SB 10.50.4 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

अक्षौहिणीभिर्विंशत्या तिसृभिश्चापि संवृत: । यदुराजधानीं मथुरां न्यरुधत् सर्वतोदिशम् ॥ ४ ॥

Verse text

akṣauhiṇībhir viṁśatyā tisṛbhiś cāpi saṁvṛtaḥ yadu-rājadhānīṁ mathurāṁ nyarudhat sarvato diśam

Synonyms

akṣauhiṇībhiḥ — by akṣauhiṇī divisions (each consisting of 21,870 soldiers on elephants, 21,870 charioteers, 65,610 cavalrymen and 109,350 infantry soldiers) ; viṁśatyā — twenty ; tisṛbhiḥ ca api — plus three ; saṁvṛtaḥ — surrounded ; yadu — of the dynasty of Yadu ; rājadhānīm — the royal capital ; mathurām — Mathurā ; nyarudhat — he besieged ; sarvataḥ diśam — on all sides .

Translation

With a force of twenty-three akṣauhiṇī divisions, he laid siege to the Yadu capital, Mathurā, on all sides.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

With a force of twenty-three akṣauhiṇī divisions, he laid siege to the Yadu capital, Mathurā, on all sides. KB 10.50.4 He began to make extensive arrangements to attack the kingdom of Mathurā with his innumerable military phalanxes, consisting of many thousands of chariots, horses, elephants and infantry soldiers. Jarāsandha prepared thirteen such military phalanxes to retaliate the death of Kaṁsa. Taking with him all his military strength, he attacked the capital of the Yadu kings, Mathurā, surrounding it from all directions.

Purport

The numbers involved in an akṣauhiṇī division are given in the word meanings. An akṣauhiṇī was a standard fighting force in ancient times.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Each akṣauhiṇī consists of 21,870 soldiers on elephants, 21,870 charioteers, 65,610 cavalrymen and 109,350 infantry soldiers. He needs many troops to surround Mathurā because of its size. Hari-vaṁśa gives the details of how he surrounded the city on all sides. sarvato nagarī ceyaṁ janaughaiḥ parivāryatām / ayoyantrāṇi yujyantāṁ kṣepaṇīyāś ca mudgarāḥ / ūrdhvaṁ cāpi vāhyantāṁ prāsā vai tomarās tathā // madraḥ kaliṅgādhipatiś cekitānaḥ sabāhlikaḥ / kaśmīra-rājo gonardaḥ karūṣādhipatis tathā // drumaḥ kiṁpuruṣaś caiva pārvatīyaṣ hy anāmayaḥ / nagaryāḥ paścimaṁ dvāraṁ kṣipram ārohayantv iti // pauravo veṇudāravaḥ vaidarbhaḥ somakas tathā / rukmī ca bhojādhipatiḥ sūryākṣaś caiva gālavaḥ vindānuvindāv āvantyau dantavaktraś ca vīryavān chāgaliḥ purumitraś ca virāṭaś ca mahīpatiḥ // kauśālyo mālavaś caiva śatadhanvā vidūrathaḥ / bhūriśravās trigartaś ca bāṇaḥ pañcanadas tathā // uttaraṁ nagara-dvāram ete durgasahā nṛpāḥ / ārohantāṁ vimardantāṁ vajra-pratima gauravāḥ // ulūkaḥ kaitaveyaś ca vīraś cāṁśumataḥ sutaḥ / ekalavyo bṛhatkṣatraḥ kṣatradharmā jayadrathaḥ // uttamaujāś ca śalyaś ca kauravāḥ kekayās tathā / vaideho vāmadevaś ca sāketaś ca sinīpatiḥ // pūrvaṁ nagara-nirvyūham eteṣv āyattam astu naḥ / ahaṁ ca varadaś caiva cedirājena ca saṁgatāḥ / dakṣiṇaṁ nagara-dvāraṁ vārayiṣyāma daṁśitāḥ // Surround the city on all sides using iron machines, catapults and mallets. Carry pikes and lances above. The Madras, king of Kaliṅga,Ckitāna, Bāhlika, the king of Kaśmīra,Gonarda, the king of Karūṣa, Druma of the Kimpuruṣas, and Pārvatīya should climb the western gate of the city quickly. Paurava, Veṇudāri, Vaidarbha, Somakas, Rukmī, king of the Bhojas, Sūryākṣa, Gālava, Bindu and Anuvindu of Avantī, powerful Dantavakra, Chāgali, Purumitraś, the king of Virāṭa, Kauśālya, Mālava,Śatadhanvā, Vidūratha, Bhūriśravās, Trigarta,Bāṇa, and Pañcanada, all unconquerable, respectable kings, hard as thunderbolts, should climb and crush the northern gate. Ulūka, Kaitaveya, Vīraś the son of Aṁśumān, Ekalavya, Bṛhatkṣatra, Kṣatradharmā, Jayadratha, Uttamaujā, Śalya, the Kauravas and Kekayas, Vaideha, Vāmadeva, the warriors of Sāketa, and Sinīpatiḥ should quickly attack the eastern gate of the city. I, Varada, and Śiśupāla together, well-armed, will take the southern gate.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

