3413) "Akshauhini" (or "Battle Formations") (Part II) during the Mahabharat War:

3413) "Akshauhini" (or "Battle Formations") (Part II) during the Mahabharat War:

Links:

1) Mahabharat: A set of 18 Stamps issued by India Post depivting scenes from the great Indian Epic Poem issued on 27.11-2017

2) "The Mahabharat": A Brief (Part One): About the Smriti Text compiled by the Sage Vyas:

3) "Akshauhini" (or "Battle Formations") (Part II) during the Mahabharat War

4) 50 Deadly Weapons used in the Mahabhart War (Part III)

5) The Mahabharat War: A Day to Day account as narrated in the Epic (Part IV)

We hear of everyone learning the Bhagwad Gita these days. I was inspired to research the Mahabharat War, beginning with the Battle formations.

An Aakshauhini (Sanskrit: अक्षौहिणी akṣauhiṇī) is described in the Mahabharat (Adi Parva 2.15-23) as a battle formation consisting of 21,870 chariots (Sanskrit ratha); 21,870 elephants (Sanskrit gaja); 65,610 horses (Sanskrit turaga) and 109,350 infantry (Sanskrit pada sainyam).

Thus one akshauhini consisted of 218,700 warriors (not including the charioteers, who didn't fight). The ratio is 1 chariot: 1 elephant: 3 cavalry: 5 infantry soldiers. In each of these large number groups (65,610, etc.), the digits add up to 18.

It is mentioned in the Mahabharat that in the Kurukshetra War the Pandav army consisted of seven Akshauhinis (1,530,900 warriors), and the Kaurava army had eleven Akshauhinis (2,405,700 warriors).

Composition of the Armed formations:

Patti (company): 1 elephant (gaja) + 1 chariot (ratha) + 3 horse (ashwa) + 5 foot soldiers (padati) = 10 warriors

Senamukha = (3 x patti): 3 elephant + 3 chariot + 9 horse + 15 foot soldiers = 30 warriors

Gulma = (3 x senamukha): 9 elephant + 9 chariot + 27 horse + 45 foot soldiers = 90 warriors

Gana = (3 x gulma): 27 elephant + 27 chariot + 81 horse + 135 foot soldiers = 270 warriors

Wahini = (3 x gana): 81 elephant + 81 chariot + 243 horse + 405 foot soldiers = 810 warriors

Pritana/prutana = (3 x wahini): 243 elephant + 243 chariot + 729 horse + 1215 foot soldiers = 2,430 warriors

Chamu = (3 x pritana/prutana): 729 elephant + 729 chariot + 2187 horse + 3645 foot soldiers = 7,290 warriors

Anikini = (3 x chamu): 2187 elephant + 2187 chariot + 6561 horse + 10935 foot soldiers = 21,870 warriors

Akshauhini = (10 x anikini): 21870 elephant + 21870 chariot + 65610 horse + 109350 foot soldiers = 218,700 warriors

Kaurav army and their allies:

The Kuru army was a coalition of 11 Akshauhinis formed by the kingdom of Hastinapur in alliance with races like the Samsaptakas, Trigartas, the Narayan army, the Sindhu army and Shalya of Madra.

Bhagadatta, King of Pragjyotisha – 1 Akshauhini

Shalya, king of Madra – 1 Akshauhini

Bhurishravas, Prince of the Bahlika kingdom and the grandson of the King Bahlika – 1 Akshauhini

Kritavarma (who leads Krishna's Narayani Sena consisting of Yadav clans of Andhaka, Vrishnis, Kukuras, Bhojas and the Shainyas offered prior to the war) – 1 akshauhini

Jayadratha (King of the Sindhu kingdom) – 1 Akshauhini

Sudakshina, King of Kambhoja – 1 Akshauhini (has Yavanas & Sakas in his troops)

Karna, King of Anga – 1 Akshauhini

Srutayudha, King of Kalinga – 1 Akshauhini

Shakuni, king of Gandhara – 1 Akshauhini

Susharma, king of Trigarta – 1 Akshauhini

Kurus and other allies – 1 Akshauhini

Pandava army and their allies:

The Pandav army was a coalition of 7 Akshauhinis, primarily the Panchal and Matsya forces, the Rakshas forces of Bhim's son, Ghatotkacha and Vrishni–Yadava heroes.

Kuntibhoja, King of Kunti kingdom – 1 Akshauhini

Malayadhvaja, King of Early Pandyas having a Conjugated armed force of Pandyas, Cholas and Cheras – 1 Akshauhini

Dhrishtaketu, king of Chedis – 1 Akshauhini

Sahadeva (Son of Jarasandha), king of Magadh – 1 Akshauhini

Drupada, king of Panchala, with his sons – 1 Akshauhini

Virata, king of Matsya – 1 Akshauhini

Ghatotkach and other allies – 1 Akshauhini

The 4 types of units that make up an Akshauhini can also be seen in Chaturanga, (the predecessor of chess).