Hindu Administrative Institutions c12.s5.60

c12.s5.60

⁴ There was a special officer who looked after the forests. Here abounded wild tribes and uncivilized hunters. The superintendent would employ some of them to exploit these forests. With the help of their hounds it was their practice to hunt, shoot, and kill wicked animals which were a source of danger to the neighbouring crops and villages. Besides wild tribes, thieves and other enemies of the state would be found concealed among the thick of the bushes, lying in wait for an opportunity to fall on the people and deprive them of their wealth and property. The hunters in the employ of the state were expected to reconnoitre these wild regions, and report every day through the pigeons if they came across any particulars that must needs be communicated (Arthaśāstra, Bk. ii, Sec. 34.) Kauṭalya divides forests into three classes: forests for Brahmans, game-forests, and reserve forests. Each has to be specially provided for by the state. In the first class of the forests, the Brahmans lived and performed penance and sacrifices. It was provided with a good and never-failing lake. No wild animals found their habitations there. They were often visited by kings and used by them for hunting purposes. It was ager publicus of ancient India. On the extreme limits of the state were elephant forests. Here elephants were caught and trained. There were what were known as reserve forests where no one was allowed freedom of entry. There was a special officer who collected the various rich forest-produce. Even manufactures were open there to carry on a large scale the various cottage industries of rope-making, basket-making, medicines, tanning of skins, metallurgy, etc. (Arthaśāstra, Bk. ii, Sec. 17).