History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.333.3

v4.c62.333.3

This superintendent was to request the ships that touched at a harbour on their voyage to a distant port to pay the toll, he was to destroy pirate vessels bound for the country of an enemy as well as those that violated the usages of the port. The superintendent of cattle (II. 29) was entrusted with the rearing, preservation and care of cows, bulls, buffaloes and the dairy produce. The superintendent of horses (II. 30) was to record the breed, age, colour, marks, groups and places of origin of horses, which were to be classified as those kept in salehouses for sale, those that were recently purchased, those captured in battles, those that were pledged and those temporarily kept in stables &c. Kauṭ. notes that the breed of horses from Kāmboja, Sindhu (modern Sindh), Āraṭṭa (western Punjab) and Vanāyu (North-west of India) countries are the best of horses, Bāhlika (modern Balkh), Pāpeya, Sauvīra (eastern Sindh and western Rajputana) and Taitila breeds are of middle quality and the rest are inferior. The superintendent of elephants (II. 31) had to take steps to guard elephant forests and supervise elephants that were in stables, the catching, training and feeding of them, their accoutrements &c. Kauṭ. devotes one chapter (II. 32) to the training and classification of elephants and medical treatment when they fell ill. The superintendent of chariots and that of infantry (II. 33) have the charge of the chariot department and of the six classes of infantry respectively.