Daṇḍa-vyūha (Staff array)

Daṇḍa vyūha (Staff array):—In this array wings, flanks and centre are integrated as same force.

“pakṣakakṣorasyeḥ samaṃ vartamāno daṇḍaḥ |” (10.6.8)^[1]

In this respect Kullūka the commentator of the Manusaṃhitā has said—

tatrāgrebalādhyakṣo, madhye rājā paścāt senāpatiḥ pārśvayorhastinaḥ tatsamīpe ghoṭakāstataḥ padātayaḥ ityevaṃ kṛtaracano dīrghaḥ, sarvataḥ samavinyāso daṇḍavyuhaḥ” | (manusaṃhitā, kullūkaṭīkā 7/187) |

According to Kullūka, making daṇḍa array the king should march or having the apprehension of being attacked.

This staff array (daṇḍa vyūha) is main array (vyūha).

Kauṭilya has mentioned about the various kinds of staff array daṇḍa vyūha—(staff array):

1. pradara (splitter),
2. dṛḍaka (strengthener),
3. asahya (unbearable),
4. śyena (falcon),
5. cāpa (bow),
6. cāpakukṣi (bow flank), etc.

In the openion of Uśanasa and Bṛhaspati—

“Among them, that with crosswise operstions is the staff array.”^[2]

According to them—

“tatra tiryagvṛttirdaṇḍa:”(10.6.4)^[3].

Kauṭilya said—

“pakṣakakṣorasyaiḥ samaṃ vartamāno daṇḍa:”(10.6.8)^[4]

Staff array (daṇḍa vyūha) (is the crosswise operation” “that operating evenly with wings flanks and centre is the staff (array).”^[5]

Pradara (splitter):—

When the force of two wings and centre would stay on ones own place, but the attack would be with the flanks then that stuff array (daṇda vyūha) is called the pradara (splitter).

‘sa kakṣātikrāntaḥ pradara:’ (10.6.9)^[6]

“That, marching beyond with the flanks is the splitter”^[7]

Dṛḍaka (strengthener):—

When the attack for pressure with two wings and two flanks towards the force of the enemy king, who are reversely comming that is the “dṛdaka’ (Strengthener) According to Kauṭilya—

“sa eva pakṣābhyāṃ pratikrānto dṛḍaka:” (10.6.10)^[8]

The same, falling back with wings and flanks is the strengthener.^[9]

Asahya (unbearable):—

The going forward force of the two long and broad wings is called the ‘asahya’ (unbearable) Kauṭilya said:

“sa evātikrāntaḥ pakṣābhyāmasahya:” (10.6.11).^[10]

“The same, marching out with the wings is the unbearable”^[11]

According to Śayāmāśāstri “the same is called ‘asahya’ when it’s wings are lengthened”. (As it is seen in the Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstram edited by Manabendu Bandyopadhay, part II, p. 521).

Syena (falcon):

Again, the force of two wings and two flanks will stay on onse own place, but the attack would be with the centre, that is the ‘syenavyūha’ (falcon).

ïïpakṣāvavasthapyorasyātikrāntaḥ śyenaḥ” (10.6.12)^[12]

“Marching out with the centre keeping the wings stationary is the falcon.”^[13]

There would four types of vyūha, Just opposit to the above said array (vyūha).

They are cāpavyūha, (bow) cāpakukṣi vyūha (bow-flank) pratiṣṭha vyūha (established) and supratiṣṭha-vyūha (well estsablished).

In this context in Śrīmūlā Commentry it is said—

“tatrakakṣābhyāmabhikrāntaḥ yaḥ pradaraḥ uktastadviparītaḥ kakṣābhyāṃ pratikrāntaścāpavyūhaḥ |”^[14]

Cāpa vyūha (bow):

Cāpavyūha, which is over stepped with the flanks. It is just opposite to the pradara vyūha. (splitter).

Cāpakukṣi vyūha (bow-flank):

Over stepped with two wings is called Cāpakukṣi vyūha (bow-flank).

According to Śrīmūlā commentary, it is just opposite to dṛḍaka (strengthener)—

“yaḥ pakṣābhyāṃ pratikrāntaḥ dṛḍakauktastasya viparītaḥ pakṣābhyamabhikrāntaścāpakukṣyākhyo vyūhaḥ |”^[15]

Which array vyūha is inverted ordered with the wings is called pratiṣṭha vyūha (estsablished).

According to Śrimulā commentary—

“yaḥ pakṣābhyām atikrānto'sahya ukkastasya viparītaḥ pakṣābhyāṃ pratikrāntaḥ pratiṣṭhākhyo vyuha:”^[16]

Which array (vyūha) was over stepped with wings and centre is called supratiṣtha vyūha (well established) —

“yaḥ pakṣāvavasthapyorasyābhikrāntaḥśyena ukkastasya viparīta urasyena pakṣābhyāṃ cābhikrānto yadvātikrāntaḥ supratiṣṭhānāmā vyūhaḥ |”^[17] (Śrīmūlā commentary)

Where as cāpa (bow), cāpakukṣi (bow-flank). Pratiṣṭha (established) and supratiṣṭha vyūha (well established) are just opposite to pradara (splitter) dṛdaka (strenghener), asahya (unbearable) and syena (falcon) vyūha (array) respectively, So Kauṭilya has said.

