The Kurukshetra war, according to scholars taking into consideration archeological, astronomical and literary evidences took place around 3102 BCE in the modern day state of Haryana in India and was described in detail in the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

Introduction

The Mahabharata is one of the important Hindu Epics. It is mainly an account of the life and deeds of several generations of a ruling dynasty named the "Kuru" clan. Central to the epic is an account of a great war that took place between first cousins belonging to this family. Kurukshetra, literally Land of the Kurus, was the battleground on which this war, known as the Kurukshetra war, was fought.

The two sides to the war were the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Earlier during the Mahabharata, the Kauravas cheated the Pandavas at a dice game, forcing their Pandava cousins to go into exile for thirteen years, being twelve years of forest exile, and one year of anonymous exile. If the Pandavas were caught during the year of anonymity, they would have to go to twelve years of exile again. Even after the exile, the eldest of the Kaurava brothers, Duryodhana, refused to return the kingdom to the Pandavas. In order to regain the kingdom, the Pandavas fought the war.

The Pandava Army

• The Pandava Brothers:
  • Prince Yudhisthira, Eldest son of Pandu
  • Prince Bhima, Second son of Pandu
  • Prince Arjuna, Third son of Pandu
  • Twin Princes Nakula and Sahadeva, Youngest
    
    
    
    sons of Pandu
• The Kingdom of Panchala:
  • King Drupada, Father-in-Law of the Pandavas
  • Prince Shikhandi, Elder son of Drupada
  • Prince Dhrishtadhyumna, Younger son of Drupada
• The Kingdom of Matsya:
  • King Virata, Friend of the Pandavas
  • Prince Uttara, Son of King Virata
• The Kingdom of Dwaraka:
  • Prince Satyaki
  • Prince Krishna (Served as Charioteer to Arjuna - vowed not to lift weapons during the war)
• Others
  • Demon Ghatotkacha, Son of Bhima through the demoness Hidimba
  • Prince Abhimanyu, Son of Arjuna through Princess Subhadra of Dwaraka
  • Prince Yuyutsu, The only Kaurava who crossed over to fight for the Pandavas.

The Kaurava Army

• The Kaurava Brothers:
  • Prince Duryodhana, Eldest son of King Dhritarashtra
  • Prince Dushasana, Second son of King Dhritarashtra
  • Various other princes, the ninety-eight other sons of King Dhritarashtra (who also fathered Yuyutsu and a daughter).

• The Kingdom of Hastinapur:
  • Bhishma, Grand-uncle to Pandavas and Kauravas, forced to side with Kauravas due to loyalty to King Dhritrashtra
  • Drona, Teacher to Pandavas and Kauravas, forced to side with Kauravas due to loyalty to King Dhritrashtra
  • Ashwathama, Son of Drona
  • Shakuni, Maternal uncle to the Kauravas
  • Kripa, Family Sage and Advisor to the Kuru Dynasty, forced to side with Kauravas due to loyalty to King Dhritrashtra
• The Kingdom of Anga:
  • Karna, illegitimate and abandoned elder brother of Pandavas, believed by most at the time to be son of a charioteer, but actually the son of Kunti
• The Kingdom of Madra
  • King Shalya, Maternal uncle to the Pandavas, tricked into giving a promise to fight for the Kauravas by Duryodhana and Shakuni
• The Tribe of Trigartha
  • Chief Susharma
• The Kingdom of Dwaraka
  • Kritaverma, General of the Dwaraka Army
• The Kingdom of Sindh
  • King Jayadratha, Brother-in-law
    
    
    
    to the Kauravas
• Others

Weapons

During the Kurukshetra war, several weapons were used. The weapons, and their most notable users, included:

• Bow and arrows - Arjuna, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Abhimanyu
• Mace - Bhima, Duryodhana
• Spear - Yudhishtira
• Dagger / Sword - Nakula, Sahadeva

Divisions and Formations

Each army consisted of several divisions; the Kauravas had eleven while the Pandavas controlled seven. A division (akshauhini) includes 21,870 chariots and chariot-riders, 21,870 elephants and riders, 65,610 horses and riders, and 109,350 foot-soldiers (in a ratio of 1:1:3:5). The combined number of warriors and soldiers in both armies was approximately four million.

This war was perhaps the bloodiest war in history as most of warriors and soldiers perished during the brief period of only eighteen days. Arjuna, in a fit of extreme anger over the death of his son Abhimanyu, alone killed one akshauhini of Kaurava soldiers in a single day. The war left an extremely large number of widows and orphans, led to an economic depression and beginning of Kali Yuga.

At various times during battle, the Supreme Commander could order special formations ("vyuhas"). Each formation had a specific purpose; some were defensive while others were offensive. Furthermore, each formation had specific strengths and weaknesses. The formations were named encountered are as follows:

• Krauncha vyuha - Heron formation
• Makara vyuha - Crocadile formation (The one formed by Karna on 16^th day)
• Kurma vyuha - Tortoise or Turtle formation (See also Roman Testudo formation)
• Trishula vyuha - Trident formation
• Chakra vyuha - Wheel or Discus formation
• Kamala vyuha or Padma vyuha - Lotus formation

It is not clear what the formations actually indicate. They may be formations bearing resemblance to animals, or, as C Rajagopalachari puts it, it may be a name given to strategies and formations much like our modern "operation so-and-so".

The Rules of Engagement

The two Supreme Commanders met and framed "rules of ethical conduct", dharmayuddha, for the war. The rules included:

• Fighting must begin no earlier than sunrise and end exactly at sunset.
• Multiple warriors may not attack a single warrior.
• Two warriors may "duel," or engage in prolonged personal combat, only if they carry the same weapons and they are on the same mount (no mount, a horse, an elephant, or a chariot).
• No warrior may kill or injure a warrior who has surrendered.
• One who surrenders becomes a prisoner of war and a slave.
• No warrior may kill or injure an unarmed warrior.
• No warrior may kill or injure an unconscious warrior.
• No warrior may kill or injure a person or animal not taking part in the war.
• No warrior may kill or injure a warrior whose back is turned away.
• No warrior may strike an animal not considered a direct threat.
• The rules specific to each weapon must be followed. For example, it is prohibited to strike below the waist in mace warfare.
• Warriors may not engage in any "unfair" warfare whatsoever.

Most of these laws were broken at least once by both sides.

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