Mahabharat - How many men participated and became martyrs of the great war?

॥ श्रीहरीः ॥

॥ श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥

॥ श्रीवेदव्यसाय नमः ॥

As Ugrashrava continues the narration of the Mahabharat in the hermitage of Rshi Shounak, the manifesto comes where he explains the number of survivors and the number of martyrs in the battle of Kurukshetra, also known as Samantapanchak where the war took place for 18 days.

Arjun's chariot in the middle of the battlefield

Kings from various kingdoms gathered in the field of Samantapanchak to contribute to this great, historic war, either with the bhaav of allies, diplomacy, or friendly relations, from both the sides of Kauravas and Pandavas. Total 18 Akshouhini sena, with eleven Akshouhini sena alongside the Kauravas and seven along the Pandavas, with all its might, this war took place. 

But what exactly do you mean by Akshouhini Sena? What is the number of men who participated in the war? How many of them survived, and perished becoming a memory of time? 

Answered in this blog, are these questions.

The incident explaining who survived the epic war comes whilst Ugrashrava is narrating the scene when Dhritsrashtra, heir of King Shantanu, father of all the Kauravas, is explaining to Sanjay, his charioteer and his true friend who truly understands him, about his cynicism of his sons' victory in the war, looking at the gradual victory of Pandavas. The incident goes as follows, [Adiparva, Chapter 1]

जयत्सु पाण्डुपुत्रेषु श्रुत्वा समुहदप्रियम् । 

दुर्योधनमतं ज्ञात्वा कर्णस्य शकुनेस्तथा ॥141॥ 

धृतराष्ट्रश्चिरं ध्यात्वा संजयं वाक्यमब्रवित् ।

श्रृणु संजय सर्वं मे न चासुयितुमर्हसि ॥142॥

श्रुतवानसि मेधावी बुध्दिमान् प्राज्ञसम्मतः ।

न विग्रहे मम मतिर्न च प्रीये कुलक्षये ॥143॥

Transliteration

jayatsu pāṇḍuputreṣu śrutvā samuhadapriyam | 

duryodhanamataṃ jñātvā karṇasya śakunestathā ||141|| 

dhṛtarāṣṭraściraṃ dhyātvā saṃjayaṃ vākyamabravit |

śrṛṇu saṃjaya sarvaṃ me na cāsuyitumarhasi ||142||

śrutavānasi medhāvī budhdimān prājñasammataḥ |

na vigrahe mama matirna ca prīye kulakṣaye ||143||

Pandavas gradually started getting victory in the war, hearing this dreadful news and knowing the apparent obstinate thoughts of Duryodhana, Karna, and Shakuni, Dhritarashtra felt anxious for a long time wondering about the situation. He, then, said to Sanjaya, "O Sanjaya, shouldst thou take heed of what I must counsel, thou wilt not hold me accountable for the wreckages this war hath begotten on us. For thou art savant, sagacious, prudent, and revered among the scholars. Neither did I assent this war, nor am I gladdened by the ruinous desolation it hath brought upon our lineage."

Dhritarashtra's counsel to Sanjaya proceeds in the subsequent shlokas, unveiling his despondency over his son’s triumph in this calamitous war. At the end of this long counsel, Dhritarashtra says to Sanjaya, [Adiparva, Chapter 1]

कष्टं युध्दे दश शेषाः श्रुता मे

त्रयोऽस्माकं पाण्डवानां च सप्त ।

द्व्यूना विंशतिराहताक्षौहिणीनां

तस्मिन् संग्रामे भैरवे क्षत्रियणाम् ॥217॥

Transliteration

kaṣṭaṃ yudhde daśa śeṣāḥ śrutā me

trayo'smākaṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca sapta |

dvyūnā viṃśatirāhatākṣauhiṇīnāṃ

tasmin saṃgrāme bhairave kṣatriyaṇām ||217||

"Alas, this is a foreboding truth, a harbinger of an ominous revelation. Only ten survived this war -- three from our side and seven from that of Pandavas, is what hath come to my attention. This war, of fierce and fearsome countenance, claimed eighteen Akshouhinis armies of men."

