Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c7.s2: Hunting Forests
Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya), Vol. I c7.s2
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Hunting Forests
c7.s2.1
Hunting down game animals in the hunting forests was allowed, and not only the king himself but also private individuals enjoyed the privilege. We learn from Asoka's Rock Edict VIII that it was a practice with the kings to go out on hunting excursions, which Asoka abolished in the eleventh year of his reign. Megasthenes also describes the grand scale on which the royal hunting was organized.¹
c7.s2.2
¹ Megasthenes, Bk. II, Fragment xxvii.
c7.s2.3
It seems from the extract of the Artha-śāstra quoted below that the king had a hunting forest exclusively for his own use. It was provided with only one entrance (एकद्वारं) and had a canal running round it to ward off intrusion (खातगुप्तं). Inside were planted fruit-trees, thornless plants, creepers and shrubs (खाडुफलमुममुमफलकद्रुमम्), and there was also a large tank (उपान्ततोयाशयं). There roamed at large not only the milder game animals (दान्तमृगचतुष्पद) but also some of the wilder ones, but deprived of their natural offending weapons like nails and teeth: viz. tigers, male, female and young elephants, and other game animals (भग्ननखदंष्ट्रव्याल-मार्गायुध-हस्ति-हस्तिनी-कलभ-मृगवम्).²
c7.s2.4
² तावन्मात्रमेकद्वारं खातगुप्तं खाडुफलमुममुमफलकद्रुम-मुपान्ततोयाशयं दान्तमृगचतुष्पदं भग्ननखदंष्ट्रव्यालमार्गायुध-हस्ति-हस्तिनी-कलभ-मृगवम् विहारार्थं राज्ञः कारयेत् ।—Bk. II, भूमि-च्छिद्रविधानम्, p. 49.
c7.s2.5
Besides this imperial hunting forest, there were other hunting forests³—all under the general superintendent (कुप्याध्यक्ष), who had another duty to perform in connexion with live stock, viz. the capture, when needed, of birds and beasts under his care.¹
c7.s2.6
³ सर्वोतिथिमृगं प्रत्यन्ते चान्यमृगसमं भूमिबलेन वा निवेशयेत् ।—Bk. II, भूमिच्छिद्रविधानम् ।
c7.s2.7
¹ खरपशुमृगानां मृगपशुपक्षिव्यालाः काष्ठतृणवाटा- चेति ।—Bk. II, कुप्याध्यक्षः, p. 100.
Linked texts (2)
- Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra — Kauṭilya, Sanskrit
- Ἰνδική — Λούκιος Φλάουιος Ἀρριανός, Ancient Greek