4. The sage Suta telling about akshauhini army

Your children were wicked burning with anger and greed. They had immoral behaviour. It is not right for you to grieve for such people. You are the knower of the senses, the genius, the wise. Those who follow the Shastras do not mourn like this. You know the restraints of fate. Everything you did to protect your sons was predetermined by fate. It is not right to mourn that it had to be like this. Who is able to prevent God’s decision? It is impossible for anyone to leave the path laid down by fate. What happens and what doesn't happen, happiness and sorrow all arise from time. Time itself creates everything that exists and destroys everything that exists. Time burns everything that is born and Time itself chooses that fire. All the auspicious feelings in the world have been created by time itself. Time destroys and recreates everything created. Time works simultaneously in everything that exists. It is not right to mourn knowing that everything that has happened in the past and everything that will happen in the future is made up of time.”

Suta said: “This is a pious Upanishad said by Krishnadvaipayana. Even by studying a single Shloka from this great scripture of Mahabharata, one gets merit. All the sins of one who recites diligently will get destroyed. This pious work contains kirtans of good deeds of devarshi, brahmarshi, and rajarshis as well as yaksha, maha uragas. It contains the kirtan of Lord Vasudeva who is eternal, true, seasonal, holy and virtuous. He is Eternal, Brahman, Parama Dhruva Jyoti, Sanatana. People praise his miracles. All that is and all that is not - offspring, instinct, birth, death, rebirth - all arise from Him only. Those who are empowered by Dhyana Yoga see Him in the soul as a reflection. That person or man who always speaks the truth, who is devout, and always speaks using good words reads this chapter from Mahabharata all his sins will get destroyed. A devotee who constantly listens to this chapter of Mahabharata’s index will be freed from all kinds of difficulties. Those who read any chapter of anukramanikaparva during both day and night times, all the sins committed by them either during the day and night times will get destroyed. As how butter is for curds similarly for Mahabharata this chapter is equvivalent to the nectar amrutha. As how the ocean is the greatest of all lakes, as how the cow is the greatest of all quadrupeds, Mahabharata is said to be the greatest in all histories. If a Brahmin recites even a quarter of this chapter in Shraddha, the food and drink given to the Pitrs will become inexhaustible. Itisha-Puranas describe the Vedas. Even the Vedas are afraid of the few who do not know these things. A scholar who recites it can understand the Vedas. There is no doubt that the sin of committing feticide will also perish. In my opinion, if you read this chapter after each Parva, it is like reading the whole of Mahabharata. A man who listens to this daily with great respect and devotion will have long life, earn fame and at last will reach heaven.

It is said in earlier days sages compared the four Vedas on one side and Mahabharata on the other side and found that Mahabharata was more in weight. Since then Mahabharata has been recognized as the greatest in terms of importance and gravity. It is called Mahabharata because of its great weight. One who knows its true meaning is freed from all sins. Penance is not bad; Study is not bad, earning money by working is not bad either. But if the emotions in them are exceeded, they all become bad.

The sages said: “Suthanandana! We want to hear everything about Samantapanchaka that you mentioned properly.” Suta said: “O Bramhins! Listen to my words. You deserve to listen to the auspicious Samantapanchakakhya which I now will be telling. At the junction of the Treta-Dwapara Yugas, Rama, the greatest of warriors, killed several Parthivas in his anger against the Kshatriyas. Blazing likefire because of his good conduct and character, he annihilated all the Kshatriyas and created five lakes of blood in Samantapanchaka. We heard that the enraged man stood in pools of blood and offered offerings of blood to his ancestors. Then the fathers like Richika came and said "Forgive them!" in order to put a stop to the destruction. The area near these lakes of blood is famous and called Samantapanchaka.

According to scholars the name of any country should match the main characteristics of that country. During the juncture of the Kali-Dwapara Yugas, a battle took place between the armies of the Kurupandavas at Samantapanchaka itself. Eighteen Akshauhini armies were assembled in the same land-locked region which was righteous eager for war. This is the story related to the name of that country which is reputed to be virtuous and beautiful. Hey all the sages! I have told you all about this region, famous in all the three worlds.” The sages said: “Suthanandana! Didn't you say Akshouhini, we want to hear everything about it.

Since you know everything, tell me the volume of chariots, horses, men and elephants in one akshauhini.” Suta said: “One chariot, one elephant, five soldiers and three horses are said to be one Patti. According to those who know, three pattis together make one senamukha, and three senamukhas together make up a gulma. Three gulmas belong to one gana, three ganas to one vaahini and three vaahinis to one prata. Those in the know say that three pratas make one chamu, three chamus make an aneekini and ten aneekini make an akshauhini. Mathematicians have calculated that there are twenty-one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one (21,871) chariots and an equal number of elephants in one Akshauhini. An Akshauhini consists of one lakh nine thousand three hundred and fifty (109,350) infantry and sixty five thousand six hundred and ten (65,610) horses. The number of Kurupandava's armies was eighteen such Akshauhinis. A wonderful karmic period caused the Kauravas to gather all of them in the same place and destroyed them all there in that place only.

Bhishma, the great warrior, fought for ten days. Drona protected Kuruvahini for five days. Karna fought for two days. Shalya fought for half a day and Gadayudha continued in the next half of the following day. On the same night, Hardikya, Drauni and Gautama killed all the sleeping Yudhishthira's army.

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