Each akṣauhiṇī consists of 21,870 soldiers on elephants, 21,870 charioteers, 65,610 cavalrymen and 109,350 infantry soldiers. He needs many troops to surround Mathurā because of its size. Hari-vaṁśa gives the details of how he surrounded the city on all sides. “Since he was religious why would he attack a holy city like Mathurā?” It was the Yadu capital. sarvato nagarī ceyaṁ janaughaiḥ parivāryatām / ayoyantrāṇi yujyantāṁ kṣepaṇīyāś ca mudgarāḥ / ūrdhvaṁ cāpi vāhyantāṁ prāsā vai tomarās tathā // madraḥ kaliṅgādhipatiś cekitānaḥ sabāhlikaḥ / kaśmīra-rājo gonardaḥ karūṣādhipatis tathā // drumaḥ kiṁpuruṣaś caiva pārvatīyaṣ hy anāmayaḥ / nagaryāḥ paścimaṁ dvāraṁ kṣipram ārohayantv iti // pauravo veṇudāravaḥ vaidarbhaḥ somakas tathā / rukmī ca bhojādhipatiḥ sūryākṣaś caiva gālavaḥ vindānuvindāv āvantyau dantavaktraś ca vīryavān chāgaliḥ purumitraś ca virāṭaś ca mahīpatiḥ // kauśālyo mālavaś caiva śatadhanvā vidūrathaḥ / bhūriśravās trigartaś ca bāṇaḥ pañcanadas tathā // uttaraṁ nagara-dvāram ete durgasahā nṛpāḥ / ārohantāṁ vimardantāṁ vajra-pratima gauravāḥ // ulūkaḥ kaitaveyaś ca vīraś cāṁśumataḥ sutaḥ / ekalavyo bṛhatkṣatraḥ kṣatradharmā jayadrathaḥ // uttamaujāś ca śalyaś ca kauravāḥ kekayās tathā / vaideho vāmadevaś ca sāketaś ca sinīpatiḥ // pūrvaṁ nagara-nirvyūham eteṣv āyattam astu naḥ / ahaṁ ca varadaś caiva cedirājena ca saṁgatāḥ / dakṣiṇaṁ nagara-dvāraṁ vārayiṣyāma daṁśitāḥ // Surround the city on all sides using iron machines, catapults and mallets. Carry pikes and lances above. The Madras, king of Kaliṅga,Ckitāna, Bāhlika, the king of Kaśmīra,Gonarda, the king of Karūṣa, Druma of the Kimpuruṣas, and Pārvatīya should climb the western gate of the city quickly. Paurava, Veṇudāri, Vaidarbha, Somakas, Rukmī, king of the Bhojas, Sūryākṣa, Gālava, Bindu and Anuvindu of Avantī, powerful Dantavakra, Chāgali, Purumitraś, the king of Virāṭa, Kauśālya, Mālava,Śatadhanvā, Vidūratha, Bhūriśravās, Trigarta,Bāṇa, and Pañcanada, all unconquerable, respectable kings, hard as thunderbolts, should climb and crush the northern gate. Ulūka, Kaitaveya, Vīraś the son of Aṁśumān, Ekalavya, Bṛhatkṣatra, Kṣatradharmā, Jayadratha, Uttamaujā, Śalya, the Kauravas and Kekayas, Vaideha, Vāmadeva, the warriors of Sāketa, and Sinīpatiḥ should quickly attack the eastern gate of the city. I, Varada, and Śiśupāla together, well-armed, will take the southern gate.