Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c8.s4.26

c8.s4.26

To take another illustration, the Department of Elephants served both civil and military purposes. The trapping of wild elephants had already been reduced to a science. A section of the Department was to train men and elephants to capture the wild beasts. Another section was to tame them, and train them for riding and military service. Stables outside the fort were to shelter the beasts that were refractory or still under training. Those inside the fort were to form the quarters of elephants that had completed their training. The stables were to be twice as high and half as wide as the length of the beasts. They should face north or east and should be provided with spacious corridors and smooth T-shaped tether posts. The sleeping places should be similar in structure but should have raised platforms for leaning upon. There should be separate apartments for female elephants. The beasts should be given fixed rations, and should be made to conform to a detailed time-table. Their whole upkeep necessitated a vast staff. It included, among others, drivers,² controllers,³ grooms,⁴ attendants,⁵ cooks,⁶ grass-suppliers,⁷ fellers,⁸ guards,⁹ night-watchers,¹⁰ trainers,¹¹ and physicians.¹² Messengers formed almost a department