Thus, only 10 men survived this war. They are Krupacharya, Ashwatthama, and Kritavarma from the Kaurava side. Krishna, Satyaki, and the five Pandavas (Yudhishthira, Bheema, Arjun, Nakul, and Sahadeva) from Pandava's side.

Later on, when Ugrashrava is narrating the Adyabharat, another name for Mahabharat, the rishis who are listening to the narration of Mahabharat, ask about the Samantapanchak which came to be known as Kurukshetra, the battlefield where the war was fought.

On this request, Ugrashrava says, [Adiparva, Chapter 2]

त्रेताद्वापारयोः सन्धौ रामः शस्त्रभृतां वरः ।

असकृत् पार्थिवं क्षत्रं जघानामर्षचोदितः ॥3॥

स सर्वं क्षत्रमुत्साद्य स्वविर्येणानलद्युति:।

समन्तपञ्चके पञ्च चकार रौधिरान् ह्रदान् ॥4॥

Transliteration

tretādvāpārayoḥ sandhau rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ |

asakṛt pārthivaṃ kṣatraṃ jaghānāmarṣacoditaḥ ||3||

sa sarvaṃ kṣatramutsādya svaviryeṇānaladyuti:|

samantapañcake pañca cakāra raudhirān hradān ||4||

"In the closing epoch of Treta and the advent of Dwapara Yuga, the foremost among wielders of weapons, Parashuram, fueled by ire toward the Kshatriyas, slayed the Kshatriya Kings multiple times. On this land of Samantapanchak, he made five lochs of blood of the slain. Thus, this place was known evermore as Samantapanchaka." Thus, this land, being bathed in the blood of the brave warriors during mighty wars became a sacred pilgrimage. [Adiparva, Chapter 2]

अन्तरे चैव सम्प्राप्ते कलिद्वापारयोरभूत् ।

समन्तपञ्चके युद्धं कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः ॥13॥

तस्मिन् परमधर्मिष्ठे देशे भूदोषवर्जिते ।

अष्टादश समाजग्मुः अक्षौहिण्यो युयुत्सया ॥14॥

Transliteration

antare caiva samprāpte kalidvāpārayorabhūt |

samantapañcake yuddhaṃ kurupāṇḍavasenayoḥ ||13||

tasmin paramadharmiṣṭhe deśe bhūdoṣavarjite |

aṣṭādaśa samājagmuḥ akṣauhiṇyo yuyutsayā ||14||

"Upon this sacred ground was waged the war of the Mahabharat, during the cusp betwixt Dwapara and Kali Yuga, between Kauravas and the Pandavas. Eighteen Akshouhini armies gathered in that place with the desire to participate in the war" and perished.

The rishis then did beseech Ugrashrava to expound upon the nature of an Akshouhini army and to recount in detail the number of foot soldiers, horses, chariots, and elephants contained therein. The scene goes as, [Adiparva, Chapter 2]

