Agni Purana

शकुनादौ शुभे यायाज्जयाय हरिमास्मरन् । वक्ष्ये मण्डलचिन्तान्ते कर्त्तव्यं राजरक्षणं ।। २३३.

At the beginning of auspicious omens, one should set out, remembering Hari for victory; I will explain at the end of the discussion on circles the protection of the king that should be done.

स्वाम्यमात्यं तथा दुर्गं कोषो दण्डस्तथैव च । मित्रञ्जनपदश्चैव राज्यं सप्ताङ्गमुच्यते ।। २३३.

The lord, the minister, the fortress, the treasury, the punishment, the friend, and the territory—these are said to be the seven limbs of a kingdom.

सप्ताङ्गस्य तु राज्यस्य विघ्नकर्तॄन् विनाशयेत्। ३मण्डलेषु च सर्वेषु वृद्धिः कार्य्या महीक्षिता ।। २३३.

The obstacles to the seven-limbed kingdom should be destroyed; in all the circles, growth should be pursued by the king.

आत्ममण्डलमेवात्र प्रथमं मण्डलं भवेत् । सामन्तास्तस्य विज्ञेया रिपवो मण्डलस्य तु ।। २३३.

Here, one’s own circle is to be known as the first circle; the neighboring rulers are to be known as its enemies, and the enemies of the circle as well.

उपेतस्तु सुहृज्‌ ज्ञेयः शत्रुमित्रमतः परं । मित्रमित्रं ततो ज्ञेयं मित्रमित्ररिपुस्ततः ।। २३३.

The ally who has joined is to be known as the friend; after that, the friend of the enemy; then the friend of the friend; after that, the enemy of the friend of the friend.

एतत्पुरस्तात् कथितं पश्चादपि निबोध मे । पार्ष्णिग्राहस्ततः पश्चात्ततस्त्वाक्रन्द उच्यते ।। २३३.

This has been explained before; now listen further: after that comes the rear-grasper, and after that, the one called the outcry.

आसारस्तु ततोऽन्यः स्यादा क्रन्दासार उच्यते । जिगीषोः शत्रुयुक्तस्य विमुक्तस्य तथा द्विज ।। २३३.

Then comes another called the essence of the outcry; for one who desires conquest, who is joined with an enemy or freed from one, O twice-born, these apply.

नात्रापि निश्चयः शक्यो वक्तुं मनुजपुङ्गव । निग्रहानुग्रहे शक्तो मध्यस्थः परिकीर्त्त्तिः ।। २३३.

Even here, certainty cannot be declared, O best of men; one who is able to restrain or favor is called the neutral.

निग्रहानुग्रहे शक्तः सर्वेषामपि यो भवेत् । उदासीनः स कथितो बलवान् पृथिवीपतिः ।। २३३.

He who is able to restrain or favor all is called the indifferent, and he is the powerful lord of the earth.

न कस्यचिद्रिपुर्म्मित्रङ्कारणाच्छत्रुमित्रके । मण्डलं तव सम्प्रोक्तमेतद् द्वादशराजकं ।। २३३.

No one is an enemy or friend for the sake of enmity or friendship; this circle of yours, consisting of twelve kings, has been described.

त्रिविधा रिपवो ज्ञेयाः कुल्यानन्तरकृत्रिमाः । पूर्वपूर्वो गुरुस्तेषां दुश्चिकित्स्यतमो मतः ।। २३३.

Three kinds of enemies are to be known: born of family, immediate, and artificial; among them, the earliest is considered the most difficult to deal with.

अनन्तरोऽपि यः शत्रुः सोऽपि मे कृत्रिमो मतः । पार्ष्णिग्राहो भवेच्छत्रोमित्राणि रिपवस्तथा ।। २३३.

Even the immediate enemy is considered by me to be artificial; the rear-grasper is an enemy, and so too are the friends of the enemy.

पार्ष्णिग्राहमुपायैश्च शामयेच्च तथा स्वकं । मित्रेण शत्रोरुच्छेदं प्रशंसन्ति पुरातनाः ।। २३३.

One should pacify the rear-grasper by means and also one’s own; the ancients praise the destruction of the enemy through a friend.

मित्रञ्च शत्रुतामेति सामन्तत्वादनन्तरं । शत्रुं जिगीषुरुच्छिन्द्यात्४ स्वयं शक्नोति चेद्यदि ।। २३३.

A friend becomes an enemy due to proximity; therefore, one who wishes to conquer an enemy should sever ties, if able, by his own effort.

