Bhoga-vyūha (Snake array):

In the opinion of Bṛhaspati and Uśanasa the army of this array (vyūha) formed in various sections are equipped in a disintegreated chain.

According to there opinion:

“samastānāmanvāvṛttirbhoga:” (10.6.5)^[1]

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

Here anvāvṛtti: 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 Kauṭīlya Arthaśāstra edited by Manabendu Bandyopadhay, part–II. p. 520).

In śrimūlā commentary—

‘auśanasamate kakṣavarjitānāṃ caturṇāṃ vārhaspatyamate kakṣābhyāṃ saha ṣaṇṇāmirtarthaḥ | anvāvṛttiḥ anuvandhenāvṛttiḥ vṛttavahulatayā sthitiḥ bhogaḥ” |^[4] —

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

“pakṣakakṣorasyairviṣamaṃ 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 vyūha (Snake array) like sarpasārī (serpent), gomūtrikā (cows urinal), śakaṭa (cart), makara (crocodile), poripatanaka (flying about). Among those Manu has mentioned the name of śakaṭa (cart), and makara (crocodile) array.

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

“sūcyākārāgraḥ paścāt pṛthulaḥ śakaṭavyūhastena pṛṣṭhatobhaye satigacchet | ………………… varāha viparyyayeṇa makaravyūhastenāgre paścāccobhayatra bhaye sati gacchet | ”

According to Kullūka, varāha vyūha (boar array) is:

“sūkṣmamukhapaścādbhāgaḥ pṛthumadhyo varāhavyuhaḥ |”

The formation of varāha vyūha (boar or hog array) is like rhombus and makara vyūha (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 sadā 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 vyūha” 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 (sarpasārī) and cows urinal (gomūtrikā) 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]

‘pakṣakakṣorasyairviṣamaṃ vartamāno bhogaḥ | sa sarpasārī gomūtrikā vā | sa yugmorasyo daṇḍapakṣaḥ śakaṭaḥ | viparyaye makaraḥ | hastyaśvarathaircyatikīrṇaḥ śakaṭaḥ pāripatantakaḥ | iti bhogavyūhāḥ |’(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 Kāmandaka Nītiśāsāra (20.54-56)—

gomūtrikā'hisañcārī śakaṭo makarastathā |
bhogabhedāḥ samākhyātāstathā paripatantakaḥ ||
gobhūtrikā gavāṃ mūtrarekhākāro vibhājyate |
aheśca saraṇasthanaṃ cāhisāryabhidhīyate ||
daṇḍapakṣo yugorasyaḥ śakaṭastadviparyayaḥ |
makaro vyavakīrṇaśca śeṣaḥ kuñjaravājibhiḥ ||

Footnotes and references:

[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.