Key Battle Formations in Mahabharata Beyond Chakravyuh
To win the Mahabharata war, not only Chakravyuh, but the Kaurava and Pandava forces formed 11 formations.
In Mahabharata, you must have heard only the name of Chakravyuh. But in the war of Mahabharata, there is mention of many types of formations. To fight the war, the side or the opposition used to form formations according to their own. Formation of formation means how the soldiers should be made to stand in front. This formation is visible when seen from the sky. For example, if there is Krauncha Vyuha, then when seen from the sky, soldiers will be seen standing like Krauncha bird.
Similarly, when Chakravyuha is seen from the sky, the military formation looks like a rotating wheel. Only a few warriors in the Pandava army had the knowledge of breaking the Chakravyuh, but unfortunately, when the Chakravyuh was built, Abhimanyu was present at that time.
Read here in one click ~ Importance of Mahashivaratri Festival
During the war, when Abhimanyu entered the Chakravyuh, he showed unparalleled bravery and broke the six gates of the Chakravyuh. At the seventh gate, the great warriors of the Kauravas attacked him together against Dharma, and Abhimanyu was killed. This incident was a turning point in the Mahabharata war. Let us know about some special formations in the Mahabharata.
Garuda Vyuha:
Garuda Vyuha was a highly influential military formation in the Mahabharata war, which was made in the shape of the Garuda bird. Garuda, which is believed to be the vehicle of Lord Vishnu, is known to be a huge and powerful bird, and the formation of this formation was also prepared keeping this form in mind.
In this formation, the most powerful part of the army, which consisted of experienced warriors and the chief commanders of the army, were at the forefront i.e. the head part. Both the lines of the army, which were spread like the wings of a bird, were made to surround the enemy. These wings were ready to attack the enemy by expanding in both directions. The middle and rear part of the army acted as defense and backup, which maintained balance during the war and kept constant pressure on the enemy.
This strategy was used by Bhishma Pitamah, the commander of the Kaurava army. Bhishma’s skill and deep understanding of war made this formation extremely effective for the Kauravas. Garuda Vyuha was not only a complex military strategy, but its aim was also to weaken the enemy mentally and physically.
Krauncha Vyuha:
Krauncha Vyuha formation was prepared in the shape of a crane (Krauncha) bird. In this formation, the armies were arranged in such a way that its front part, which was sharp and pointed like the beak of a bird, was ready to attack the enemy quickly and effectively.
In this, the front part of the formation was sharp and straight, which appeared like the beak of a crane bird. Here were the most powerful and leading warriors, who directly attacked the center of the enemy army. The wings were like the wings of a bird, which gradually spread during the attack, providing an opportunity to surround and weaken the enemy. The middle and rear part of the formation moved forward slowly and kept constant pressure on the enemy, so that the attack of the army remained effective.
In the Mahabharata war, the Pandava king Yudhishthira created this formation. Its purpose was to surprise the enemy and launch a swift, precise attack, thus increasing the firepower of his army.
Makarvyuha:
Makarvyuha was another special formation used in the Mahabharata war. In ancient Vedic literature, Makar is described as an aquatic creature that was a mixture of body parts of different creatures. However, in the context of Mahabharata, Makarvyuha can be directly related to crocodile, as this formation was formed like the formation of a crocodile.
In this formation, the army was arranged in such a way that its front part was like the head of a crocodile, which was the most aggressive and powerful part of the army. Towards the back, the formation of the army was long and strong like the body of a crocodile, making it difficult for the enemy to penetrate this formation.
Read here in one click ~ Learn About Sanskrit Language
In Mahabharata, Kauravas used this Makarvyuha to inflict heavy damage on the Pandava army and ensure their victory in the war. Formation of complex formations like Makarvyuha was part of a deep strategy, which reflected the formation of the armies, their strength, and the ability of leadership.
Tortoise Formation (Kurma Vyuha):
An important formation was the Turtle Formation in which the army was arranged like a turtle. It was made in such a way that the army was organized like a turtle, with strong defenses on the front and sides, and the enemy had difficulty attacking.
The Kauravas used this formation on the eighth day of the Mahabharata war, which caused heavy losses to the Pandava army. The structure and organization of the Tortoise Formation were so precise that it became difficult for the enemy army to penetrate it. The purpose of this formation was to protect one’s army from attack and tire out the enemy.
Ardhchandrakarvyuh (Crescent Formation):
Crescent Formation was an important and efficient military strategy, which was used in the Mahabharata war. As the name suggests, the formation of this formation was in the shape of a half moon.
The purpose of this formation was to surround the enemy army and attack from all sides. When the enemy army was in a straight line or any other straight formation, the crescent formation helped in putting strong pressure on it by surrounding it from both sides. In this formation, the center of the army was slightly behind, while both the wings moved forward, so that the enemy could be attacked effectively.
