Agni Purana

क्वापि कस्यापि३ विश्वासो बवतीहसदा नृणां । निश्चयश्च तथा मन्त्रे कार्य्य एकेन सूरिणा ।। २२५.

Trust is always found somewhere in someone among men; but the decision regarding counsel should be made by one wise person.

नश्येदविनयाद्राजाराज्यञ्च विनयाल्लभेत् । त्रैविद्येभ्यस्त्रयीं विद्यां दण्डनीतिञ्च शाश्वतीं ।। २२५.

A king perishes through lack of discipline, but gains his kingdom through discipline; from the three Vedas, he should learn the triple knowledge and the eternal science of punishment.

आन्वीक्षिकीञ्चार्थविद्यां वार्त्तारम्भांश्च लोकतः । जितेन्द्रियो हिशक्रोति वशे स्थापयितुं प्रजाः ।। २२५.

He should also learn the science of inquiry, the knowledge of wealth, and the means of livelihood from the world; for one who has conquered his senses is able to keep his subjects under control.

पूज्या देवा द्विजाः सर्वे दद्याद्दानानि तेषु च । द्विजे दानञ्चक्षयोऽयं निधिः कैश्चिन्नि नाश्यते ।। २२५.

All the gods and twice-born should be honored, and gifts should be given to them; gifts to the twice-born are an inexhaustible treasure, which, according to some, is never destroyed.

सङ्‌ग्रामेष्वनिवर्त्तित्वं प्रजानां परिपालनं । दानानि ब्राह्मणानाञ्च राज्ञो निः श्रेयसम्परं ।। २२५.

Not turning back in battle, protecting the people, and giving gifts to the Brahmins—these are the highest good for a king.

कृपणानाथवृद्धानां विधवानाञ्च योषितां । योगक्षेमञ्च वृत्तिञ्च तथैव परिकल्पयेत् ।। २२५.

He should likewise provide for the welfare and livelihood of the destitute, the helpless, the elderly, and widowed women.

वर्णाश्रमव्यवस्थानां कार्यन्तापसपूजनं । न विश्वसेच्च सर्वत्र तापसेषु च विश्वसेत् ।। २२५.

He should uphold the established order of the classes and stages of life, and honor ascetics; but he should not trust everyone, though he may trust ascetics.

विश्वासयेच्चापि परन्तत्त्वभूतेन हेतुना । वककवच्चिन्तयेदर्थं सिंहवच्च पराक्रमेत् ।। २२५.

He should inspire trust only with a reason grounded in the highest reality; he should consider matters as a crane does, and act with the courage of a lion.

वृकवच्चावलुम्पेत् शशवच्च विनिष्पतेत् । दृढप्रहारी च भवेत् तथा शूकरवन्नृपः ।। २२५.

He should seize like a wolf, withdraw like a hare, and strike firmly like a boar, O king.

चित्राकारश्च शिखिवद्‌ दृढभक्तिस्तथा श्ववत् । भवेच्च मधुराभाषी तथा कोकिलवन्नृपः ।। २२६.

He should be as skillful as a peacock in appearance, as steadfast in devotion as a dog, and as sweet-spoken as a cuckoo, O king.

काकशङ्की भवेन्नित्यमज्ञातां वसतिं वसेत्। नापरीक्षितपूर्वञ्च भोजनं शयनं स्पृशेत् ।। २२५.

He should always be as wary as a crow, dwell in unknown places, and never touch food or a bed that has not been previously examined.

नाविज्ञातां स्त्रियं गच्छेन्नाज्ञातां नावमारुहेत् । राष्ट्रकर्षी भ्रस्यते चराज्यार्थाच्चैव जीवितात् ।। २२५.

He should not approach a woman he does not know, nor board a boat that is unfamiliar; a king who acts recklessly loses both his kingdom and his life.

भृतो वत्सो जातबलः कर्मयोग्यो यथा भवेत् । तथा राष्ट्रं महाभाग भृतं कर्मसहं भवेत् ।। २२५.

Just as a calf, once grown, becomes fit for work, so too, O great one, a well-supported kingdom becomes capable of action.

सर्वं कर्मेदमायत्तं विधाने दैवपौरुषे । तयोर्दैवचचिन्त्यं हि पौरुषे विद्यते क्रिया ।। २२५.

All action depends on both destiny and human effort; of these, destiny is to be contemplated, but action lies in human effort.

