Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c13.20

c13.20

*Śreṇī-bala.* Of these classes of soldiers, those coming from warrior-clans took to arms as a profession and are called by Kauṭilya *Śastropajīvinaḥ* [XI. 1]. As just stated, Kauṭilya mentions the Kāmbojas and Surāshṭras as examples of such military clans. He also mentions a class of *āyudhīya* villages which were like colonies of professional soldiers censussed by the rural officers [II. 35]. It is interesting to note that Pāṇini mentions military communities called *Āyudhajīvisaṅghas*.