In Mahabharata, Arjuna created this crescent formation to counter the Garuda formation of the Kauravas. This formation was an efficient strategy to stop the aggressive attack of the Kaurava army and surround it from all sides. Arjuna’s military skill and deep understanding of war was reflected in such formations, which helped the Pandava army achieve great victories.
Mandala Vyuha:
Mandala Vyuha was a circular or chakra-shaped formation, which arranged the soldiers in a circular shape on the battlefield. This formation was formed in such a way that an attempt was made to surround the enemy army from all sides, making it easier to stop their attack and weaken their position.
In the Mahabharata, this formation was created by Bhishma Pitamah, who was famous for his strategy and war skills. The specialty of Mandala Vyuha was that it had the ability to destroy the enemy in a well-organized manner.
The Pandavas formed Vraj Vyuha in response to this Mandala Vyuha. Vraj Vyuha was a complex and strong structure, which was built to penetrate the enemy’s attack. The purpose of this formation was to shatter the enemy’s system and strengthen the position of its army.
Chakravyuh:
Chakravyuh was a highly effective and complex military formation, which was built to gain strategic advantage during the war. The shape of this formation appears similar to a rotating wheel when viewed from the sky. It has a group of soldiers in the center, while there is a circular structure around it, which makes it possible for the enemy army to enter it, but it is very difficult to get out.
In the Mahabharata, this Chakravyuh was created by Guru Drona, who was famous for his strategic abilities. Due to this feature of the Chakravyuh, it helped to confuse the enemy and surround them. It was a big challenge for the Pandavas to penetrate it.
Chakrashakat Vyuha:
Chakrashakat Vyuha was a special military strategy, which was created by Guru Dronacharya to save Jayadratha in the war of Mahabharata. The shape of Chakrashakat is similar to a circle, in which the soldiers are arranged in such a way that they provide a strong protection and the enemy faces difficulty in penetrating it.
After the brutal killing of Abhimanyu, Arjuna had taken an oath that he would kill Jayadratha before sunset. Taking advantage of this situation, Guru Dronacharya formed the Chakrashakata Vyuha to keep Jayadratha safe.
Read Shiva Mahimna Stotra Lyrics With Meaning
However, Lord Krishna’s cleverness and strategy played a vital role in breaking this formation. Krishna guided Arjuna in the right direction, allowing Jayadratha to get out of the Chakrashakata Vyuha and eventually Arjuna killed him. This incident was a turning point in the Mahabharata war and shows how strategy and intelligence can influence the course of the war.
Vajra Vyuha:
The Vajra Vyuha was a special military formation that was formed by Arjuna in the Mahabharata war. It derives its name from the Vajra, a powerful weapon and is considered to be the symbol of Lord Indra. The shape of the Vajra is particularly such that its top three parts are oblique and crooked, while the middle part is thin but weighs a lot.
This formation was built in such a way that it could put a heavy pressure on the enemy, just like the thunderbolt of Lord Indra impacts his enemies. The Vajra Vyuha played an important role in the Mahabharata war, and reflects the strategy and war skills of Arjuna.
Aurami Vyuha:
Aurami Vyuha was another important military formation created by Bhishma Pitamah in the Mahabharata war in response to the Pandavas’ Vraja Vyuha. In this formation, the Kaurava army was arranged in such a way that it appeared similar to the waves of the ocean. Its purpose was to confuse the enemy and surround them from all sides, just like the waves of the ocean move. The specialty of Aurami Vyuha was that it provided mobility and flexibility, allowing the Kaurava army to attack the Pandavas effectively.
This strategy of Bhishma proved to be challenging for the Pandavas, as this formation attempted to break their order and weaken their position on the battlefield. Thus, the formation of Aurami Vyuha was an important strategic aspect in the Mahabharata war, which shows the kind of creativity and planning required in warfare.
Shringataka Vyuha:
The structure of this formation was similar to a building, which looked like a structure with three peaks. The purpose of this formation was to confuse the enemy and provide a strong position to their army. This formation was not only built to stop the attack of the Kauravas, but its purpose was also to put the Pandava army in a strategically safe position.
Apart from this, there is also mention of other formations like Sarvatobhadra and Suparna Vyuha, which were used in different war situations. Each formation had its own specialty and was prepared according to the war strategy.
The formation of each formation was determined according to the requirements of the war and the capability of the commanders. These formations were not only seen as a strategy, but also had cultural and symbolic significance, reflecting the wisdom and military prowess of the kings during war.
Read This Also
Shri Ramcharitmanas in English
Yoga Vasistha Ramayana in English
Shri Ram Raksha Stotra in English
