akṣauhiṇībhir viḿśatyā
tisṛbhiś cāpi saḿvṛtaḥ
yadu-rājadhānīḿ mathurāḿ
nyarudhat sarvato diśam
akshauhinibhih -- by akshauhini divisions (each consisting of 21,870 soldiers on elephants, 21,870 charioteers, 65,610 cavalrymen and 109,350 infantry soldiers); vimsatya -- twenty; tisribhih ca api -- plus three; samvritah -- surrounded; yadu -- of the dynasty of Yadu; rajadhanim -- the royal capital; mathuram -- Mathura; nyarudhat -- he besieged; sarvatah disam -- on all sides.
With a force of twenty-three akshauhini divisions, he laid siege to the Yadu capital, Mathura, on all sides.
The numbers involved in an akshauhini division are given in the word meanings. An akshauhini was a standard fighting force in ancient times.
