War in Ancient India c7.s5: Section X: Units of the Army
War in Ancient India c7.s5
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Section X: Units of the Army
c7.s5.2
The Hindu army was divided into Patti, Senāmukha, Gulma, Gaṇa, Vāhinī, Pṛtanā, Camu, Anīkinī, and Akṣauhiṇī. These divisions roughly correspond to our modern battalions, regiments, companies, etc. Of these the patti meant one chariot, one elephant, three horses and three footmen. This was the smallest unit of the army. The next was senāmukha, the four arms of the patti multiplied by three. In this way three senāmukhas formed a gulma,¹³⁶ three gulmas one gaṇa, three gaṇas one vāhinī, three vāhinīs one pṛtanā, three pṛtanās one camu, three camus one anīkinī and ten anīkinīs formed one akṣauhiṇī. An akṣauhiṇī consisted of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 65,610 horses and 1,09,350 foot-soldiers.¹³⁷
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¹³⁶ See Manu's interpretation of Gulma, VII, 190.
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¹³⁷ See Amarakosa; II. 536-7. There was then the Mahākṣauhiṇī (Śiva. T. R. V., 14.47-63).
c7.s5.5
In the Udyoga parva of the Mahābhārata there is a different enumeration of the army units. Mention is made of senā, pṛtanā and vāhinī. Senā is a unit constituting 500 chariots, 500 elephants, 1,500 horses, and 2,500 foot-men. Ten senās constituted a pṛtanā and ten pṛtanās one vāhinī.¹³⁸ The Mahābhārata recounts that the two armies of the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas on the field of Kurukṣetra consisted of eighteen Akṣauhiṇīs of which eleven belonged to the Kauravas and only seven to the Pāṇḍavas.¹³⁹ In another place it is said that a patti totalled 250 men. Thrice in number to this was *senāmukha*, and thrice this number constituted *gulma*. Three *gulmas* made up a *gaṇa*.¹⁴⁰ If we consider dispassionately the numerical strength of the various forces in the epics, the figures given strike us as highly incredible. The arbitrary reckoning of the different units by the multiples of three is so mechanical that it is on the face of it unacceptable. In order to increase the magnitude of the war, the poet has enumerated exaggerated figures. It must be admitted, however, that there was a system, a method and a plan in the organisation of the ancient Hindus, and to this extent they deserve commendation.¹⁴¹
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¹³⁸ Udyoga 155. 22-24.
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¹³⁹ Ibid., 27.
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¹⁴⁰ *Ibid.*, 28-29.
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¹⁴¹ In this connexion see S. N. Sen, *Military Organisation of the Marathas*.
Linked texts (4)
- Mānava Dharmaśāstra — Manu & Bhṛgu, Sanskrit
- Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit
- Tibetan translation ('Chi med mdzod) — Classical Tibetan
- Mahābhārata — Vyāsa, Sanskrit