Hindu Administrative Institutions c11.s9.21

c11.s9.21

Other army officers may be mentioned. The *pattipāla* was the leader of five or six foot-soldiers while the *gaulmika* was the head of thirty footmen. The *pattipāla* and *gaulmika* are said to be officers who supervised the watchmen especially on night duty. The *śatānīka* was the leader of a hundred footmen. Another officer named the *anuśatika* is also mentioned as the head of a hundred foot-soldiers. Apparently this is a mistake. The *anuśatika* must be an officer leading a smaller number but following the commander of the hundred soldiers. An officer of 1,000 foot-soldiers is mentioned and is called the *sāhasrika*, while the leader of 10,000 soldiers of the infantry is called the *āyudika*. Among the above-mentioned officers who are evidently infantry officers the *śatānīka* is also entrusted with the more important function of drilling soldiers in military exercises, both in the morning and in the evening. He is one who is proficient in different branches of the art of war. The leader of the cavalry and the elephant corps was known as the *nāyaka*. A *nāyaka* was generally the leader of twenty elephants or twenty horses. These officers were dressed in uniforms appropriate to their status in the army. There was a non-military officer, the *lekhaka*, besides others like the *purohita*. His function was to keep the accounts relating to the military department. He was in possession of facts and figures as to the number of soldiers in different ranks of the army, the emoluments drawn by each, the number as to discharged soldiers, and the places where