Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c8.s2: Training of Elephants

Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya), Vol. I c8.s2

Language: English

Training of Elephants

c8.s2.1

It was one of the most important duties of the superintendent of elephants to see that proper training was given to the animals under his charge by expert trainers. The elephants were divided into the following four classes according to their training :—

c8.s2.2

(i) दम (those that were being tamed); (ii) संग्राम (those trained for war); (iii) उपवाह्य (those trained for riding, etc., in times of peace); (iv) व्याल (those that were refractory and difficult to be broken).

c8.s2.3

The taming of elephants had several clearly marked out stages.

c8.s2.4

The process began when the animal was brought to attach itself to a herd of tamed elephants, and lost its wildness by contact with them; this was called the यूथगत (juthagata) stage of the training. Then the animal was cleverly thrown into a pit specially dug, to subdue its ferocity; this was the अपपातगत (apapâtagata) stage. The next step in the taming (वारिगत—vârigata) was to keep the animal confined within a particular area of the forest instead of allowing it to roam at large.

c8.s2.5

The next disciplinary measure was to tie the animal to a post when it was found to be sufficiently gentle for the purpose (स्तम्भगत—stambhagata). The taming was completed when the elephant became so gentle that it allowed its driver or trainer to sit on its withers without protest; this was the स्कन्धगत (skandhagata) stage.

c8.s2.6

Of the elephants tamed in the above way some were selected for military training and some for purposes of ordinary work.

c8.s2.7

As regards military training, the preliminary steps adopted were to accustom the elephant to girths (कक्षाकर्म) and collars (ग्रैवेयककर्म) and to co-operation with a herd in a common work (यूथकर्म). Then the animal was taught the following movements necessary for war:—

c8.s2.8

(i) उपयान (rising, bending, jumping over fences, etc.); (ii) संवर्तन (turning); (iii) संयान (moving forward straight or transverse, or making serpentine movement); (iv) वधावध (killing and trampling down); (v) रथियुद्ध (fighting with other elephants); (vi) नगरायण (assailing forts and cities); and (vii) यानिक (other cognate movements relating to war).

c8.s2.9

With regard to the training of elephants in riding, they were first taken through the preliminary processes of discipline, through मारदकर्म,¹ जीवनकर्म or drudge-work, and मारोपकर्म or responsiveness to signs. Then they were trained in the following movements, viz.:—

c8.s2.10

¹ Bhaṭṭasvâmi has explained मारदकर्म as the process by which elephants unfit for work owing to excessive fatness or leanness, or other defects, were rendered useful. The word मारद also occurs in the हस्त्यायुर्वेद of पालकाप्यमुनि, p. 49, to denote elephants that were weak, naturally, or through some disease or effect of medicines:

c8.s2.11

(i) चारण (nimble motion); (ii) कुञ्जररोप्य (being mounted from another elephant); (iii) चोरण (trotting); (iv) यायानगतिक (moving with two or three legs); (v) यष्टिपथ्य (readiness to be driven by means of a stick only); (vi) तोत्रोपग्राह्य (submitting to an iron hook); (vii) सङ्केतोपग्राह्य (readiness to be driven by mere signs); and (viii) सामीयुध (being trained in hunting).

c8.s2.12

Lastly, there were those elephants that were regarded as the failures of training. Their viciousness generally consisted in aversion to work, obstinacy, perversity, unsteadiness and bad temper. There were three classes of such elephants, viz.: (1) *suddha*, having unmitigated

c8.s2.13

प्राक्तः मारदो यश्च सन्नधातुवशात्तथा प्रकृत्या व्याधिभिश्चापि दुर्बलोऽप्यथवापि । viciousness; (2) *suvrata*, clever at mischief; and (3) *vishama*, i.e. having vices of all types. The only way to keep them under control was by punishment and the use of fetters and other means to control their vicious tendencies. For these purposes there were in use bridles (पारायण), leg-chains (परिक्षेप), frontal fetters (उन्नर), hooks (अङ्कुश), and other mechanical devices.

Linked texts (1)

Hastyāyurveda — Pālakāpya, Sanskrit