Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c8.4

c8.4

The department of elephants had several officers. At the head was हस्तिध्यक्ष, the superintendent of elephants, whose main duties were (1) to see that the elephant forests were well protected, and (2) to superintend the internal arrangements in the elephant stables and the proper training of elephants by experts. The immediate work of the maintenance and upkeep of the elephant preserves was, however, not his look-out. This was left to another officer called नागवनपाल, the superintendent of elephant forests. He had a staff of assistants called नागवनपाल's, the keepers of elephant forests, through whom he had to acquaint himself with the limits as well as the paths leading into and out of the forests—especially those that were mountainous or boggy or contained rivers or lakes. The capture of elephants was also their concern, in which they were helped by a special set of men. These were: (i) हस्तिपक (elephant drivers); (ii) पादपाशिक (those who slip nooses round the legs of elephants); (iii) सैनिक (boundary guards); (iv) पारिकर्मिक (servants for miscellaneous works); (v) वनचरक (foresters); and (vi) अनीकस्थ (elephant trainers).