraṃ śuṣkaṃ vā vikrīṇīyuḥ //

They (the cowherds) may sell either fresh flesh or dried flesh.

2.29.27

udaśvitśvavarāhebhyo dadyuḥ //

They shall give buttermilk as drink to dogs and hogs, and reserve a little (buttermilk) in a bronze vessel to prepare their own dish: they may also make use of coagulated milk or cheese (kíláta) to render their oilcakes relishing (ghánapinyáka-kledartha).

2.29.28

kūrcikāṃ senābhaktārtham āhareyuḥ //

2.29.29

kilāṭo ghāṇapiṇyākakledārthaḥ //

2.29.30

paśuvikretā pādikaṃ rūpaṃ dadyāt //

He who sells his cow (from among the herds) shall pay (to the king) ¼th rúpa (value of the cow).

2.29.31

varṣāśaraddhemantān ubhayataḥkālaṃ duhyuḥ, śiśiravasantagrīṣmān ekakālam //

During the rainy, autumnal, and the first part of winter (hemanta) seasons, they shall milk the cattle both the times (morning and evening); and during the latter part of winter and the whole of the spring and summer seasons, they shall milk only once (i.e., only in the morning). The cowherd who milks a cow a second time during these seasons shall have his thumb cut off.

2.29.32

dvitīyakāladogdhur aṅguṣṭhacchedo daṇḍaḥ //

2.29.33

dohanakālam atikrāmatas tatphalahānaṃ daṇḍaḥ //

If he allows the time of milking to lapse, he shall forfeit the profit thereof (i.e., the milk).

2.29.34

etena nasyadamyayugapiṅganavartanakālā vyākhyātāḥ //

The same rule shall hold good in case of negligence of the opportune moment for putting a string through the nose of a bull and other animals, and for taming or training them to the yoke.

2.29.35

kṣīradroṇe gavāṃ ghṛtaprasthaḥ, pañcabhāgādhiko mahiṣīṇām, dvibhāgādhiko 'jāvīnām //

One drona of a cow's milk will, when churned, yield one prastha of butter; the same quantity of a buffalo's milk will yield 1/7th prastha more; and the same quantity of milk of goats and sheep will produce ½ prastha more.

2.29.36

mantho vā sarveṣāṃ pramāṇam //

In all kinds of milk, the exact quantity of butter shall be ascertained by churning; for increase in the supply of milk and butter depends on the nature of the soil and the quantity and quality of fodder and water.

2.29.37

bhūmitṛṇodakaviśeṣādd hi kṣīraghṛtavṛddhir bhavati //

2.29.38

yūthavṛṣaṃ vṛṣeṇāvapātayataḥ pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ, ghātayata uttamaḥ //

When a person causes a bull attached to a herd to fight with another bull, he shall be punished with the first amercement; when a bull is injured (under such circumstances), he shall be punished with the highest amercement.

2.29.39

varṇāvarodhena daśatī rakṣā //

Cattle shall be grouped in herds of ten each of similar colour, while they are being grazed.

2.29.40

upaniveśadigvibhāgo gopracārād balānvayato vā gavāṃ rakṣāsāmarthyāc ca//

According to the protective strength of the cowherds the capacity of the cattle to go far and wide to graze, cowherds shall take their cattle either far or near.

2.29.41

ajāvīnāṃ ṣaṇmāsikīmūrṇāṃ grāhayet //

Once in six months, sheep and other animals shall be shorn of their wool.

2.29.42

tenāśvakharoṣṭravarāhavrajā vyākhyātāḥ //

The same rules shall apply to herds of horses, asses, camels, and hogs.

2.29.43

balīvardānāṃ nasyāśvabhadragativāhināṃ yavasasyārdhabhāras tṛṇasya dviguṇam, tulā ghāṇapiṇyākasya, daśāḍhakaṃ kaṇakuṇḍakasya, pañcapalikaṃ mukhalavanAm, tailakuḍubo nasyaṃ prasthaḥ pānaṃ, māṃsatulā, dadhnaś cāḍhakam, yavadroṇaṃ māṣāṇāṃ vā pulākaḥ, kṣīradroṇam ardhāḍhakaṃ vā surāyāḥ snehaprasthaḥ kṣāradaśapalaṃ śṛṅgiberapalaṃ
ca pratipānam //

For bulls which are provided with nose-rings, and which equal horses in speed and in carrying loads, half a bhára of meadow grass (yavasa), twice the above quantity of ordinary grass (trina), one tulá (100 palas) of oil cakes, 10 ádhakas of bran, 5 palas of salt (mukhalavanam), one kudumba of oil for rubbing over the nose (nasya), 1 prastha of drink (pána), one tulá of flesh, 1 ádhaka of curis, 1 drona of barley or of cooked másha (Phraseolus Radiatus), 1 drona of milk; or half an ádhaka of surá (liquor), 1 prastha of oil or ghi (sneha) 10 palas of sugar or jaggery, 1 pala of the fruit of sringibera (ginger) may be substituted for milk (pratipána).

2.29.44

pādonam aśvataragokharāṇām, dviguṇaṃ mahiṣoṣṭrāṇām //

The same commodities less by one quarter each will form the diet for mules, cows, and asses; twice the quantity of the above things for buffaloes and camels.

2.29.45

karmakarabalīvardānāṃ pāyanārthānāṃ ca dhenūnāṃ karmakālataḥ phalataś ca vidhādānam //

Draught oxen and cows, supplying milk (payah), shall be provided with subsistence in proportion to the duration of time the oxen are kept at work, and the quantity of milk which the cows supply.

2.29.46

sarveṣāṃ tṛṇodakaprākāmyam //

All cattle shall be supplied with abundance of fodder and water.

2.29.47

iti gomaṇḍalaṃ vyākhyātam //

Thus the manner of rearing herds of cattle has been dealt with.

2.29.48

pañcarṣabhaṃ kharāśvānām ajāvīnāṃ daśarṣabham /
śatyaṃ gomahiṣoṣṭrāṇāṃ yūthaṃ kuryāc caturvṛṣam //E

A herd of 100 heads of asses and mules shall contain 5 male animals; that of goats and sheep ten; and a herd of ten heads of either cows or buffaloes shall contain four male animals.