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Shishupala-vadha (Study)

by Shila Chakraborty | 2018 | 112,267 words

This page relates ‘Bhoga-vyuha (Snake array):� of the study on the Shishupala-vadha (in English) in the light of Manusamhita (law and religious duties) and Arthashastra (science of politics and warfare). The Shishupalavadha is an epic poem (Mahakavya) written by Magha in the 7th century AD. It consists of 1800 Sanskrit verses spread over twenty chapters and narrates the details of the king of the Chedis.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Bhoga-ū (Snake array):

In the opinion of ṛh貹پ and Uśanasa the army of this array (ū) formed in various sections are equipped in a disintegreated chain.

According to there opinion:

“samastānāmԱ屹ṛtپrbhoga:� (10.6.5)[1]

‘Operation of all (divisions) one after the other is the snake array�.[2]

Here Ա屹ṛtپ: means�

“Coming one behind the other as in a serpant’s body. The idea seems to be that the divisions operate one behind the other.�[3]

And according to Rangarajan�

“Snake array is in which they advance unevenly in a sinuous manner, one after the other�

(As it is seen in the ṭīlⲹ ٳśٰ edited by Manabendu Bandyopadhay, part–II. p. 520).

In śū dzԳٲ�

‘auśanasamate kakṣavarjitānā� caturṇāṃ vārhaspatyamate kakṣābhyā� saha ṣaṇṇāmirtartha� | Ա屹ṛtپ� anuvandhenāvṛtti� vṛttavahulatayā ٳ󾱳پ� Dz�� |[4]

Kauṭilīya says, intensity of wings flanks and centre of this array is not equal.

“pakṣakakṣorasyairviṣama� vartamāno bhoga: |� (10.6.24)[5]

“That operating unevenly with wings, flanks and centre is the snake array�.[6]

There are various Kind of Bhoga ū (Snake array) like 貹ī (serpent), dzūٰ (cows urinal), ś첹ṭa (cart), makara (crocodile), poripatanaka (flying about). Among those Manu has mentioned the name of ś첹ṭa (cart), and makara (crocodile) array.

Kullūka the commentator of the ѲԳܲṃh said in the commentary of the verse number one hundred and eighty seventh of seventh chapter.�

“sū岵� 貹ś ṛtܱ� ś첹ṭaūstena pṛṣṭhatobhaye satigacchet | ………………� viparyyayeṇa makaraūstenāgre paścāccobhayatra bhaye sati gacchet | �

According to Kullūka, ū (boar array) is:

“sūkṣmamukhapaścādbhāga� pṛthumadhyo vyuha� |�

The formation of ū (boar or hog array) is like rhombus and makara ū (crocodile array) is just opposite to it. It looks like two triangles meets into a vertex.

In this context Manu also said�

yataśca bhayamāśaṅkettato vistārayed valam |
padmena caiva vyūhena niviśeta svayam || 7.188ˇ[7]

“From whatever side he apprehends danger, in that direction let him extend his troops and let him always himself encamp in an array, shaped like a lotus.[8]

In this connection �padma ū� or lotus shaped array is:

“The lotus array of the army is stated to be equally extended on all sides and perfectly circular, the centre being occupied by the king.�[9]

So, two wings two flanks and a centre, these five types fource remain by non equally power then those types of force will be named as snake array (bhoga vyūga). Depending upon serpent (貹ī) and cows urinal (dzūٰ) snake array (bhoga vyūga) is two types.

‘The difference between the two is that in the former the divisions are close to each other, while in the latter they are broken and of various sizes.[10]

‘pakṣakakṣorasyairviṣama� vartamāno Dz� | sa 貹ī dzūٰ vā | sa yugmorasyo 岹ṇḍ貹ṣa� ś첹ṭa� | viparyaye 첹� | hastyaśvarathaircyatikīrṇa� ś첹ṭa� pāripatantaka� | iti bhogavyūhā� |�(10.6.24-29)[11]

‘That operating unevently with wings, flanks and centre is the snake array. It is “moving like a serpent� or “Cow’s urination�. That with two (divisions) at the centre and staffs in the winges is the ‘cart�. In the reverse case, it is the crocodile. The cart, inter-mixed with elephants, horses and chariots is the “flying about�: These are snake arrays.�[12]

These five are bhoga array.

In this context it was said in the 峾Ի岹첹 īپś (20.54-56)�

dzūٰ'hisañcārī śakaṭo makarastathā |
bhogabhedā� samākhyātāstathā paripatantaka� ||
Dzūٰ mūtrarekhākāro vibhājyate |
aheśca saraṇasthana� cāhisāryabhidhīyate ||
daṇḍapakṣo yugorasya� ś첹ṭastadviparyaya� |
makaro vyavakīrṇaśca śṣa� kuñjaravājibhi� ||

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[2]:

ibid., part-II, p. 450.

[3]:

loc.cit (foot note).

[4]:

T.G. Sastri: Op.cit., part-III, p. 976.

[5]:

R.P. Kangle: Op.cit., part-I, p. 242.

[6]:

ibid., part-II, p. 451.

[7]:

Manabendu Bandyopadhaya: Op. cit., p.717.

[8]:

Ashokanath Shastri: Op. cit., p.187.

[9]:

loc.cit.,

[10]:

R.P. Kangle: Op.cit., part-II, p.451. (foot note).

[11]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[12]:

ibid., part-II, p. 451.

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