Strength of R¢ma-army

-Arun Kumar Upadhyay, IPS

B-9, CB-9, Cantonment Road, Cuttack-753001
0671-2304172/2304433 Mob-09437034172
Email <arun_ved@yahoo.co.in>
1. Introduction-In chapter 28 of Yuddhak¢´²a of V¢lm¤ki R¢m¢ya´a strength of R¢ma army
is stated in verses 4-5 by the spy ¹uka to R¢va´a as-
21 (9+5+7) ko°i (107), 1000 ¹anku, 100 V¨nda.
Normal rule is that largest unit is told first followed by successively smaller units. Then,
ºanku, v¨nda should be smaller than ko°i. However, at the end (verses 33-38) order of count-
ing is explained as-
Ko°i =107, 105 ko°i =1 ºanku (1012), 105 ºanku=1 mah¢-ºanku (1017), 105 mah¢-ºanku=1v¨nda
(1022), 105 v¨nda =1 mah¢-v¨nda (1027), 105 mah¢-v¨nda = 1 padma (1032), 105 padma= 1
mah¢-padma (1037), 105 mah¢-padma=1 kharva (1042), 105 kharva=1 mah¢-kharva (1047),
105 mah¢-kharva=1 samudra (1052), 105 samudra= 1 Ogha (1057), 105 ogha=1 mahaugha
(1062).
Verses (38-40) indicate R¢ma army as 100 mahaugha or 1064 as each unit is in 100s. Or, at
least, it is 1 mahaugha (1062).
2. Number systems-Indian system names the numbers increasing by 100s-lakºa, koti,
arbuda (arba), kharva etc. The system of counting proceeds by 105 which appears to be asura
system. Now, it proceeds by millions in old system -million, billion, trillion. It increases by
thousands in new system. There appears to be mismatch in translating deva and asura sys-
tems of counting. Due to exaggeration of enemy strength, R¢va´a was annoyed in chapter 39.
Actually, ¹uka and S¢ra´a after being caught were shown strength of R¢ma army at direction
of R¢ma himself to Vibh¤¾a´a (25/18-19). There may be purposeful exaggeration by Vibh¤¾a´a
who showed them further. This was to fool them and create terror in enemy camp.
3. Measure of army-Elsewhere in V¢lm¤ki R¢m¢ya´a itself (Uttarak¢´²a 25/33), strength
of army has been given in akºauhi´¤. Strength of R¢va´a army has been stated to be 4 sahasra
akºauhi´¤ which attacked devaloka under Indra. It must have been the largest number which
R¢va´a could manage, because Devas were his strongest enemy. here sahasra means ap-
proximate. till today our approximation standard in upto 3 places of dcimal, i.e. 1 in 1000, so
sahasra (1000) means approximate also.
Akºauhi´¤ has been defined in Mah¢bh¢rata, ¡di-parva (2/19-25). Smallest unit is Patti
which has 1 ratha (chariot), 1 elephant, 5 foot soldiers and 3 horses (with soldiers). In ratha
and elephant there has to be another person to move them in addition to the fighter. Thus,
there are 10 fighters and 2 extra persons in a Patti. Then, the higher units in multiples of 3
are-sen¢mukha, gulma, ga´a, v¢hin¤, p¨tan¢, cham¦, an¤kin¤. 10 an¤kin¤=1 akºauhi´¤.
Thus, numbers in 1 akºauhi´¤ are-
Ratha elephant horses foot soldiers Total men (2each for ratha and elephant)
21,870 21,870 65,610 1,09, 350 2,62,440
Fighters are 2,18,500 only.
Thus, total strength of R¢va´a army for attack on Devas was 10,49, 760. This is the usual
strength which can be mustered in large all out attacks.
In Mah¢bh¢rata, Udyoga parva (155/24), another measure has been given-
1 Sen¢=500 elephants+500 ratha (foot soldiers are not mentioned).
10 sen¢=1 P¨tan¢, 10 P¨tan¢=1 v¢hin¤.