प्रतापवृद्धौ तेनापि नामित्राज्जायते भयं । यथास्य नोद्विजेल्लोको विश्वासश्च यथा भवेत् ।। २३३.

Even when his power increases, he need not fear enemies; so that people do not become anxious about him, and trust may be established.

पुष्कर उवाच सामभेदौ मया प्रोक्तौ दानदण्डौ तथैव च । दण्डः स्वदेशे कथितः परदेशे व्रवीमि ते ।। २३४.

Puṣkara said: I have explained conciliation and division, as well as giving and punishment; punishment has been described for one's own land, now I will tell you about punishment in foreign lands.

प्रकाशश्चाप्रकाशश्च द्विविधो दण्ड उच्यते । लुण्ठनं ग्रामघातश्च शस्यघातोऽग्निदीपनं ।। २३४.

Punishment is said to be of two kinds: open and secret; such as plundering, destruction of villages, destruction of crops, and setting fires.

प्रकाशोऽथ विषं वह्निर्विविधैः पुरुषैर्वधः । दूषणञ्चैव साधूनामुदकानाञ्च च दूषणं ।। २३४.

Open punishment includes poison, fire, killing by various agents, and also the defilement of the virtuous and of water sources.

दण्डप्रणयणं प्रोक्तमुपेक्षां श्रृणु भार्गव । यदा मन्येत नृपती रणे न मम विग्रहः ।। २३४.

The application of punishment has been explained; now listen, Bhārgava, to neglect: when a king thinks in battle, 'There is no conflict for me.'

अनर्थायानुबन्धः स्यात् सन्धिना च तथा भवेत् । सामलब्धास्पदञ्चात्र दानञ्चार्थक्षयङ्करं ।। २३४.

If there is harm or loss as a result, it may also occur through alliance; here, the position gained by conciliation and the giving that causes loss of wealth.

भेददण्डानुबन्धः स्यात्तदोपेक्षां समाश्रयेत् । न चायं मम शक्नोति किञ्चित् कर्त्तुमुपद्रवं ।। २३४.

If division or punishment brings harm, then one should resort to neglect; 'He cannot cause me any trouble.'

न चाहमस्य शक्नोमि तत्रोपेक्षां समाश्रयेत् । अवज्ञोपहतस्तत्र राज्ञा कार्य्यो रिपुर्भुवेत् ।। २३४.

Nor can I harm him; in that case, one should resort to neglect. If the enemy is insulted and harmed, the king should take action against him.

मायोपायं प्रवक्ष्यामि उत्पातैरनृतैश्चरत् । शत्रोरुद्वेजनं शत्रोः शिविरस्थस्य पक्षिणः ।। २३४.

I will explain the method of deception: causing agitation through omens and falsehoods, disturbing the enemy, especially one who is encamped.

स्थूलस्य तस्य पुच्छस्थां कृत्वोल्कां विपुलां द्विज । विसृजेच्च ततश्चैवमुल्कापातं प्रदर्शयेत् ।। २३४.

For a large bird, place a big firebrand on its tail, O twice-born; then release it, and thus display the falling of the firebrand.

एवमन्ये दर्शनीया उत्पाता बहवोऽपि च । उद्वेजनं तथा कुर्य्यात् कुहकैर्विविधैर्द्विषां ।। २३४.

In this way, many other visible omens may be shown; one may cause agitation among enemies by various tricks and illusions.

सांवत्सरास्तापसाश्च नाशं ब्रूयुः परस्य च । जिगीषुः पृथिवीं राजा तेन चोद्वेजयेत् परान् ।। २३४.

Ascetics who have lived for a year may proclaim the destruction of the enemy; a king who desires to conquer the earth should thereby agitate his foes.

देवतानां प्रसादश्च कीर्त्तनीयः परस्य तु । आगतन्नोऽमित्रबलं प्रहरध्वमभीतवत् ।। २३४.

The favor of the gods should be proclaimed for oneself, and for the enemy: 'Their force has arrived, strike them without fear!'

एवं ब्रूयाद्रणे प्राप्ते भग्नाः सर्वे परे इति । क्ष्वेडाः किलकिलाः कार्य्या वाच्यः शत्रुर्हतस्तथा ।। २३४.

Thus, when battle arrives, one should say: 'All the others have been defeated.' Shouts and cries should be made, and it should be declared that the enemy is slain.

देवाज्ञावृंहितो राजा सन्नद्धः समरं प्रति । इन्द्रजालं प्रवक्ष्यामि इन्द्रं कालेन दर्शयेत् ।। २३४.

The king, empowered by divine command and fully armed for battle, I will explain the magic art; at the right time, show Indra.