Question

What were the different war formations in mahabharata and who knew it?

Answer 1

  




Chakra-Vyuha and Vajra-Vyuha is said to be the most powerful of all formations. Some of the military formations mentioned in Mahabharata are 
  1.    Chakra vyuha - formation of concentric circles in layers 
2.    Chakra Shakata vyuha - formation of a cart wheel 
3.    Mandala vyuha - circular formation ( dont know how this is different from the above) 
4.    Vajra vyuha (in the shape of the thunderbolt)  
5.    Garuda vyuha (Garuda - The Mighty Bird) 
6.    Krauncha vyuha (Krauncha is bird with a sharp pointed beak)  
7.    Ardha Chandraakara vyuha (crescent shape) 
8.    Padma vyuha (formation of a blooming lotus) 
9.    Makara vyuha (crocodile-shaped) 
10.    Urmi vuyha - formation resembling ocean's waves 
11.    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) 
12.    Suchimukha vyuha (formation in the shape of a needle) 
13.    Deva & Asura vyuha have been mentioned as well (cant interpret how they were)

    Apart from the above, there are many other military formations described in different literary scriptures.