Listen, O King, to the wisdom of Agni and Samudra, as revealed in the ancient discourse on policy, character, and auspicious marks. First, consider the ways of conciliation and division among people. When a person’s righteousness, desire, or wealth is lost, when one is angry, proud, insulted, or abandoned without cause—even if they have become an enemy—they should be won over with gentle words and conciliation. Those who have had their property or their wife taken from them, or those who are worthy of honor but are neglected, remain anxious and unsettled; such people, if not properly addressed, may easily be turned against you by your enemies. Therefore, those who come seeking your audience should be honored with the gifts they desire, and your own people should be soothed and reassured. The strategy of conciliation is especially vital in times of great fear. The principal means of giving, honoring, and dividing have been described; for just as a piece of wood eaten from within by worms falls apart, so too does a friend who is neglected or internally weakened. The wise ruler, knowing the three powers—strength, counsel, and resources—as well as the proper place and time, should subdue enemies with discipline and punishment. Yet, those who are friendly and well-disposed should be won over with gentle conciliation. The greedy and the weakened are best won over with gifts, while friends who are suspicious of each other, and even wicked sons or brothers, may be restrained by the threat of punishment or by conciliation. Through gifts and calculated divisions, one may influence chief commanders, warriors, the people of the land, border chieftains, and forest-dwellers; when any of these transgress, division and punishment may be applied. In matters of worship and subtle influence, images of deities may be venerated by men concealed within, or by one appearing at night dressed as a woman, creating a wondrous sight. The forms of vetālas, owls, piśācas, or even Śiva may be assumed at will, displaying powers such as shape-shifting and the conjuring of showers of weapons, fire, stones, or water. It was by such means—darkness, wind, fire, and illusion, none of them human—that Bhīma, having assumed the form of a woman, slew Kīcaka. In times of injustice, calamity, or battle, when one cannot be restrained, indifference may be shown, as was remembered in the story of the brother and as was demonstrated by Hiḍimbā. The appearance of clouds, darkness, rain, fire, mountains, the place of the army, and the sight of those bearing banners—all these are wondrous sights. The vision of those who are cut, torn, broken, or mingled together—such magical displays are employed to frighten enemies. Then, Agni spoke: “The policy spoken by Rāma applies equally to women and men, O king; the characteristics described by Samudra, and previously told by Garga, are to be known.” And Samudra said, “I will now describe the marks of men and the auspicious and inauspicious traits of women.” He spoke of one extra, two white, and three deep marks, and so on. There are threefold marks, three that hang, and those that are spread by three; three lines, three bends, and those who know the three times, O virtuous one. A man is well-marked and broad in three places. There are four marks, and one who is equal in four ways. There are four thighs, four teeth, seven oils, nine pure features, ten lotus-like parts, ten formations, and a circumference like a banyan tree. Six features are raised, eight portions are counted, and again seven oils, nine pure, ten lotuses, ten formations, and a circumference like a banyan tree. Fourteen equal pairs and sixteen eyes are praised. Such a one is endowed with righteousness, wealth, and desire, with righteousness considered the extra quality. Without the stars, the eyes shine; white-toothed, two white features; deep, three ears, and navel; and one quality, three remembered. The virtues of non-envy, compassion, patience, auspicious conduct, purity, aspiration, humility, effortlessness, and courage are extolled. Threefold features, three hanging parts—the testicles and arms; the regions, birth, classes, brilliance, fame, and fortune are all considered. He who spreads in three ways, three lines, and in the belly, three strengths—listen to the man who is threefold bent. He who bows to the deities, the twice-born, and teachers, and who knows the proper times for righteousness, wealth, and pleasure, is called one who knows the three times. He who marks the chest, forehead, and face with three lines, whose two hands and feet are adorned with banners and parasols, is praised. The fingers, heart, back, and waist are each fourfold; the height should be ninety-six fingers, and the measure four spans. Four tusks, shining like the moon, and four black ones; the pupils of the eyes, eyebrows, beard, and hair are likewise black. Sweat on the nose and face, foul odor in the armpits, a short organ and neck, and short calves are noted according to the Veda. The joints of the fingers are fine, and the nails, hair, teeth, and skin are twice-born; the jaws, eyes, and forehead, as well as the nose, are long, and the space between the breasts. The chest, armpits, mouth, and nose are prominent; the face is rounded; the skin, hair, and teeth are smooth; so too the hair, gaze, nails, and speech. The knees and thighs have two bamboo-like structures on the back; the eyes, nostrils, ears, genitals, and anus are pure at their openings. The tongue, lips, palate, eyes, hands, feet, nails, and the tip of the penis and mouth are praised as ten lotus-like features in embodied beings. The hands and feet are pleasant; the neck, ears, heart, head, forehead, abdomen, and back are the ten honored parts. For one whose arms are extended, the space between the tips of the middle fingers is equal to his height, forming a circle like a banyan tree. The feet, ankles, hips, sides, groins, testicles, breasts, ears, lips, thighs, calves, hands, arms, and eyes—all these are counted. Fourteen pairs are generally found in a man; whoever understands the fourteen sciences with two syllables is called one with sixteen syllables. A rough, scattered body, inauspicious, devoid of flesh, with a foul and contrary odor, is praised when seen with a clear gaze. His speech is sweet, and his gait resembles a proud elephant; hair grows from a single pore, and he offers protection in times of fear, again and again. Samudra then spoke of women: An auspicious woman is one with beautiful limbs, who walks like a proud elephant, whose hips are heavy, and whose eyes are like those of a proud pigeon. Thus, the marks of character and auspiciousness, the strategies of conciliation and division, and the wondrous arts of magic and illusion were revealed by the wise for the guidance of kings and seekers of righteousness.