एको रथो गजश्चैको नराः पञ्च पदातयः ।

त्रयः च तुरगास्तज्ज्ञैः पत्तिरित्यभिधीयते ॥19॥

पत्तिं तु त्रिगुणामेतामाहुः सेनामुखं बुधाः । 

त्रीणि सेनामुखान्येको गुल्म इति अभिदियते ॥20॥

त्रयो गुल्मा गणो नाम वाहिनी तु गणास्त्रयः । 

स्मृतास्त्रिस्त्रस्तु वाहिन्यः पृतनेति विचक्षणैः ॥21॥

चमूस्तु पृतनास्तिस्त्रस्तिस्त्रश्चम्बस्त्वनीकिनी ।

अनीकिनीं दशगुणां प्राहुः अक्षौहिणीं बुधाः ॥22॥

अक्षौहिण्याः प्रसंख्याता रथानां द्विजसत्तमाः ।

संख्या गणिततत्वज्ञैः सहस्त्राण्येकविंशतिः ॥23॥

शतान्युपरि चैवाष्टौ तथा भूयश्च सप्ततिः ।

गजानां च परीमाणमेतदेव विनिर्दिशेत् ॥24॥

ज्ञेयं शतसहस्त्रं तु सहस्त्राणि नवैव तु ।

नराणामपि पञ्चाशच्छतानि त्रीणि चानघाः ॥25॥

पञ्चषष्टिसहस्त्रणि तथाश्वानां शतानि च। 

दशोत्तराणि षट् प्राहुर्यथावदिह संख्यया ॥26॥

Transliteration

eko ratho gajaścaiko narāḥ pañca padātayaḥ |

trayaḥ ca turagāstajjñaiḥ pattirityabhidhīyate ||19||

pattiṃ tu triguṇāmetāmāhuḥ senāmukhaṃ budhāḥ | 

trīṇi senāmukhānyeko gulma iti abhidiyate ||20||

trayo gulmā gaṇo nāma vāhinī tu gaṇāstrayaḥ | 

smṛtāstristrastu vāhinyaḥ pṛtaneti vicakṣaṇaiḥ ||21||

camūstu pṛtanāstistrastistraścambastvanīkinī |

anīkinīṃ daśaguṇāṃ prāhuḥ akṣauhiṇīṃ budhāḥ ||22||

akṣauhiṇyāḥ prasaṃkhyātā rathānāṃ dvijasattamāḥ |

saṃkhyā gaṇitatatvajñaiḥ sahastrāṇyekaviṃśatiḥ ||23||

śatānyupari caivāṣṭau tathā bhūyaśca saptatiḥ |

gajānāṃ ca parīmāṇametadeva vinirdiśet ||24||

jñeyaṃ śatasahastraṃ tu sahastrāṇi navaiva tu |

narāṇāmapi pañcāśacchatāni trīṇi cānaghāḥ ||25||

pañcaṣaṣṭisahastraṇi tathāśvānāṃ śatāni ca| 

daśottarāṇi ṣaṭ prāhuryathāvadiha saṃkhyayā ||26||

One chariot, one elephant, five foot soldiers and three horses make up a patti. Three pattis are known as a senamukha and three senamukhas make up a gulma. Three gulmas are named a gana and three ganas a vahini. The wise know that three vahinis collectively form a pritana. Three pritanas make a chamu, three chamus an anikini and the wise say that ten times an anikini is known as an akshouhini army. O best of Brahmanas! Those who know arithmetic have calculated that there are 21,870 chariots in an akshouhini and the number of elephants is the same. Know that the number of foot soldiers in an akshouhini army is 109,350 and the number of horses is 65,610. [Adiparva, Chapter 2]

एतया संख्यया ह्यासन्कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः ।  

अक्षौहिण्यो द्विजश्रेष्ठाः पिण्डिताष्टादशैव तु  ॥28॥

Transliteration

etayā saṃkhyayā hyāsankurupāṇḍavasenayoḥ |  

akṣauhiṇyo dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ piṇḍitāṣṭādaśaiva tu  ||28||

O best of Brahmanas! The eighteen akshouhinis of the Kurus and the Pandavas were made up according to these numbers and the cause destroyed them all.

This number adds up to 4,723,920 warriors who participated in the war. Note that each elephant and chariot is occupied by two men. Out of these only 10 were alive at the end of the war. 

This implies the number of deaths in the Mahabharat war to be 4,723,910!

This is the number of men the Mahabharat war claimed in the pure land of Samantapanchak, known as Kurukshetra.

Reference: Mahabharat, Adiparva, Pratham Khand, Gitapress, Gorakhpur.

The Mahabharat - How does the narration of the greatest epic, our history, begin?

॥ श्रीहरीः ॥

॥ श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥

॥ श्रीवेदव्यसाय नमः ॥

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । 

देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयं उदिरयेत् ॥

Transliteration:

nārāyaṇaṃ namaskṛtya naraṃ caiva narottamam | 

devīṃ sarasvatīṃ vyāsaṃ tato jayaṃ udirayet ||

Arjuna's chariot faces the Kuru army

व्यासरचित महाभारत (Vyasa rachit Mahabharat) commences in the sacred and astounding setting of the नैमिषारण्य (Naimisharanya) forest. Here, a learned कथावाचक सूत (Kathavachak Soota), उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava), son of लोमहर्षण (Lomaharshan) arrives, where he finds his path leading to the hermitage of ऋषी शौनक (Sage Shounak), who, along with the congregation of many other devoted sages, is conducting a grand यज्ञसत्र (yadnyasatra) destined to span for twelve years.

