Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c11.70

c11.70

**Hunting.** The next class of duties Megasthenes assigns to District Officials concerned supervision of hunting. In connection with these duties, Kauṭilya provides for a regular Department of Forests under an officer called *Kupyādhyaksha* who was, as we have seen, in charge of the conservation of forests and its products by the employment of forest guards (*Vana-* *pāla*), foresters who knew every inch of a tree, and could gather in the various forest products. Associated with the *Kupyādhyaksha* was the *Vivītādhyaksha* whose duty was to secure the grazing grounds of cattle against the attack of wild animals. As we have seen, he had to employ a staff of hunters (*Lubdhakas*) who with their hunting hounds (*Śvagaṇa*) would keep the forests clear of all sources of mischief.