War in Ancient India c9.s4.18

c9.s4.18

The different dispositions of the army under the maṇḍala classification are sarvatomukha (capable of turning in all directions), sarvatobhadra (auspicious), aṣṭānīka (an eight-fold division), vijaya (giving victory), vajra (diamond-like), kākapadi (crow’s foot), ardhacandrika (semi-circle-like), and karkaṭakaśṛṅgī (fish-like or crab-like). Some more kinds of arrays mentioned are ariṣṭa where the front, the wings and the rear are occupied by chariots, elephants and horses respectively, acala in which infantry, cavalry, chariots and elephants stand one behind the other, and apratihata in which elephants, horses, chariots and infantry stand one behind the other. But all kinds of arrays could be resisted with success by durjaya.⁸¹