War in Ancient India c10.73

c10.73

As has been already stated, the *Kauṭalīya Arthaśāstra* makes express mention of the Admiralty as a department of administration. There was a superintendent (adhyakṣa) over this department. His jurisdiction included vessels bound for commerce also. Kauṭalya distinguishes ocean routes (*samudra samyānapatha*) from river routes and routes for coastal traffic (*kulapatha*).⁴⁶ Among the sea-going vessels men of war also figure, bound for the enemy's country (*amitra-viṣyatigah*).⁴⁷ That Aśoka continued to maintain a fleet is evident from the wide diplomatic relations which the emperor had with distant powers like the Hellenistic monarchies of the Mediterranean. That the early Andhras had a fleet of their own is borne out by the more reliable evidence of coins. The coins belonging to the reign of Pulumāyi (and also of Yagñaśri) bear the figure of a two-masted sailing ship.⁴⁸ The coins were apparently issued to commemorate a naval victory.⁴⁹ During the epoch of the imperial Guptas a naval force was maintained by the State, as is evident from the inscriptions. The Allahabad praśasti of Samudragupta refers to his conquest of several islands.⁵⁰ There is a reference to Jīvita Gupta II’s army, which included a fleet of war boats.⁵¹ Later, Harṣa the emperor is credited with possessing a fleet consisting of boats.