सेना पञ्चशतं नागा रथास् तावन्त एव च ॥
दशसेना च पृतना पृतना दशवाहिनी ॥
वाहिनी पृतना सेना ध्वजिनी सादिनी चमूः ॥
अक्षौहिणीति पर्यायैर् निरुक्ताथ वरूथिनी ॥
एवं व्यूढान्य् अनीकानि कौरवेयेण धीमता ॥
अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च संख्याताः सप्त चैव ह ॥
अक्षौहिण्यस् तु सप्तैव पाण्डवानाम् अभूद् बलम् ॥
अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च कौरवाणाम् अभूद् बलम् ॥
नराणां पञ्चपञ्चाशद् एषा पत्तिर् विधीयते ॥
सेनामुखं च तिस्रस् ता गुल्म इत्य् अभिसंज्ञितः ॥
दश गुल्मा गणस् त्व् आसीद् गणास् त्व् अयुतशो ऽभवन् ॥
दुर्योधनस्य सेनासु योत्स्यमानाः प्रहारिणः ॥
senā pañcaśataṃ nāgā rathās tāvanta eva ca ||
daśasenā ca pṛtanā pṛtanā daśavāhinī ||
vāhinī pṛtanā senā dhvajinī sādinī camūḥ ||
akṣauhiṇīti paryāyair niruktātha varūthinī ||
evaṃ vyūḍhāny anīkāni kauraveyeṇa dhīmatā ||
akṣauhiṇyo daśaikā ca saṃkhyātāḥ sapta caiva ha ||
akṣauhiṇyas tu saptaiva pāṇḍavānām abhūd balam ||
akṣauhiṇyo daśaikā ca kauravāṇām abhūd balam ||
narāṇāṃ pañcapañcāśad eṣā pattir vidhīyate ||
senāmukhaṃ ca tisras tā gulma ity abhisaṃjñitaḥ ||
daśa gulmā gaṇas tv āsīd gaṇās tv ayutaśo 'bhavan ||
duryodhanasya senāsu yotsyamānāḥ prahāriṇaḥ ||
A sena consisted of five hundred elephants and as many chariots; ten senas made up a pritana, and ten pritanas a vahini. Vahini, pritana, sena, dhvajini, sadini, chamu, akshauhini, and varuthini are given as interchangeable names for a mass of troops. Thus did the wise descendant of Kuru array his forces. Eleven akshauhinis were counted, and also seven: exactly seven akshauhinis made up the force of the Pandavas, and eleven akshauhinis made up the force of the Kauravas. Fifty-five men are established as a patti; three such units make a senamukha, called a gulma. Ten gulmas made up a gana, and the ganas, by the tens of thousands, stood in Duryodhana's armies as fighters and strikers.
34d79b241545 · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:17:52 AM UTC
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This chapter shows the outward face of war: not a burst of anger, but a meticulously organized machine of violence. The detailed lists of weapons, supplies, chariots, elephants, horses, and units underscore the scale of the king's responsibility: when dharma is cast aside, the entire intelligence and order of the state comes to serve destruction.