Agni Purana

यन्त्रमुक्ते पाणिमुक्ते अमुक्ते मुक्तधारिते । अस्त्राचार्य्यो नियुद्धे च कुशलो नृपतेर्हितः ।। २२०.

Skilled in machines, in hand-to-hand combat, and in unarmed and armed fighting; the weapons master should be expert in battle and beneficial to the king.

वृद्धश्चान्तःपुराध्यक्षः पञ्चाशद्वार्षिकाः स्त्रियः । सप्तत्यव्दास्तु पुरुषाश्चरेयुः सर्वकर्मसु ।। २२०.

The superintendent of the inner apartments should be elderly, and women should be fifty years of age; men, up to seventy years, may be engaged in all duties.

जाग्रत्स्यादायुधागारे ज्ञात्वा वृत्तिर्विधीयते । उत्तमाधममध्यानि बुद्‌ध्वा कर्माणि पार्थिवः ।। २२०.

One who is awake should be stationed in the armory, and, having understood their conduct, their duties should be assigned; the king should discern the best, the worst, and the middling tasks.

उत्तमाधममध्यानि पुरुषाणि नियोजयेत् । जयेच्छुः पृथिवीं राकजा सहायानानयेद्धितान् ।। २२०.

He should appoint men to superior, inferior, and intermediate tasks; desiring to conquer the earth, he should bring in loyal allies.

धर्मिष्ठान् धर्मकार्येषु शूरान् सङ्‌ग्रामकर्मसु । निपुणानर्थकृत्येषु१ सर्वत्र च तथा शुचीन् ।। २२०.

Those who are righteous should be assigned to righteous duties, the brave to tasks of battle, the skilled to matters of wealth, and the pure to all such tasks.

स्त्रीषु षण्डान्नियुञ्जीत तीक्ष्णान् दारुणकर्मसु । यो यत्र विदितो राज्ञा शुचित्वेन तु तन्नरं ।। २२०.

Among women, eunuchs should be appointed; those who are harsh to cruel tasks; and wherever a man is known to the king for his purity, he should be assigned accordingly.

धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च नियुञ्जीताधमेऽधमान् । राजा यथार्हं कुर्य्याच्च उपधाभिः परीक्षितान् ।। २२०.

In matters of righteousness, wealth, and desire, the lowest should be assigned to the lowest tasks; the king should act as appropriate, having tested them with stratagems.

समन्त्र च यथान्यायात् कुर्य्याद्धस्तिवनेचरान् । तत्पदान्वेषणे यत्तानध्यक्षांस्तत्र कारयेत् ।। २२०.

With his ministers, according to justice, he should appoint those who dwell in forests and elephants; for tracking their movements, he should employ diligent overseers.

यस्मिन् कर्मणि कौशल्यं यस्य तस्मिन् नियोजयेत् । पितृपैताम्हान् भृत्यान् सर्वकर्मसु योजयेत् ।। २२०.

One should assign each person to the task in which he is skilled; hereditary servants should be employed in all duties.

दुष्टानप्यथ वाऽदुष्टान् संश्रयेत प्रयत्नतः । दुष्टं ज्ञात्वा विश्वसेन्न तद्‌वृत्तिं वर्त्तयेद्वशे ।। २२०.

Whether wicked or not wicked, one should carefully take refuge in them; having recognized the wicked, one should not trust them, but keep their conduct under control.

देशान्तरागतान् पार्श्वे चारैर्ज्ञात्वा हि पूजयेत् । शत्रवोऽग्निर्विषं सर्पो निस्त्रिंशमपि चैकतः ।। २२०.

Those who have come from other lands should be honored after being investigated by spies; for enemies, fire, poison, serpents, and swords are each dangerous.

भृत्यावशिष्टं विज्ञेयाः कुभृत्याश्च तथैकतः। चारचक्षुर्भवेद्राजा नियुञ्जीत सदाचरान् ।। २२०.

One should recognize unfaithful servants and bad servants in the same way; the king should always employ spies as his eyes.

जनस्याविहितान् सोम्यांस्तथाज्ञातान् परस्परं । वणिजो मन्त्रकुशलान् सांवत्सरचिकित्सकान् ।। २२०.

Those among the people who act improperly or are unknown to each other, merchants skilled in counsel, and physicians who practice for a year—

तथा प्रव्रजिताकारान् बलाबलविवेकिनः । नैकस्य राजा श्रद्दध्याच्छ्रद्दध्याद् बहुवाक्यतः ।। २२०.

And those who appear as ascetics, who discern strength and weakness— the king should not trust one person, but should trust one who speaks much.

