Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c13.s2.36

c13.s2.36

**Strong points.** The special work of the elephants in war has been thus stated by Kauṭilya: "Marching in the front (*Puroyānam*); marching where there are no roads (*akṛitamārga*), places of shelter or landing places along rivers; protecting the flanks; crossing the rivers; penetrating into places rendered inaccessible by bushes and shrubs; breaking through the phalanx of the enemy's army (*sambādha*); setting fire to the enemy's camp and quenching it in one's own; capable of achieving victory by itself without the help of other limbs of the army (*ekāṅgavijaya*); restoring the broken phalanx and breaking through that of the enemy (*bhinnasandhānām abhinnabhedanam*); protection against danger (*vyasane trāṇam*); trampling down the enemy forces (*abhighāta*), terrorising the army (*vibhīshikā*); inspiring terror (*trāsanam*); giving an imposing appearance to the army (*audāryam=sainyamahatvam*); capturing (*grahaṇam*) the enemy's soldiers and releasing (*mokshaṇam*) one's own; destruction of ramparts (*sāla*), gates (*dvāra*), towers (*aṭṭālaka*) and the rooms over them; - and carrying treasure" [X. 4]. In another passage [II. 2], Kauṭilya points out that elephants being of stupendous bodies (*atipramāṇaśarīrāḥ*) are capable of breaking through the enemy's phalanx (*parānīkavyūhapramardanam*), destroying his fortifications (*Durga*) and his capital (*Skandhāvāra*), besides other destructive feats.