War in Ancient India c7.s5.2

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