रागापरागौ भृत्यानां जनस्य च गुणागुणान् । शुभानामशुभानाञ्च ज्ञानङ्कुर्य्याद्वसाय च ।। २२०.

He should discern the attachments and aversions of servants and the virtues and faults of people, knowing both the good and the bad for their proper placement.

अनुरागकरं कर्म चरेज्जह्याद्विरागजं । जनानुरागया लक्ष्म्यां राजा स्याज्जनरञ्जनात् ।। २२०.

He should perform actions that inspire affection and abandon those that cause aversion; by winning the people's affection, the king attains prosperity through their delight.

एकविंशत्यधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः पुष्कर उवाच भृत्यः कुर्यात्तु राजाज्ञां शिष्यवत्सच्छ्रियः पतेः । न क्षिपेद्वचनं राज्ञो अनुकूलं प्रियं वदेत् ।। २२१.

Puṣkara said: A servant should carry out the king's command as a disciple does, with respect for the lord; he should not disregard the king's word, but speak what is agreeable and pleasing.

रहोगतस्य वक्तव्यमप्रियं यद्धितं भवेत् । न नियुक्तो हरेद्वित्तं नोपेक्षेत्तस्य मानकं ।। २२१.

What is unpleasant but beneficial should be spoken to the king in private; if not ordered, he should not take the king's wealth, nor neglect his honor.

राज्ञश्च न तथाकार्य्यं वेशभाषाविचेष्टितं । अन्तःपुरचराध्यक्षो वैरभूतैर्न्निराकृतैः ।। २२१.

He should not act in a way unbefitting the king, nor use vulgar speech or gestures; the superintendent of the inner apartments should not associate with those who are hostile.

संसर्ग न व्रजेद्‌भृत्यो राज्ञो गुह्यञ्च गोपयेत् । प्रदर्श्य कौशलं किञ्चिद्राजानन्तु विशेषयेत् ।। २२१.

A servant should not associate closely, and must keep the king’s secrets; he should display some skill and distinguish himself before the king.

राज्ञा यच्छ्रावितं गुह्यं न तल्लोके प्रकाशयेत् । आज्ञाप्यमाने बान्यस्मिन् किङ्करोमीति वा वदेत् ।। २२१.

Whatever secret the king has made known should not be revealed to the world; when ordered about something else, he should say, 'What shall I do?'

नानिर्द्दिष्टे२ द्वारि विशेन्नायोग्ये भुवि राजदृक ।। २२१.

He should not enter a door unbidden, nor go to a place unfit for the king’s sight.

शाठ्यं लौल्यं सपैशून्यं नास्तिक्यं क्षुद्रतातथा ।। २२१.

Deceit, greed, slander, atheism, and baseness—these must be avoided.

चापल्यञ्च परित्याज्यं नित्यं राकजानुजीविना । श्रुतेन विद्याशिल्पैश्च संयोज्यात्मानमात्मना ।। २२१.

Frivolity must always be abandoned by one who lives by serving the king; one should unite oneself with learning, knowledge, and skill.

नमस्कार्याः सदा चास्य पुत्रवल्लभमन्त्रिणः ।। २२१.

He should always show respect to the king’s beloved ministers as if they were his own sons.

सचिवैर्न्नास्य विश्वासो राजचित्तप्रियञ्चरेत् । त्यजेद्विरक्तं रक्तात्तु वृत्तिमीहेत राजवित् ।। २२१.

He should not place full trust in the king’s counselors, but act in a way pleasing to the king’s mind; he should abandon the disaffected, and seek his livelihood from those favored by the king.

अपृष्टश्चास्य न ब्रूयात् कामं कुर्य्यात्तथापदि । प्रसन्नो वाक्यसङ्‌ग्राही रहस्ये न च शङ्कते ।। २२१.

Without being asked, he should not speak; he may act as desired in an emergency; when the king is pleased, he should gather his words, and in secret, he should not be suspicious.

कुशलादिपरिप्रश्नं सम्प्रयच्छति चासनं । तत्कथाश्रवणाद्‌धृष्टो अप्रियाण्यपि नन्दते ।। २२१.

When the king inquires about his welfare and offers him a seat, he becomes emboldened by hearing the king’s words and rejoices even in unpleasant matters.

अल्पं दत्तं प्रगृह्णाति स्मरेत् कथान्तरेष्वपि । इति रक्तस्य कर्त्तव्यं सेवामन्यस्य वर्जयेत् ।। २२१.

He accepts even a small gift and remembers it in later conversations; such is the conduct of one favored by the king, and service to others should be avoided.