SB 10.50.4

Srimad-Bhagavatam, Tenth Canto, Chapter 50: Kṛṣṇa Establishes the City of Dvārakā

SB 10.50.3

SB 10.50.5

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT 4

akṣauhiṇībhir viṁśatyā
tisṛbhiś cāpi saṁvṛtaḥ
yadu-rājadhānīṁ mathurāṁ
nyarudhat sarvato diśam

SYNONYMS

akṣauhiṇībhiḥ—by akṣauhiṇī divisions (each consisting of 21,870 soldiers on elephants, 21,870 charioteers, 65,610 cavalrymen and 109,350 infantry soldiers); viṁśatyā—twenty; tisṛbhiḥ ca api—plus three; saṁvṛtaḥ—surrounded; yadu—of the dynasty of Yadu; rājadhānīm—the royal capital; mathurām—Mathurā; nyarudhat—he besieged; sarvataḥ diśam-on all sides.

TRANSLATION

With a force of twenty-three akṣauhiṇī divisions, he laid siege to the Yadu capital, Mathurā, on all sides.

PURPORT

The numbers involved in an akṣauhiṇī division are given in the word meanings. An akṣauhiṇī was a standard fighting force in ancient times.