“viparyaye cāpaṃ cāpakukṣiḥ pratiṣṭhaḥ supratiṣṭhaśca” (10.6.13).^[18]

“In the reverse case, (these four become) the ‘bow’, the ‘bow-flank,’ the ‘established’ and the ‘well-established’ (respectively)^[19]

In this way pointing out eight type changes of the daṇḍa vyūha, (staff array) again there would be point out another type of changes of the daṇḍa vyūha (staff array). These array (vyūha) are Sanjay (conqueror), vijay (victory), sthūlakarṇa (pillar cared), visāla vijaya (extensive-victory) camūmukha (army face), ṛṣāsya (fish mouth) sūcī (needle) balaya (bracelet), durjaya (invincibla) vyūha (array).

Sanjay (conqueror) array:

Which wings are arrayed as a bow, is called sanjay array. According to Kauṭilya—

“cāpapakṣaḥ sañjayaḥ” (10.6.14).^[20]

“That with wings of bows is the conqueror”.^[21]

Vijay (victory) array:

Which sraff array (daṇda vyūha) over stepped with the force of centre or instilled to the force of the enemy with the army of centre is called vijay (victory) array.

Kauṭilya said in his Arthaśāstra—

‘sa evorasyātikrānto vijaya:’ (10.6.15)^[22]

“The Same marching out with the centre, is the victory”.^[23]

That with wings like big ears is the sthūlakaraṇa vyūha (pillar cared) -

It is said in the Arthaśāstra—

“sthūlakarṇapakṣaḥ sthūlakarṇa:” (10.6.16)^[24]

“That with wings like big ears is the pillar-cared:”^[25]

Viśala vijaya (extensive-victory):

That which wings are double belky than vijaya vyūha (victory array) is viśālavijaya vyūha (extensive victory).

“dviguṇapakṣasthūlo viśālavijayaḥ” (10.6.17)^[26]

“That with double pillars in the wings is the extensive-victory.”^[27]

Camūmukha (army face):

That with wings augmented threefold is the camūmukha vyūha (army face). Kauṭilya said in this respect.

“tryabhikrāntapakṣaścamūmukhaḥ” (10.6.18)^[28]

“That with wings augmented threefold is the ‘army face’.^[29]

In the reverse case it is the ṛṣ āsya vyūha (fish mouth). So, it is opposite to “Camūmukha vyūha. (army face)

According to Kauṭilya:

‘viparyaye ṛṣāsya:’ (10.6.19)^[30]

“In the reverse case, it is the fish-mouth”.^[31]

The five divisions move one behind the other or the staff array (daṇ ḍ a vyūha) in a straight line is “sūcī vyūha” (needle).

Kauṭilya said—

‘urddharājirdaṇḍaḥ sūcī |’(10.6.20)^[32]

‘The staff, in a straight line, is the needle’.^[33]

Balaya (bracelet) array: In which array (vyūha) two crooked staff arrays (daṇ ḍ a vyūha) were placed as like as bracelet is- balaya vyūha (bracelet).

Kauṭilya says—

“dvau daṇḍau valaya”ḥ (10.6.21)^[34]

‘Two staff is the bracket’.^[35]

In this context it has been said in the Nayanacandrikā commentary—

‘pakṣakakṣorasyeṣu tiryaksthitau dvau daṇḍau yasya sa valayākhyaḥ |’

(As it is seen in the Kauṭilīyam Arthaśāstram edited by Manabendu Bandyopadhaya. part-II. p. 522).

Durjaya (invincible): In some place if four staff arrays (daṇḍa vyūhas) were placed same order is durjaya vyūha (invincible).

According to Kauṭilya:

‘catvāro vurjayaḥ’ (10.6.22)^[36]

“Four staffs is the invincible”^[37]

These eighteen are the daṇḍa vyūha. (Staff arrays)

Array according to Uśanasa:

‘pakṣāvurasyaṃ pratigraha ityauśanaso vyūhavibhāgaḥ’ | (10.6.1)^[38]

“Two wings a centre and reserves—this is the arangement of a battle array according to Uśanas”.^[39]

According to Bṛhaspati—

“pakṣaukakṣāvurasyaṃ pratigraha iti vārhaspatyaḥ” (10.6.2)^[40]

“Two wings, two flanks, a centre and reverses’. This is according to Bṛhaspati”.^[41]

There are no classifications in the Manuisaṃhitā about staff array. But he said about sūcī array (needle) which is one of stuff array.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

ibid., Part-I, p. 242.

[2]:

ibid., part-II, p. 450.

[3]:

ibid., part-I, p.242.

[4]:

1oc.cit.

[5]:

ibid., part-II, p.450.

[6]:

ibid., part-I, p.242.

[7]:

ibid., part-II, p.540.

[8]:

ibid., part-1, p.242.

[9]:

ibid., part-II, p.450.

[10]:

ibid., part-1, p.242.

[11]:

ibid., part-II, p.450.

[12]:

ibid., part-1, p.242.

[13]:

ibid., part-II, p.450.

[14]:

T.G. Sastri: Arthaśāstra of Kautilya, part-III, p. 977.

[15]:

loc.cit.

[16]:

loc.cit.

[17]:

loc.cit.

[18]:

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

[19]:

ibid., part-II, p. 450.

[20]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[21]:

ibid., part-II, pp. 450-451.

[22]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[23]:

ibid., part-II, p. 451.

[24]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[25]:

bid., part-II, p. 451.

[26]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[27]:

ibid., part-II, p. 451.

[28]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[29]:

ibid., part-II, p. 451.

[30]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[31]:

ibid., part-II, p. 451.

[32]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[33]:

ibid., part-II, p. 451.

[34]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[35]:

ibid., part-II, p. 451.

[36]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[37]:

ibid., part-II, p. 451.

[38]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[39]:

ibid., part-II, p. 450.

[40]:

ibid., part-I, p. 242.

[41]:

ibid., part-II, p. 450.