{{Short description|Army division featured in Hinduism}} {{Italic title}}{{refimprove|date=January 2013}} An '''''akshauhini''''' ({{langx|sa|अक्षौहिणी}} ''akṣauhiṇī'') is described in the [[Mahabharata]] ([[Adi Parva]] 2.15-23) as a [[battle formation]] consisting of 21,870 chariots (Sanskrit ''ratha''); 21,870 elephants (Sanskrit ''gaja''); 65,610 horses (Sanskrit ''turaga'') and 109,350 infantry (Sanskrit ''pada sainyam'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01003.htm|title = The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Section II}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Sachau|first=Eduard|title=Alberuni's India: an account of the religion, philosophy, literature, geography, chronology, astronomy, customs, laws and astrology of India about A.D. 1030, Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LmojzoCC5F8C&pg=PA408|year=1910|publisher=Kegan Paul|isbn=9780415244978}}</ref> Thus one akshauhini consisted of 218,700 warriors (not including the charioteers, who didn't fight). The ratio is 1 chariot: 1 elephant: 3 [[cavalry]]: 5 [[infantry]] soldiers. In each of these large number groups (65,610, etc.), the digits add up to 18.

It is mentioned in the ''Mahabharata'' that in the [[Kurukshetra War]] the [[Pandava]] army consisted of seven ''akshauhinis'' (1,530,900 warriors), and the [[Kaurava]] army had eleven ''akshauhinis'' (2,405,700 warriors).

==Composition==

:'''Patti''' ([[squad]]): 1 elephant (gaja) + 1 chariot (ratha) + 3 horse (ashwa) + 5 foot soldiers (padati) = 10 warriors :'''Senamukha''' = ([[platoon]]): 3 elephant + 3 chariot + 9 horse + 15 foot soldiers = 30 warriors :'''Gulma''' = ([[Company (military unit)|company]]): 9 elephant + 9 chariot + 27 horse + 45 foot soldiers = 90 warriors :'''Gana''' = ([[battalion]]): 27 elephant + 27 chariot + 81 horse + 135 foot soldiers = 270 warriors :'''Wahini''' = ([[regiment]]): 81 elephant + 81 chariot + 243 horse + 405 foot soldiers = 810 warriors :'''Pritana/prutana''' = ([[brigade]]): 243 elephant + 243 chariot + 729 horse + 1215 foot soldiers = 2,430 warriors :'''Chamu''' = ([[Division (military)|division]]): 729 elephant + 729 chariot + 2187 horse + 3645 foot soldiers = 7,290 warriors :'''Anikini''' = ([[corps]]): 2187 elephant + 2187 chariot + 6561 horse + 10935 foot soldiers = 21,870 warriors :'''Akshauhini''' = ([[army]]): 21870 elephant + 21870 chariot + 65610 horse + 109350 foot soldiers = 218,700 warriors

<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Glossary Of Terms in Indian Scriptures|date=5 March 2020|url=https://sheetaluwach.com/glossary-indian-scriptures|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414194930/https://sheetaluwach.com/glossary-indian-scriptures/ |archive-date=2021-04-14 }}</ref>

==Kaurava army and their allies== The Kuru army is a coalition of 11 ''akshauhinis'' formed by the kingdom of Hastinapura in alliance with races like the [[Samsaptakas]], [[Trigartas]], the Narayana army, the Sindhu army and Shalya of Madra.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ganguli |first1=Kisari Mohan |title=The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose |date=1883–1896 |publisher=Pratap Chandra Roy |location=Kolkata |page=5 (Udyoga Parva): Section XIX |url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05019.htm |access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> * [[Bhagadatta]], king of [[Pragjyotisha kingdom|Pragjyotisha]] – 1 akshauhini * [[Shalya]], king of [[Madra]] – 1 akshauhini * [[Bhurishravas]], Prince of the [[Bahlika kingdom]] and the grandson of the king [[Bahlika (Mahabharata)|Bahlika]] – 1 akshauhini * [[Kritavarma]] (who leads [[Krishna]]'s [[Narayani Sena]] consisting of [[Yadava#The_Satvatas|Yadava clans]] of Andhakas, Vrishnis, Kukuras, Bhojas and the Shainyas [[Kurukshetra_War#War_preparations|offered prior to the war]]) – 1 akshauhini * [[Jayadratha]] (king of the [[Sindhu kingdom]]) – 1 akshauhini * [[Sudakshina]], king of [[Kambojas|Kambhoja]] – 1 akshauhini (has Yavanas & Sakas in his troops) * [[Karna]], king of [[Anga]] – 1 akshauhini * [[Srutayudha]], king of [[Kalinga (Mahabharata)|Kalinga]] – 1 akshauhini * [[Shakuni]], king of [[Gandhara]] – 1 akshauhini * [[Susharma]], king of [[Trigarta kingdom|Trigarta]] – 1 akshauhini * [[Kuru kingdom|Kurus]] and other allies – 1 akshauhini

==Pandava army and their allies== The Pandava army is a coalition of 7 ''akshauhinis'', primarily the [[Panchala]] and [[Matsya (tribe)|Matsya]] forces, the Rakshasa forces of Bhima's son, Ghatotkacha and Vrishni–Yadava heroes.{{cn|date=November 2022}} * [[Kuntibhoja]], king of [[Kunti kingdom]] – 1 ''akshauhini'' * [[Malayadhvaja Pandya|Malayadhvaja]], king of Early Pandyas having a Conjugated armed force of [[Pandyas]], [[Cholas]] and [[Cheras]] – 1 ''akshauhini'' * Dhrishtaketu, king of [[Chedi kingdom|Chedis]] – 1 ''akshauhini'' * [[Sahadeva of Magadha|Sahadeva]] (Son of [[Jarasandha]]), king of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]] – 1 ''akshauhini'' * [[Drupada]], king of [[Panchala]], with his sons – 1 ''akshauhini'' *[[Virata]], king of [[Matsya kingdom]] – 1 ''akshauhini'' *[[Ghatotkacha]] and other allies – 1 ''akshauhini''

The 4 types of units that make up an ''akshauhini'' can also be seen in [[Chaturang]]a, the predecessor of [[chess]].{{cn|date=November 2022}}

==See also== *[[Chakravyuha]] *[[Chaturanga]] *[[Maharathi (warrior)|Maharathi]] (warrior)

==References== {{Reflist}}3. [http://8sib.blogspot.com/search/label/Akshauhini Akshauhini Wars in Detail - A Study]{{HinduMythology}}

[https://rkmthrissur.org/categories/sri_mahabharatam/357798000000227397]

[[Category:Tactical formations]] [[Category:Mahabharata]]