Kautilya's Arthashastra 2.33: Chapter 33 (Sections 49; 50; 51): The Superintendent of Chariots; The Superintendent of Foot Soldiers; The Commandant of the Army

2.33.1

aśvādhyakṣeṇa rathādhyakṣo vyākhyātaḥ //

THE functions of the Superintendent of horses will explain those of the Superintendent of chariots.

2.33.2

sa rathakarmāntān kārayet //

The Superintendent of chariots shall attend to the construction of chariots.

2.33.3

daśapuruṣo dvādaśāntaro rathaḥ //

The best chariot shall measure 10 purushas in height (,i.e., 120 angulas), and 12 purushas in width. After this model, 7 more chariots with width decreasing by one purusha successively down to a chariot of 6 purushas in width shall be constructed. He shall also construct chariots of gods (devaratha), festal chariots (pushyaratha), battle chariots (sángrámika), travelling chariots (páriyánika), chariots used in assailing an enemy's strong-holds (parapurabhiyánika), and training chariots.

2.33.4

tasmād ekāntarāvarā āṣaḍantarād iti sapta rathāḥ //

2.33.5

devarathapuṣyarathasāṃgrāmikapāriyāṇikaparapura.abhiyānikavainayikāṃś ca rathān kārayet //

2.33.6

iṣvastrapraharaṇāvaraṇopakaraṇakalpanāḥ sārathirathikarathyānāṃ ca karmasv āyogaṃ vidyāt, ākarmabhyaś ca bhaktavetanaṃ bhṛtānām abhṛtānāṃ ca yogyārakṣānuṣṭhānam arthamānakarma ca //

He shall also examine the efficiency in the training of troops in shooting arrows, in hurling clubs and cudgels, in wearing mail armour, in equipment, in charioteering, in fighting seated on a chariot, and in controlling chariot horses.

He shall also attend to the accounts of provision and wages paid to those who are either permanently or temporarily employed (to prepare chariots and other things). Also he shall take steps to maintain the employed contented and happy by adequate reward (yogyarakshanushthánam), and ascertain the distance of roads.

2.33.7

etena pattyadhyakṣo vyākhyātaḥ //

The same rules shall apply to the superintendent of infantry.

2.33.8

sa maulabhṛtaśreṇimitrāmitrāṭavībalānāṃ sāraphalgutāṃ vidyāt, nimnasthalaprakāśakūṭakhanakākāśadivārātri.yuddhavyāyāmaṃ ca, āyogam ayogaṃ ca karmasu //

The latter shall know the exact strength or weakness of hereditary troops (maula), hired troops (bhrita), the corporate body of troops (sreni), as well as that of the army of friendly or unfriendly kings and of wild tribes.

He shall be thoroughly familiar with the nature of fighting in low grounds, of open battle, of fraudulent attack, of fighting under the cover of entrenchment (khanakayuddha), or from heights (ákásayuddha), and of fighting during the day and night, besides the drill necessary for such warfare.

He shall also know the fitness or unfitness of troops on emergent occasions.

2.33.9

ted eva senāpatiḥ sarvayuddhapraharaṇavidyāvinīto hastyaśvarathacaryāsaṃghuṣṭaś caturaṅgasya balasyānuṣṭhānādhiṣṭhānaṃ vidyāt //

With an eye to the position which the entire army (chaturangabala) trained in the skillful handling of all kinds of weapons and in leading elephants, horses, and chariots have occupied and to the emergent call for which they ought to be ready, the commander-in-chief shall be so capable as to order either advance or retreat (áyogamayógam cha).

2.33.10

svabhūmiṃ yuddhakālaṃ pratyanīkam abhinnabhedanaṃ bhinnasaṃdhānaṃ saṃhatabhedanaṃ bhinnavadhaṃ durgavadhaṃ yātrākālaṃ ca paśyet //

He shall also know what kind of ground is more advantageous to his own army, what time is more favourable, what the strength of the enemy is, how to sow dissension in an enemy's army of united mind, how to collect his own scattered forces, how to scatter the compact body of an enemy's army, how to assail a fortress, and when to make a general advance.

2.33.11

tūryadhvajapatākābhir vyūhasaṃjñāḥ prakalpayet /
sthāne yāne praharaṇe sainyānāṃ vinaye rataḥ //E

Being ever mindful of the discipline which his army has to maintain not merely in camping and marching, but in the thick of battle, he shall designate the regiments (vyúha) by the names of trumpets, boards, banners, or flags.