India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c12.s3.1

c12.s3.1

*FOUR-FOLD DIVISION*—The organisation of the army as known to Pāṇini was based on the traditional four-fold division, *viz.* infantry, chariots, horses and elephants. These were known as *senāṅga*, or limbs of the army (II.4.2; cf. *hastyārohāḥ rathinaḥ sādinaścha padātayaścha*, Udyogaparva, 30.25). There is a grammatical rule saying that the names of army-divisions when compounded take singular number, *e.g.* a combination of charioteers and horsemen was called *rathikāśvāroham*; and of the former and foot-soldiers as *rathika-pādātam*. The compounds must have had their origin from the prescribed grouping of these different units for the purpose of military operations. An infantry division was called *padāti* (VI.3.52). Special mention is made of the infantry units organised in the Sālva country (IV.2.135). As against the *padāti* soldiers or footmen were the mounted ones called *sādi* (VI.2.41; cf. *sādi-padāti-yūnām*, Bhīshmaparva, 60.20). Pāṇini makes special mention of dromedary riders or camel corps (*ushṭra-sādi*, VI.2.40). Mule and camel corps together are referred to as *ushṭra-vāmī* (VI.2.40). Army was sometimes named in terms of caste, *e.g.*, *Brāhmaṇa-senā*, a Brāhmaṇa battalion (*Kāśikā* on II.4.25).