Maharathi (warrior)

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Karna (right) confronts Arjuna, in the Kurukshetra war.

As per Hindu epics, a Maharathi is a warrior having mastery of all forms of weapons and combat skills.[1] Maharathas are masters of all Vyuhas or battle formations and excellent strategists.[2]

Levels of warrior excellence

Rathi

A warrior capable of attacking 5,000 warriors simultaneously.[citation needed]

Atirathi

A warrior capable of contending with 12 Rathi class warriors or 60,000 warriors simultaneously.[citation needed]

Maharathi

A warrior capable of fighting 12 Atirathi class warriors or 720,000[citation needed] warriors simultaneously, circumspect in his mastery of all forms of weapons and combat skills. Mahishasura, Narakasuran, Jalandhara, Narsimha, Parshurama, Kartavirya Arjuna, Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Sugreeva, Vali, Rama, Lakshman, Hanuman, Bharata, Shatrughna, Lava, Kusha, Jambavan, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Asvathama, Vrishasena, Arjuna, Abhimanyu, Krishna, Balram, Jarasandha, Drupada, Kamsa and devas in heaven like Indra were maharathis.

Atimaharathi

File:Victory of Meghanada by RRV.jpg
Victory of Meghanad by Raja Ravi Varma

A warrior capable of fighting 12 Maharathi warriors simultaneously.

Mahamaharathi

A warrior capable of fighting 24 Atimaharathi warriors simultaneously. Ravana's son Indrajit (Meghanada) is considered as a Mahamaharathi warrior. He was an expert in magic or illusion and at a very young age, Meghanada became the possessor of almost all types of supreme celestial weapons, under the guidance of Shukra, the guru of the daitya(demons). He is considered as the most powerful and the only warrior who ever possessed the three ultimate weapons of Trimurti i.e.Brahmanda astra, Vaishnava astra and Pashupatastra.[3] He even twice defeated Rama and Lakshman. Indrajit killed 670 million Vanara's in a single day, nearly exterminated the entire half man-half monkey race[4][not in citation given][5][page needed].

Warriors who can be called Mahamaharathis are Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Brahma, Ganesha, Bhandasura, Varahi, Shyamala, Tripura Sundari, Kameswara and 10 Mahavidyas.[6]

In Mahabharatha

As per Bhishma in Mahabaratha, there are three classes of warriors: Ratha, Atiratha and Maharatha (in increasing order of might).[7]

From Kaurava side

Rathis

  • Sudakshina, the ruler of the Kambojas
  • Shakuni, King of Gandhar and uncle of Kauravas
  • Duryodhana's son Lakshmana and the son of Dussasana
  • Jayadrath, the king of the Sindhu and brother in law of Kauravas
  • All 99 brothers of Duryodhana including Dushasan are single Rathis
  • Duryodhana is classified as a warrior equal to 8 Rathis

Atirathis

  • Bhoja chief Kritavarma
  • The ruler of the Madras, Salya
  • Bhurisravas, the son of Somadatta
  • Kripa, also known as Kripacharya, the son of Saradwat

Maharathis

  • Alambhusha, the Chief of Rakshasas
  • The ruler of Pragjyotisha, the brave Bhagadatta
  • Vrishasena, the son of Karna,
  • Guru Drona
  • Asvathama, the son of Guru Drona, one of the eight chiranjivi and avatar of Lord Shiva(Even though he was classified as a Maharatha but in real he was peerless and equal to Lord Shiva in battle according to Bhishma, but the only pre-condition is that Asvathama has to become extremely angry to unleash his full potential).
  • Karna, is equal to 2 Maharathas.[8](But at the tale of Rathas and Atirathas, Bhishma classified him as just half a Ratha in order to weaken his moral when fighting against his brothers Pandavas as per the request of Lord Krishna)
  • Bhishma, even though he never classified himself, later it was revealed that he is equal to 2 Maharathi.

From Pandava side

Rathis

Atirathis

Maharathis

Akshauhini

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Usually a Maharathi warrior is the general of an akshauhini. An akshauhini is described in the Mahabharata as a battle formation consisting of 21,870 chariots (ratha); 21,870 elephants; 65,610 cavalry and 109,350 infantry as per the Mahabharata. The ratio is 1 chariot : 1 elephant : 3 cavalry : 5 infantry soldiers. In each of these large number groups (65,610, etc.), the digits add up to 18.

It is said that the size of Pandava army in the Kurukshetra war was 7 akshauhinis, and those of Kauravas 11 akshauhinis.

The count is arrived as follows:

  • One elephant (Gaja), one chariot (Ratha), three horses (Ashwa) and five foot soldiers (Padhata) form a Patti;
  • Three Pattis form a Sena-Mukha;
  • Three Sena-Mukhas make a Gulma;
  • Three Gulmas a Gana;
  • Three Ganas a Vahini;
  • Three Vahinis a Pruthana;
  • Three Pruthanas a Chamu;
  • Three Chamus an Anikini;
  • Ten Anikinis form an Akshauhini. Thus an Akshauhini, by calculation, contains 21,870 elephants, 21,870 chariots, 65,610 horses, and 109,350 foot soldiers.

References

  1. ↑ Handbook of Hindu Mythology by George M. Williams
  2. ↑ Srimad Bhagavad Gita by Asoka Kausika, Star Publications, 1998
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ K M Ganguly(1883–1896) Bhishma to Duryodhana at the tale of Rathis and Maharathisa October 2003, Retrieved 2015-05-02
  8. ↑ K M Ganguly(1883–1896)The Mahabharatha Book 7: Drona Parva SECTION I Karna is equal to 2 Maharatha warrior, October 2003, Retrieved 2015-04-11

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Maharathi_(warrior)&oldid=722781631"