Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c6.s1: Medical Treatment of Cattle

Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya), Vol. I c6.s1

Language: English

Medical Treatment of Cattle

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It was also the duty of herdsmen to apply medicines to diseased animals. The due discharge of this important duty was secured by a healthy rule providing that when, owing to defects in medicine or carelessness in the treatment, the disease of an animal became serious, a fine of twice the cost of the treatment should be imposed; and when, owing to defects in the nature of the medicine itself, the animal died, a fine equal to the value of the animal was imposed.¹

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¹ वालहृदव्याधितानां गोपाल्काः प्रतिकुर्यः ।—*Ibid.* क्रिया भैषज्यसङ्गेन व्याधिवृद्धौ प्रतीकारद्विगुणो दण्डः । तदवरोधेन वैगुण्य पचमूलं दण्डः । तेन भेषजं खरोष्ट्रमहिषमजाविकं च व्याख्यातम् ।—Bk. II, अध्यायः, p. 135.

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Lastly, there were several humane regulations to prevent the cruel treatment of animals. There was a fine of 1 or 2 paṇas² by which causing pain with sticks, etc., to minor quadrupeds was punished. This fine was doubled when the beating caused the animal to bleed. In the case of larger quadrupeds the above rates were doubled, and, in addition, an adequate compensation was demanded to cover the expense of curing the beasts.³

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² A paṇa is a weight of copper used as a coin = 20 mâshas = 4 kâkinis.—Monier Williams.

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³ क्षुद्रपशूनां काष्ठादिभिर्दुःखोत्पादने पणो द्विपणो वा दण्डः । शोणितोत्पादने द्विगुणः । महापशूनामेतेष्वेव स्थानेषु द्विगुणो दण्डः, समुत्थानव्ययम् ।—Bk. III, दण्डपारुष्यम्, p. 197.

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We find it laid down that cattle such as a calf, bull or milch cow must not be slaughtered. A fine was imposed on those who slaughtered or tortured the animals to death.¹

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¹ वत्सो वृषो धेनुश्चामवध्याः । घातः पञ्चाशत्को दण्डः । क्लिष्टघातं घातयतश्च ।—Bk. II, सूनाध्यक्षः, p. 122.

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We have seen already how the diet of cattle was regulated. We shall now see what arrangement was made for grazing them on pastures. For opening, preserving and improving the grazing grounds, a separate superintendent, called विवीताध्यक्ष, was appointed. He had to observe various rules regarding the working of his department. We find it distinctly laid down that the same forest could not be used as pasture for the cattle of neighbouring villages and towns throughout the whole year. Particular forests were assigned to particular seasons (ऋतुविभक्तमरण्याम्). Thus a system of rotation was introduced by which the pastures were kept up unimpaired, with their resources unexhausted by continuous use.² Pastures were generally opened in forests, in uncultivated tracts, and in intermediate areas between places infested by wild animals, thus promoting at the same time the reclamation of waste lands.¹ There were thus several pastures in a locality, and it was the business of the herdsman to see which of them would suit the cattle under his charge. He was naturally guided by two considerations, viz. the physical strength of his cattle and the degree of protection from danger available either from persons or from the security of the place.²

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² लुब्धकश्वभिरपालं क्षेत्रपालपरवाधभयमृतुविभक्तमरण्याम् चारयेयुः—Bk. II, गोध्यक्षः ।

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¹ अरण्ययां भूमौ पशुभ्यो विवीतानि प्रयच्छेत् । (Bk. II, भूमि-च्छिद्रविधानम्, p. 49); भयान्तरेषु च विवीतं स्थापयेत् । (Bk. II, विवीताध्यक्षः, p. 141); and चतुर्विभक्तमरण्यान् चारयेयुः (supra).

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² उपनिवेशादिष्वाभागे गोप्रचारान् वक्ष्याम्यते वा गवां रक्षा-सामर्थ्याच्च ।—Bk. II, गोऽध्यक्षः ।

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As to the kinds of animals that were allowed admission into the grazing grounds, we have information from two passages,³ the first of which mentions cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, asses, camels, horses, and mules; the second, which appears in a different context, referring to cows, horses and camels as being the animals that flourish on pastures and are the source of power to the king.

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³ (i) गोमहिषमजाविकं खरोष्ट्रहयतरान व्रजः—Bk. II, समाहर्तृसमुदयप्रस्थापनम्, p. 60.
(ii) गवाश्वरथोष्ट्राणां च व्रजः—Bk. VII, हीनशक्तिपूरणम्, p. 305.

