History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.467.3

v4.c62.467.3

80) describes that the chiefs of the hereditary army should always be honoured by the king with presents of jewels, ornaments, costly clothes and sweet words and sumptuous provision for their maintenance should be made by bestowing on them a village, or two or more villages and heaps of gold, while hired soldiers should be paid every day or every month or once in three, four or six months or once in a year according to the needs of the king. Megasthenes (Fragment XXXIV p. 88) describes the organization of the Indian army: 'A third governing body directs military affairs, of which there were six divisions with five members to each. One co-operates with the admiral of the fleet, another with the superintendent of bullock trains, the third division has charge of foot-soldiers, the fourth of horses, the fifth of war chariots and the sixth of elephants.' In medieval times chariots appear to have become obsolete. In the graphic descriptions of armies contained in the Harṣacarita (particularly in the 7th ucchvāsa) war chariots are conspicuous by their absence. The Mahābhārata often speaks of horses from the countries to the north-west of India as the best; vide Sabhā 53. 5 (for Kāmboja and Gāndhāra horses), Udyoga 86. 6 (horses from Bālhi), Droṇa 125. 25 and Sauptika 13. 2 (Kāmboja horses). The Harṣacarita II speaks of the best horses as coming from Vanāyu, Āraṭṭa, Kāmboja, Sindhudeśa and Pārasīka. Śukra lays down certain practical rules about the army (IV. 7. 379-390).