Early History of Orissa

SR No.: 006922
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Amarchand Mittal
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society
Publication Year: 1957
Total Pages: 506
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

Page 366

MİLITARY FORCE OF KHẤRAVELA 341 large. And, yet the fact remains that the Hathigumphā inscription does not supply us with the actual figures relating to Khāravela's troops and transports. A tolerably clear idea of the numerical strength of his fighting army may, however, be formed from a few collateral evidences.
We know, for instance, from the earlier accounts of Megasthenes' that the king of the Kalingas was protected by a standing army numbering 60,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry and 700 war-elaphants. Dr. R. K. Mookerji' rightly suggests that this army must have been considerably expanded by the time of Asoka when the number of casualities alone is stated to be atleast four lacs'.
Having regard to the fact that in the case of Asoka's Kalingan war the army of Kalinga fought in defence against a foreign invasion, while in the case of Khāravela's campaigns, the army of Kalinga marched out to produce a marked impression all over India, it may be safely presumed that the total number of the standing army of the kingdo:n of Kalinga during the reign period of Khāravela was by far greater and by no means less than what Chandragupta Maurya had possessed. In accordance with Plutarch's statement‘Androkot tos (Chandragupta) was able to overrun and sublue the whole of India with an army of six lacs'. Likewise, there is no reason why it would be impossible for Khāravela, opines Dr. Barua,' to undertake military campaign all over the country with an army numbering about that.
It, also, cannot be supposed that Khāravela marched out with the whole of the standing army without leaving a
1. Indika. Frag. I, 6. 2. Asoka, p. 16. 3. Life of Alexander, Chapter XII... 4. OBI, p. 253.