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The safety of the cattle was one of the chief concerns of the superintendent of pastures. It was ensured by the appointment of hunters, who maintained a pack of hounds to aid them in their work of watching thieves and enemies and warding off danger from snakes, tigers, etc.¹ The hunters had recourse to the following means of calling in the aid of the king and the king’s men:—

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¹ चोर-व्यालभयाटवीकानि शोधयेत् । लुब्धकश्वगणिनः परि-व्रजेयुस्तत्रकानि—Bk. II, विवीताध्यक्षः, p. 141. लुब्धकश्वगणिनिभिरपास्त स्तेन-व्यालपरबाधभयमृतुविभक्तमरण्यान चारयेयुः—Bk. II, गोऽध्यक्षः (also quoted supra).

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(i) Blowing conch-shells and beating drums (शङ्खदुन्दुभिस्वनम्).

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(ii) Remaining concealed amid trees and mountains, and afterwards sending the information (शैलवृक्ष-विरुदाः).

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(iii) Riding away on swift horses, etc. (शीघ्रवाहनाः).

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(iv) Flying carrier pigeons belonging to the king’s household, with royal passports attached to them (राज्ञः मुद्रायुक्तैः मद्रकपोतैः).

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(v) Announcing danger by a succession of beacon fires (धुमाग्निपरम्परया).¹

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¹ सत्वरामिषाभ्यागमे शङ्खदुन्दुभिरवमप्रायाः कुर्युः । शेलहच-विरूढा वा, शीघ्रवाहना वा, शमिचाडवीसहचरं च राज्ञोष्ट्रक-पोतैमंड्रायुधैर्हारयेयुः, धूमाग्निपरम्परया वा ।—Bk. II, विवी-ताध्यक्षः, p. 141.

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Besides these general precautions that had to be adopted by the superintendent of pastures, the duty of taking special protective measures was thrown on the herdsmen themselves. They had to attach bells or other sounding instruments to the necks of timid animals. These served the double purpose of scaring away snakes and other undesirables and of helping the herdsmen to easily find out, by following the direction of the sound, the animals that went astray.² When the cattle required watering and bathing, their safety was secured by leading them only to those streams and ponds which were marked out as being free from mire (चकर्दम) and crocodiles (अपाय), and the approaches to which were gradually sloped instead of being abrupt and steep (समबूडतीर्थ).³

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² सर्पव्यालत्रासनार्थं गोचरानुपातज्ञानार्थं च पशूनां घण्टास्तूर्य्यं च बध्नीयुः ।—Bk. II, गोध्यक्षः ।

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³ समबूडतीर्थमकर्दमापमृदकमवतारयेयुः पालययेयुश्च—Ibid.

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Another direction for the guidance of the herdsmen was that they should divide the cattle, while grazing, into groups of ten according to colour, the object being to avoid confusion between herds and to facilitate the herdsman's work of singling out his herd after grazing.¹ The cowherds were strictly prohibited from allowing the bulls under their charge to fight in the grazing grounds, and were fined for violating the rule.²

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¹ वर्षावरोधेन दशवर्गाणां रक्षणं करणीयम् ।—*Ibid.*

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² यूथपः वृषेणावपातयतः पूर्वः साहसदण्डः घातयतः उत्तमः । (पूर्वसाहसदण्ड—a fine ranging from 48 to 96 paṇas)—गोऽध्यक्षः ।

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There were also a few rules applying to losses of cattle by theft or otherwise. If any animal were stolen, or killed by snakes, etc., or died through old age or disease, the herdsmen had to report it forthwith to the superintendent of cows; otherwise, they had to pay as penalty the price (रूपमूल्य) of the animal lost.³ If an animal belonging to the flocks under गोऽध्यक्षः were killed or stolen, the crime was visited with capital punishment; but if it were replaced by another, only a fine was inflicted. Rewards were also given to those who recovered the stolen cattle from thieves.¹

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³ स्तेनव्यालसर्प-व्याघ्र-मृगीतं व्याधिजरावसन्नं च आवेदयेयुः । अन्यथा रूपमूल्यं भजेरन् ।—*Ibid.*

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¹ स्वयं हन्ता घातयिता हर्ता हारयिता च वध्यः । परराष्ट्रगां राजाज्ञेन परिवर्तयिता रूपस्य एकस्य पूर्वं साहसदण्डं दद्यात् । स्वदेशीयानां चोरहृतं प्रत्यानीय पवित्रं रूपं हरेत् । परदेशीयानां मोचयिताऽर्थं हरेत् — *Ibid.*

Linked texts (1)

Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra — Kauṭilya, Sanskrit