State and Government in Ancient India c16.64

c16.64

Military department was undoubtedly the most important department, the expenditure on the fighting forces often being as high as 50% of the central revenues.¹ The department had an elaborate organisation, the infantry, the cavalry, the elephant corps, the chariots, the transport, the labour corps, boats, spies and instructors being looked after by a different branch.² The head of the department was variously known as *senāpati*, *mahāsenāpati*, *mahābalādhikṛita*³ or *mahāprachaṇḍadaṇḍanāyaka*⁴ in different times and administrations. *Mahāvyūhapati*, corresponding to the modern chief of the staff, worked under him.⁵ The army consisted of four arms, infantry, cavalry, elephant corps⁷ and chariot corps;⁶ they were under the immediate charge of four officers known as *pattyadhyaksha*, *aśvapati* (also *bhaṭāśvapati* and *mahāśvapati*), *hastyadhyaksha* (also known as *mahāpīlupati* under the Guptas) and *rathādhipati*.⁷ *Aśvapatis* and *rathapatis* had masters of stables under them, who were known as *sāhaṇiyas* in Rajputana under the Chāhamānas.⁸ *Daṇḍanāyakas*, who figure frequently in Gupta inscriptions,⁹ seem to have been officers of the status of colonels, stationed in different districts in charge of the local units. The army had its own quarter-master-general as in modern times to look after the commissariat; department; his office was known as *raṇabhāṇḍāgārādhikaraṇa* under the Guptas.¹ *Āyudhāgārādhyaksha*, who was in charge of the weapons of the forces, must have worked under him. The same must have been the case with the Officer in charge of elephant-forces, who had to supply elephants to the army. The Commissariat department also supplied boats and labour necessary for the army. It received the cooperation also of merchants, who accompanied the camp to get lucrative business (*Śiśupālalvadha*, XII, 26). Forts constituted an important link in the scheme of national defence. Each of them was in charge of an officer variously known as *durgadhyaksha* or *koṭṭapāla*; probably there was an inspector general of forts at the capital. *Dvarapalas* or wardens of the marches kept watch over the frontier and the rcads and passes leading to the kingdom. They worked in close cooperation with the superintendents of forts in their vicinity. Very often the same officer worked in both capacities, as was the case under the Pratīhāras at the fort of Gwalior whose commandant was also *maryādādhurya*, or the officer in charge of boundary.²