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Hindu Administrative Institutions c11.s7: Sec. vii. Fighting Arrangements of Troops in Battle

Hindu Administrative Institutions c11.s7

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Sec. vii. Fighting Arrangements of Troops in Battle

c11.s7.1

The term *vyūha* is a significant one from the point of view of Hindu military literature. It simply means the battle-array. The detail as to its arrangement is found scattered in the *Dharmaśāstras*, *Arthaśāstras*, *Purāṇas* and the Epics. Manu, the law-giver, furnishes us with the following categorical list of *vyūhas*: *daṇḍa*, *śakaṭa*, varāha, makara, sūchi, garuḍa, pādma, vajrakāra.¹ Kauṭalya speaks of the four principal varieties: the daṇḍa (staff), bhoga (snake), maṇḍala (circle), and asaṃhata (detached). The arrangement of the force in transverse sections is the daṇḍa-array. That which is in one continuous line each force following the other is the bhoga, in the form of a circle is the maṇḍala, and in detached divisions is the asaṃhata.²

c11.s7.2

¹ Vīramitrodaya, p. 401, from Viṣṇudharmottara; Manu, vii. 187-91.

c11.s7.3

² दण्डभोगमण्डलसंहताः प्रकृतिव्यूहाः । तत्र तिर्यग्वृत्तिर्दण्डः । समस्तानान्वावृत्तिर्भोगः । सुतरां सर्वतोवृत्तिः मण्डलः । स्थितानां पृथगनोकवृत्तिसंहतः । (Arthaśāstra, Bk. x, Sec. 6.)

c11.s7.4

Among these again a number of other varieties of warlike array are distinguished, according to the purpose they were intended to serve. Pradara (for breaking the enemy's array), dṛḍhaka (firm), asahya (to be irresistible), śyenaha (to fall eagle-like), were for attack. The four for defence are called chāpa (bow), chāpakukṣi (the centre of the bow), pratiṣṭhaka (solid formation) and apratiṣṭhaka (loose formation). Other varieties of daṇḍa-vyūha are the sanjaya (solid), vijaya (loose), sthūlakarṇa (earlike), viśālavijaya (divided), chamūmukha (front of the army), jhaśāsya (face of the fish), sūchi (pinlike), valaya (circle), and durjaya (invincible). The varieties of bhoga array are śakaṭa (cart), makara (crocodile), and vāripatantaka (like a waterfall). The varieties of the maṇḍala array are sarvatomukha (facing all directions), sarvatobhadra (circular), aṣṭanīka (the eight divisions), vijaya (loose). The varieties again of the detached array are *vajra* (thunderbolt), *godha* (crocodile), *udyānaka* (garden), *kākapadi* (the foot of a crow), *ardhachandrika* (half-moon), *karkaṭakaśṛṅgi* (the horns of a crab?). These are further classified into *ariṣṭa* (stable), *achala* (immovable) and *apratiṣṭha* (movable).¹ These bear testimony to the fact that strategy was understood and developed to a considerable extent. These have been practically illustrated in the wars of the two epics, the *Rāmāyaṇa* and the *Mahābhārata*. A study of these illustrations shows that a *vyūha* is commonly divided into two parts, the two wings and the centre. One or two parts of these was in action, while the others served as the reserve to be used when necessary. In these *vyūhas* all the four forces were arranged in such a way that they might offer at the same time a united opposition or put forth a strong defence. The formation of these arrays depended upon the skill of the commander-in-chief who would read the situation carefully and fix upon that array according to need.

c11.s7.5

¹ Agni, ccxxxvi. 28 ff. ; ccxlii, 38 ff.

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