Some of the vyuhas

Some of the vyuhas
Though its difficult to gauge the strategic importance of these ancient battle formations, it really is very interesting to read.

1. Chakra vyuha - formation of concentric circles in layers.
2. Shakata vyuha - formation of a cart wheel
3. Mandala vyuha - circular formation ( dont know how this is different from the above)
4. Urmi vuyha - formation resembling ocean's waves
5. Sarvatobhadra vyuha - meaning "safe on all sides" - seems to have been a kind of square array in which the troops faced all the points of the compass (as per KMG interpretation)
6. Garuda vyuha
7. Krauncha vyuha ( Krauncha is bird with a sharp pointed beak)
8. Vajra vyuha ( in the shape of the thunderbolt)
9. Suchimukha vyuha ( formation in the shape of a needle)
10.Padma vyuha (formation of a blooming lotus)
11. Sura & Asura vyuha hv been mentioned as well (cant interpret how they were)
12. ArdhaChandraakara vyuha (crescent shpe)
13.Makara vyuha ( crocodile-shaped)

On the 14 day to protect Jayadratha, Drona arranges the KAurava forces in 3 vyuhas,
1st a shakata followed by Padma followed by Suchimucka at the end of the needle point of Suchimukha, JAyadratha is stationed.

Some of these vyuhas ve been so beautifully demonstrated in pictures in the Amar Chitra Katha series Mahabharata.

Can anybody pls add to the above list of vyuhas ?
What u ve sd is very much true. But the full military details of these vyuhas r not available & v can only speculate as to how they cd ve been.

However in all the formations, the king remains at the centre or at the rear of the vyuha & important warriors form the forefront & flanks.
In a majority of the cases, elephant-warriors & foot soldiers were used for defensive purposes.Chariots & cavalry were used for attacking purposes. Hence chariot warriors were always exceptional warriors.

This is like something like the modern day concepts in which the army has strike corps & reserve corps. The strike corps is equipped with the best of tanks, rocket launchers & attack helicopters.These are always in barracks & never used for guarding borders. They r used only for penetrating & holding a chunk of enemy territory in war.

Coming back to Dwapara yuga :-)
1 common thing is each side tried its level best to see that their formation was not broken fully.
If a few powerful warriors from 1 side managed to break thru,the other side wd still hold out.
Many times parts of vyuha on either side wd b broken, troops used to regroup & again fight under the leadership of some able warrior.
Each vyuha had either the same vyuha or some other vyuha as a counter measure to it.

In the Chakravyuha, Drona occupies an important position which enables him to cause max damage to the attacking army without being present in the front.

On the 14 day, during the slaying of Jayadratha, Drona arranges a triple vyuha. However Arjuna succeeds in breaking thru all 3. The 1st vyuha of the Kauravas, the Shakata is completely destroyed by the Pandava army. However they r held in check at the entrance of the 2nd - Padma Vyuha by Drona. When Duryodhana asks Drona to go after Arjuna, Drona stresses the strategic importance of his staying at the entrance of Padma Vyuha since he does not want this to be broken & more help reaching Arjuna (after Satyaki & Bhima manage to break thru) who was already into the 3 Vyuha, the Suchimukha.