Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c13.6

c13.6

**Constituents of the Army: *Mahābhārata*.** The traditional description of the Hindu Army is that it is made up of four limbs. It is always described in the Arthaśāstra as *Chaturaṅgabala* [e.g. II. 33; IX. 1, 2, etc]. Megasthenes mentions two other constituents of the army and these also are recognised from very early times. For instance, the full complement of an army, according to *Mahābhārata*, comprises (1) the chariot, (2) the elephant, (3) the horse, (4) the foot, (5) the general labourers for transport, commissariat, and other services (*vishṭi*), (6) the navy, (7) the spies and (8) the *Deśikas*, meaning probably scouts and topographic leaders. It is apparent that numbers, (5), (6), (7) and (8) correspond to the supplementary components of the army noticed by Megasthenes.