Chapter 2.31 turns elephant might into administrative certainty: selection, stabling, training, and rations are standardized so battlefield power is produced by routine and measurement. Elephants are framed as high-cost strategic assets requiring strict state regulation, not ceremonial prestige. Infrastructure and hygiene (śālā, stalls, bathing) are treated as readiness multipliers and loss-prevention tools. A time-disciplined daily regimen aligns animal health, training, and controllability with state needs. Acquisition is filtered by age and disqualifications to avoid sunk-cost failures. Capability is graded (uttama/madhyama/avara) using measurable criteria to guide deployment and expectations. Provisioning is quantified across diverse inputs (grain, fats, salt, meat, gruel, curd, alkali, liquor/milk, oil, fodder), enabling audit and minimizing wastage. Veterinarians, trainers, and attendants are integrated into a monitored workflow, converting care into accountability. Strategic placement in Book 2 underscores that logistics and supervision are prerequisites for coercive success (daṇḍa) and public welfare (yogakṣema).
Sutra 1
सांग्रामिकमलंकारं चिकित्सकानीकस्थाउपस्थायिकवर्गं चानुतिष्ठेत् ॥ कZ_०२.३१.०१ ॥
He should maintain war-gear and fittings, and also establish (or keep in readiness) the corps of physicians, unit-stationed staff, and attendants.
Sutra 2
हस्त्यायामद्विगुणोत्सेधविष्कम्भायामां हस्तिनीस्थानाधिकां सप्रग्रीवां कुमारीसंग्रहां प्रान्मुखीमुदन्मुखीं वा शालां निवेशयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.३१.०२ ॥
He should construct an elephant-stable whose height and breadth are twice an elephant’s measure, with length accordingly, providing slightly more than the space required for an adult female elephant; it should have a fore-neck/fore-part provision, a separate enclosure for young females, and be oriented facing east or north.
Sutra 3
हस्त्यायामचतुरश्रश्लक्ष्णालानस्तम्भफलकास्तरकं समूत्रपुरीषोत्सर्गं स्थानं निवेशयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.३१.०३ ॥
He should lay out a square stall area to the elephant’s measure, smooth-finished, fitted with tethering-posts and planking/boards, and provide a designated outlet/space for discharge of urine and dung.
Sutra 4
स्थानसमां शय्यामर्धापाश्रयां दुर्गे साम्नाह्याउपवाह्यानां बहिर्दम्यव्यालानाम् ॥ कZ_०२.३१.०४ ॥
He should provide bedding equal to the stall-space, with partial shelter; within the fort for those fit for harnessing and riding/service, and outside for those still being tamed and for dangerous animals.
Sutra 5
प्रथमसप्तम अष्टमभागावह्नः स्नानकालौ तदनन्तरं विधायाः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.०५ ॥
Bathing times fall in the first, seventh, and eighth divisions of the day; thereafter the subsequent regimen should be carried out.
Sutra 6
पूर्वाह्ने व्यायामकालः पश्चाह्नः प्रतिपानकालः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.०६ ॥
The forenoon is the time for exercise; the afternoon is the time for watering (and restorative intake).
Sutra 7
रात्रिभागौ द्वौ स्वप्नकाला त्रिभागः संवेशनोत्थानिकः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.०७ ॥
Two divisions of the night are for sleep; the third division is for settling down and rousing (night handling/guarded management).
Sutra 8
ग्रीष्मे ग्रहणकालः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.०८ ॥
In summer, it is the time for capture/handling (grahaṇa).
Sutra 9
विंशतिवर्षो ग्राह्यः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.०९ ॥
An elephant of twenty years is fit to be taken into state service (accepted for procurement/training).
Sutra 10
विक्को मोढो मक्कणो व्याथितो गर्भिणी धेनुका हस्तिनी चाग्राह्याः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.१० ॥
The vikka, the moḍha, the makkaṇa, the injured/sick, and also a pregnant, nursing, or female (cow‑elephant) are not to be accepted (for state service).