पुष्कर उवाच स्वमेव कर्म दैवाख्यं विद्धि देहान्तराजितं । तस्मात् पौरुषमेवेह श्रेष्ठमाहुर्मनीषिणः ।। २२६.

Pushkara said: Know that what is called destiny is simply one's own karma carried over from another body; therefore, wise men say that human effort is supreme in this world.

प्रतिकूलं तथा दैवं पौरुषेण विहन्यते । सात्त्विकात् कर्म्मणः पूर्वात् सिद्धिः स्यात्पौरुषं विना ।। २२६.

Even adverse destiny is overcome by human effort; but success from virtuous deeds in the past can occur even without present effort.

पौरुषं दैवसम्पत्त्या काले फलति भार्गव । दैवं पुरुषकारश्च द्वयं पुंसः फलावहं ।। २२६.

Human effort bears fruit when joined with the wealth of destiny, O Bhargava; both destiny and personal endeavor bring results for a person.

कृषेर्वृष्टिसमायोगात् काले स्युः फलसिद्धयः । सधर्म्मं पौरुषं कुर्यान्नालसो न च दैववान् ।। २२६.

Just as crops yield fruit at the right time through the union of rain, so one should act in accordance with duty, being neither lazy nor relying solely on destiny.

सामादिभिरुपायैस्तु सर्वे सिद्ध्यन्त्युपक्रमाः । साम चोपप्रदानञ्च चभेददण्डौ तथापरौ ।। २२६.

All undertakings succeed through means such as conciliation and others; conciliation, giving gifts, sowing dissension, and punishment are the four main strategies.

मायोपेक्षेन्द्रजालञ्च उपायाः सप्त ताञ्च्छृणु । द्विविधं काथितं साम तथ्यञ्चातत्यमेव च ।। २२६.

Listen: the means are seven—conciliation, gifts, dissension, punishment, deception, neglect, and illusion; conciliation is said to be of two kinds: truthful and unceasing.

तत्राप्यतथ्यं साधूनामाक्रोशायैव जायते । महाकुलीना ह्यृजवो धर्मनित्या जितेन्द्रियाः ।। २२६.

Of these, untruthful conciliation is used only to rebuke the wicked; but those of noble lineage, upright, steadfast in dharma, and self-controlled—

सामसाध्या अतथ्यैश्च गृह्यन्ते राक्षसा अपि । तथा तदुपकाराणां कृतानाञ्चैव वर्णनं ।। २२६.

Even demons are won over by truthful conciliation; thus is described the benefit of such actions.

आत्मीयान् दर्शयेदाशां येन दोषेण बिभ्यति । परास्तेनैव ते भेद्या रक्ष्यो वै ज्ञातिभेदकः ।। २२६.

He should reveal hope to his own people by the very fault they fear; by that same means, outsiders are divided, but one must guard against those who sow discord among kin.

अन्तःकोषञ्चोपशाम्यं कुर्वन् शत्रोश्च तं जयेत् ।। २२६.

By calming the inner circle and doing so, one conquers the enemy.

उपायश्रेष्ठं दानं स्याद्दानादुभयलोकभाक् । न सोऽस्ति नाम दानेन वशगो यो न जायते ।। २२६.

The highest means is giving; by giving, one enjoys both worlds. There is no one who cannot be brought under control by generosity.

दानवानेव शक्नोति संहतान् भेदितुं परान् । त्रयासाध्यं साधयेत्तं दण्डेन च कृतेन च ।। २२६.

Only one who gives can break apart united foes; what cannot be accomplished by three, he achieves by punishment and by action.

दण्डे सर्वं स्थितं दण्डो नाशयेद् दुष्प्रणीकृतः । अदण्ड्यान् दण्डयन्नस्येद्दण्ड्यान् राजाप्यदण्डयन् ।। २२६.

Everything rests on punishment; punishment, if misapplied, destroys all. A king who punishes the innocent or fails to punish the guilty is ruined.

देवदैत्योरगनराः सिद्धा भूताः पतत्रिणः । उत्क्रमेयुः स्वमर्यादां यदि दण्डान् न पालयेत् ।। २२६.

Gods, demons, serpents, men, siddhas, spirits, and birds would transgress their bounds if punishment were not upheld.

यस्माददान्तान् दमयत्यदण्ड्यान्दण्डयत्यपि । दमनाद्दम्डनाच्चैव तस्माद्दण्डं विदुर्बुधाः ।। २२६.

Because he restrains the unrestrained and punishes even the unpunishable, and through restraint and punishment, the wise know him as Punishment.