Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c7.s3.t2.5

c7.s3.t2.5

There were spacious corridors (सप्रमीवां) in the stable provided with doors, and there were seats and pegs (आसन-पञ्जर) for monkeys, peacocks, spotted deer (पृषत), mungooses (नकुल), partridges (चकोर), parrots (शुक) and mainâs (शारिका).¹ The object of keeping these animals in the stable becomes apparent from a passage in Bk. I, जिज्ञासाप्रविधिः, which runs as follows: “Cats (मार्जार), peacocks (मयूर), mungooses (नकुल) and spotted deer destroy snakes; parrots (शुक), mainâs (सारिका) or fork-tailed shrikes (भृगराज) shriek out when they smell poison; ospreys (क्रौञ्च) get excited in the vicinity of poison, pheasants (जीवञ्जीवक) feel distressed, cuckoos (मत्तकोकिल) die, and partridges (चकोर) redden their eyes.”¹ It may be noted in this connexion that the practice of keeping monkeys in stables in the belief that horses keep good health in their company, still obtains.