Seeing उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava), all the sages, and brahmacharis in the hermitage bowed down to him in great reverence, welcomed him to the hermitage, and provided him with a head seat in the आश्रम (ashram). Upon his welcome and making sure that उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava) is at ease from his long journey, the sages ask, "O noble one of lotus-eyes, descendant of the sacred lineage of Soota, from what realms dost thou return? In what revered abodes hast thou tarried, and what sacred narratives hast thou gleaned on thy travels? Pray, dispel the wonderment that stirs within us." 

The Sanskrit verses for this scene go as 

अथ तेषूपविष्टेषु सर्वष्वेव तपस्विषु ।
निर्दीष्टमासनं भेजे विनयाल्लोमहर्षिणिः ॥ 5 ॥

सुखासीनं ततस्तं तु विश्रान्तमुपलक्ष्य च ।

अथापृच्छदृषिस्तत्र कश्चित प्रस्तावयन् कथाः ॥6॥

कुत आगम्यते सौते क्व चायं विहृतस्त्वया ।

कालः कमलपत्राक्ष शंसैतत् पृच्छतो मम ॥7॥

Transliteration:
atha teṣūpaviṣṭeṣu sarvaṣveva tapasviṣuh |
nirdīṣṭamāsanaṃ bheje vinayāllomaharṣiṇiḥ || 5 ||

sukhāsīnaṃ tatastaṃ tu viśrāntamupalakṣya ca |

athāpṛcchadṛṣistatra kaścita prastāvayan kathāḥ ||6||

kuta āgamyate saute kva cāyaṃ vihṛtastvayā |

kālaḥ kamalapatrākṣa śaṃsaitat pṛcchato mama ||7||

Ugrashrava narrating the Mahabharat

Then, in a voice resounding with the knowledge of ancient yugas, उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava) ji says, "O most venerable sages, I journey from the सर्पयज्ञ (sarpa-yajnya) of जनमेजय (Janmejaya), son of परिक्षित (Parikshit), where my ears drank the sweetest elixir of that supreme lore, महाभारत (the Mahabharat), the august composition of the sage amongst sages, महर्षी कृष्णद्वैपायन व्यास (Maharshi Krishnadwaipayana Vyasa), deeply. This divine scripture, steeped in the esoteric verses narrated by वैशंपायन (Vaishampayana), Vyasa’s disciple, unfolded before me as a timeless revelation. From there, I embarked on countless pilgrimages, seeking the holy tirthas, each ablaze with sanctity. I beheld the battlefield of समंतपञ्चक (Samantapanchaka), that place of कुरुक्षेत्र (Kurukshetra), where पाण्डव (the Pandavas) and कौरव (the Kauravas), alongside the kings of all quarters, fought unto death. From that consecrated ground, I have come, my heart stirred with yearning to witness thy holy presence, for thou art eternal, embodying the essence of Brahman, and radiant in thy vigor, like unto the Sun and the all-consuming flame."

The Sanskrit verses go as,

सौतिरूवाच
जनमेजयस्य राजर्षे सर्पसत्रे महात्मना ॥9॥

समीपे पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य सम्यक् परिक्षितस्य च ।

कृष्णद्वैपायनप्रोक्ताः सुपुण्या विविधा कथाः ॥10॥

कथिताश्चापि विधिवद् या वैशम्पायनेन वै । 

श्रुत्वाहं ता विचित्रार्था महाभारतसंश्रिताः ॥11॥

बहुनि सम्परिक्रम्य तीर्थान्यायतनानि च ।
समंतपञ्चकं नाम पुण्यं द्विजनिषेवितम् ॥12॥

