The Social and Military Position of the Ruling Caste in Ancient India, as Represented by the Sanskrit Epic c2.s5.99

c2.s5.99

The Pāndus, being the smaller force, wait (in spite of Brihaspati's rule) to see what order will be taken by the Kurus. Those on the defensive are thus obliged to take the initiative. The Kurus' commander-in-chief now masses his troops in heavy bodies. He himself takes his place in the van.* Various chiefs and princes of high rank, ten of whom are especially named (16. 17), aid him; these guard the van of the different battalions, or act as ‘wheel-guards’ to others. Each greater chief has commonly a pair of these wheel-guards (*cakrarakṣāu*): an indication that the chariot had not four but two wheels in the earlier time. They are often the younger princes, who are thus winning their name of hero by useful service under some renowned knight. They drive in chariots, and are really independent knights, but their strategic position was close to the war-car of the leader whom they were first bound to protect.† The Kuru commander, Bhīshma, was recognizable by his standard, a golden palm-tree,‡ and colored flag, each leader having some such ensign. Bhīshma's general appointments were white, and even his war-car was silvered (vi. 20. 8; 16. 23). Besides the wheel-guard, a special band of fore-fighters (*purogamāḥ*) went in advance with the leader and ‘protected’ him.§ The king of the Kurus is stationed in the centre, and enters the fight, not in a war-car, but on an enormous white elephant with net-armor. Him guarded thousands of war-cars in front.‖ His maternal uncle, the great villain, Çakuni, was especially charged to look after the king, and accompanied him with hosts of Gāndhāras and mountaineers.¶ The too careful arrangement of the troops spoken of above is given (in a passage that appears late) as follows: one hundred cars support each elephant; one hundred cavalry, each car; ten archers, each horse; one hundred shieldmen, each archer.* Such altogether was the Kurus' order of battle. No special name is given to it, but I fancy it was the ‘circle.’