Sutra 11
सप्तारत्नि उत्सेधो नवायामो दश परिणाहः प्रमाणतश्चत्वारिंशद्वर्षो भवत्युत्तमः त्रिंशद्वर्षो मध्यमः पञ्चविंशतिवर्षोऽवरः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.११ ॥
By standard measurements—height of seven ratni, length of nine, and girth of ten—an elephant of forty years is ‘superior’, thirty years ‘middling’, and twenty-five years ‘inferior’.},{
Sutra 12
तयोः पादावरो विधाविधिः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.१२ ॥
For those two (i.e., the higher grades), the rule is that they should not be deficient by even a quarter (in the prescribed standards).
Sutra 13
अरत्नौ तणुलद्रोणः अर्धाढकं तैलस्य सर्पिषस्त्रयः प्रस्थाः दशपलं लवणस्य मांसं पञ्चाशत्पलिकम् रसस्याढकं द्विगुणं वा दध्नः पिण्डक्लेदनार्थं क्षारदशपलिकं मद्यस्याढकं द्विगुणं वा पयसः प्रतिपानं गात्रावसेकस्तैलप्रस्थः शिरसोऽष्टभागः प्रादीपिकश्च यवसस्य द्वौ भारौ सपादौ शष्पस्य शुष्कस्यार्धतृतीयो भारः कडङ्करस्यानियमः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.१३ ॥
(For an elephant of the specified class/measure:) rice: one droṇa; oil: half an āḍhaka; ghee: three prastha; salt: ten pala; meat: fifty pala; soup/juice: one āḍhaka; or curd in double quantity. For softening feed-balls, alkali: ten pala. Liquor: one āḍhaka; or milk in double quantity. For bathing the body, oil: one prastha; for the head, one-eighth of that; and also a lamp (allowance). Fodder (yavasa): two and a quarter bhāra; dry grass (śaṣpa): two and a half bhāra. For kaḍaṅkara (a fodder/additive), there is no fixed rule (varies by need).
Sutra 14
सप्तारत्निना तुल्यभोजनोऽष्टारत्निरत्यरालः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.१४ ॥
An elephant of eight ratni (measure) consumes the same ration as one of seven ratni, but it is excessively curved/awkward (and thus undesirable).
Sutra 15
यथाहस्तमवशेषः षडरत्निः पञ्चारत्निश्च ॥ कZ_०२.३१.१५ ॥
The remainder (i.e., the rest of the classification) is according to hand-measure: the six-ratni and the five-ratni categories.
Sutra 16
क्षीरयावसिको विक्कः क्रीडार्थं ग्राह्यः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.१६ ॥
A vikka maintained on milk and fodder is to be accepted for recreational/display purposes (not for core service).
Sutra 17
संजातलोहिता प्रतिच्छन्ना सम्लिप्तपक्षा समकक्ष्या व्यतिकीर्णमांसा समतल्पतला जातद्रोणिकेति शोभाः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.१७ ॥
Marks of good appearance are: a well-formed reddish hue, a properly covered body, well-smeared/healthy ears, evenly set shoulders, well-distributed flesh, a level back, and well-formed ‘droṇikā’ features (proper bodily hollows/contours).
Sutra 18
शोभावशेन व्यायामं भद्र्म मन्दं च कारयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.३१.१८अब् ॥
Depending on the animal’s condition/appearance, one should have it exercised—either vigorously (bhadra) or gently (manda).
Predictable readiness of the elephant corps: fewer diseases and injuries, reduced loss from mishandling, stable logistics, and higher battlefield reliability—thereby securing the realm through deterrence and victory.
This unit does not state explicit fines in the supplied sūtras; in Kauṭilya’s administrative logic, breaches (ration fraud, negligent care, unauthorized procurement, or failure to follow regimen) fall under the superintendent’s disciplinary jurisdiction—typically fines, restitution for loss, and removal/punishment of responsible staff as per general adhyakṣa enforcement norms.