गतवानस्मि तं देशं युध्दं यत्राभवत् पुरा ।
कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् ॥13॥

दिदृक्षुरागतस्तस्मात् समीपं भवतामिह ।
आयुष्मन्तः सर्व एव ब्रह्मभूता हि मे मताः ।
अस्मिन् यज्ञे महाभागाः सुर्यपावकवर्चसः ॥14॥

कृताभिषेकाः शुचयः कृतजप्याहुताग्न्यः ।
भवन्त आसने स्वस्था ब्रवीमि किमहं द्विजाः ॥15॥

पुराणसंहिताः पुण्याः कथा धर्मार्थसंश्रिताः ।
इति वृत्तं नरेन्द्राणामृषीणां च महात्मनाम् ॥16॥

Transliteration

sautirūvāca
janamejayasya rājarṣe sarpasatre mahātmanā ||9||

samīpe pārthivendrasya samyak parikṣitasya ca |
kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaproktāḥ supuṇyā vividhā kathāḥ ||10||

kathitāścāpi vidhivad yā vaiśampāyanena vai | 
śrutvāhaṃ tā vicitrārthā mahābhāratasaṃśritāḥ ||11||

bahuni samparikramya tīrthānyāyatanāni ca |
samaṃtapañcakaṃ nāma puṇyaṃ dvijaniṣevitam ||12||

gatavānasmi taṃ deśaṃ yudhdaṃ yatrābhavat purā |
kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām ||13||

didṛkṣurāgatastasmāt samīpaṃ bhavatāmiha |
āyuṣmantaḥ sarva eva brahmabhūtā hi me matāḥ |
asmin yajñe mahābhāgāḥ suryapāvakavarcasaḥ ||14||

kṛtābhiṣekāḥ śucayaḥ kṛtajapyāhutāgnyaḥ |
bhavanta āsane svasthā bravīmi kimahaṃ dvijāḥ ||15||

purāṇasaṃhitāḥ puṇyāḥ kathā dharmārthasaṃśritāḥ |
iti vṛttaṃ narendrāṇāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām ||16||

With these words spoken and filling the air with spiritual aura, उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava), gazing onto the assembly of the most radiant sages, says, "Now, O learned sages, ye whose souls are sanctified by snaan, japa, agnihotra, reveal unto me thy wishes. For I stand ready, at your command, to unravel any wonderous tale ye seek to hear from myself. Shall I, unto thee, unfold the sacred accounts of the Puranas, brimming with the profound essence of धर्म (dharma) and अर्थ (artha), which, like holy unction, sanctify the soul and awaken the inner self to divine wisdom? Or dost thou yearn to hear of the supreme itihaasa—this epic chronicle of yore—wherein the valorous deeds of ancient kings and the sublime experiences of venerable rishis are immortalized, each tale steeped in the nectar of timeless truths?"

Thus having spoken, उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava) awaited the reply of the sages. The august assembly of seers, steeped in reverence and deep wisdom, joined their hands and, with humility and anticipation, made their plea. "O noble Soota, thy words have kindled within us an ardent yearning to hear of that most venerable history—महाभारत (the Mahabharata)—the sacred epic composed by the illustrious sage कृष्णद्वैपायन व्यास (Krishnadwaipayana Vyasa), son of the revered महर्षि पराशर (Maharshi Parashar)."

"We beseech thee, honored one, to recount to us this immortal saga, woven with threads of dharma, artha, and the exploits of mighty heroes. In this grand itihaasa are contained the timeless virtues and the destinies of both the virtuous and the valiant, unfolding the cosmic dance of fate and righteousness. In thy words, let us be witness to the noble deeds, the trials, and triumphs of those who walked the sacred soil of भारत (Bharata), that we may drink deeply of the wisdom and valor enshrined within its verses."

Thus, begins the narration of our इतिहास (itihaas)—history—महाभारत (the Mahabharat).

Deep dive, we shall, into this journey of Mahabharat, in our upcoming blogs.

Reference: Mahabharat, Adiparva, Pratham Khand, Gitapress, Gorakhpur.