Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c8.2

c8.2

ONE of the four well-known divisions of the old Hindu army was the elephant force, on the efficiency of which depended to a great extent the efficiency of the army as a whole.¹ There has been on record many a battle in early Indian history in which elephants carried the day. Hence the rearing up of a good breed of elephants was recognized as one of the special cares of Chandra Gupta's Government, which made itself famous by the strength of its army organization. The killing of an elephant was visited even with capital punishment, which shows the great care taken for them by the State.