Maharathi (warrior)

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.

Atirathi

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

Maharathi

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

Atimaharathi

Victory of Meghanad by Raja Ravi Varma

A warrior capable of fighting 12 Maharathi 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][5].

Mahamaharathi

A warrior capable of fighting 24 Atimaharathi warriors simultaneously. 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

Atirathis

Maharathis

From Pandava side

Rathis

Atirathis

Maharathis

Akshauhini

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:

References

  1. ↑ Handbook of Hindu Mythology by George M. Williams
  2. ↑ Srimad Bhagavad Gita by Asoka Kausika, Star Publications, 1998
  3. ↑ Subramaniam, Kamala (2007). The Mahabharata. India: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. ISBN 81-7276-405-7.
  4. ↑ George M. Eberhart (1 January 2002). Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. ABC-CLIO. pp. 388–. ISBN 978-1-57607-283-7.
  5. ↑ C. G. Uragoda (2000). Traditions of Sri Lanka: A Selection with a Scientific Background. Vishva Lekha Publishers. ISBN 978-955-96843-0-5.
  6. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20150121013850/http://www.shaktisadhana.org/. Archived from the original on January 21, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  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

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