Public Administration in Ancient India c18.34

c18.34

Under the Commander-in-Chief were the Chief Commandants (adhyakṣāḥ) of the four great divisions, namely, the infantry, the cavalry, the elephant force, and the chariots. Subordinate to the Chief Commandants were other officers of various grades. According to Chānakya, for every ten units of each of the constituents of the army, there was to be an officer called Padika, ten Padikas were to be under a Senāpati (commander), and ten Senāpatis under a Nāyaka (general).¹ The Sukranīti also mentions such officers as Śatānikas (officers commanding one hundred soldiers) and Sāhasrikas (officers commanding one thousand soldiers).