Multiple of 10 starts after an¤kin¤, 10 of them are 1 akºauhi´¤. Thus, sena=an¤kin¤,
p¨tan¢=akºauhi´¤. 1 v¢hin¤=10 akºauhi´¤ , which was the approximate strength of Kaurava
army in Mah¢bh¢rata war (actually 11 akºauhi´¤).
R¢va´a might have added some more army after capture of some lands after victory over
Devas etc and for preparing against attack of R¢ma. But it will not be much more than 5
akºauhi´¤. Nilaka´°ha has commented that R¢ma had 62 units (1062) compaed to 70 units of
R¢va´a. These 62 or 70 units might be like present division of army or sen¢ defined above. If
it was sen¢ i.e. 1 /10 of akºauhi´¤, then the strengths are 6 (6.2) and 7 akºauhi´¤ respec-
tively.
3. Total strength- Total armed strength of R¢ma and R¢va´a both were higher and de-
ployed elsewhere. R¢va´a was ruling most of the world and had P¢t¢la (north America-
Ahir¢va´a), Africa (M¢l¤, Sum¢l¤=Somalia), Australia (golden land=suvar´a bh¦mi) under
him. R¢ma also had support from anti Asura forces from all over the world. It is stated in
Uttarak¢´²a (38/21-27) that 300 kings had helped R¢ma who had been marshalled by king
Janaka of Mithil¢ on hearing about kidnapping of S¤t¢.
About 1300 years after R¢m¢ya´a, 35th king in R¢ma dynasty B¨hadbala was killed in
Mah¢bh¢rata in October 3139 BC (58 days after 10th day of war, Bh¤¾ma departed on
22.12.3139 BC). 36 years after that K¨¾´a expired on 17/18.2.3102 BC when kali started.
In that also, total strngth of 18 akºauhi´¤ was 47,23,920; but the total persone killed were
1660 million as per estimate of Yudhi¾°hira in Mah¢bh¢rata, Str¤-parva (26/9). Thus, it was
a world war which practically destroyed the world civilization. All the ancient stories take
this as date of destruction of population. Prior to that there were glacial floods in10000 and
31000 BC as per geological estimates confirmed by descriptions of 12000+12000 years
cycle of avasarpi´¤ and utsarpi´¤ yugas.
Even at the time of Mah¢bh¢rata, war between R¢ma and R¢va´a was considered to be
most fierse battle. In that also, burning of Lank¢ was the most violent incident. Prior to that,
when Hanum¢n met S¤t¢ in Aºoka v¢°ik¢, saturn and mars both entered the cart shaped
Rohi´¤ star which is about 20 north of zodiac belt. This can happen when both planets are at
their maximum north declination and in Rohi´¤ star. Till today, entry of any of these planets
is astrological indication of fierce battle. Even for show of affection, K¨¾´a never told that he
is Arjuna among warriors (or Bh¤¾ma, Dro´a etc). He mentioned R¢ma only as the greatest
warrior (G¤t¢ 10/31).
4. Large numbers-The secret of large numbers can be only a speculation-(1) mismatch
between asura and deva systems of counting, (2) or of army strength, (3) or a bluff by Vibh¤¾a´a.
Similar confusion is created by 11000 years rule of R¢ma where var¾a means day. Thus,
R¢ma became king at the age of 39 (25+14 years exile) and after 31 years (11000 days) when
he died at the age of 70, his sons were not adults. Ministers had to rule for 4 years and then
Kuºa was married to prince of K¢º¤. Antiquity of R¢ma is also pushed too far by assuming
astronomical era of 4320000 years in stead of 12000 years of historic era called ayan¢bda
yuga in V¢yu-pur¢´a (chapters 70,98). 1060 is the number of electrons in the solar system and
taking 1062 as number of R¢ma army will only destroy the sanctity and faith on scriptures.