with sharp-edged circular planks of wood, with horns,
with javelins and various other weapons of attack,
with axes of the kuthara species, and spades, with
cloths steeped in oil, and with clarified butter, the
divisions of Duryodhana, glittering with robes embroidered
with gold and decked with various kinds of jewels
and gems and consisting of warriors endued with handsome
persons, blazed forth like fire. And cased in
coats of mail and well-skilled in weapons, accomplished
in horse-lore, brave persons of good birth were employed
as car-drivers. And all the cars were furnished
with various drugs, and with horses having rows of
bells and pearls on their heads, and with banners
and flagstaffs, and with ornaments gracing their steeples
and turrets and with shields, swords, and lances,
and javelins and spiked maces. And unto each of
those cars were yoked four steeds of the best breed.
And upon each of them were kept a hundred bows.
And each car had one driver in charge of the couple
of steeds in front, and two drivers in charge of the
couple of steeds attached to the wheels on the two
sides. And both of the last-mentioned drivers
were skilled car-warriors, while the car-warrior himself
was also skilled in driving steeds. And thousands
of cars thus furnished and decked with gold, and protected
like fortified town and incapable of being conquered
by foes, were stationed on all sides. And the
elephants also were furnished with rows of bells and
pearls and decked with diverse ornaments. And
on the back of each of those animals, mounted seven
warriors. And in consequence of such accoutrements
those animals looked like hills graced with jewels.
And amongst the seven, two were armed with hooks,
two were excellent bowmen, two were first-rate swords-men,
and one, O king, was armed with a lance and trident.
And, O king, the army of the illustrious Kuru king,
teemed with innumerable infuriate elephants, bearing
on their backs loads of weapons and quivers filled
with arrows. And there were also thousands of
steeds ridden by brave soldiers accoutred in mail,
decked in ornaments, and furnished with flags.
And numbering in hundreds and thousands, all those
steeds were free from the habit of scratching the
ground with their forehoofs. And they were all
well-trained, and decked with ornaments of gold, and
exceedingly obedient to their riders. And of
foot-soldiers, there were hundreds of thousands of
diverse mien, accoutred in armours of diverse kinds
and armed also with weapons of diverse species, and
decked with golden ornaments. And unto each car,
were assigned ten elephants, and unto each elephant
ten horses, and unto each horse ten foot-soldiers,
as protectors. Again, a large body of troops
was kept as a reserve for rallying the ranks that
would be broken. And this reserve consisted of
cars, unto each of which were attached fifty elephants;
and unto each elephant were attached a hundred horses;
and unto each horse were attached seven foot-soldiers.
Five hundred cars, as many elephants (fifteen hundred
horses, and two thousand five hundred foot-soldiers)
constitute a Sena. Ten Senas constitute a Pritana;
and ten Pritanas, a Vahini. In common parlance,
however, the words Sena, Vahini, Pritana, Dhwajini,
Chamu, Akshauhini, and Varuthini are used in the same
sense.