Agni Purana

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.

चतुरङ्गं बलं राजा सहायययययार्थं दिवौकसां । बलन्तु दर्शयेत् प्राप्तं रक्तवृष्टिञ्चरेद्रिपौ ।। २३४.

The king should display his fourfold army, with allies and for the sake of the gods; he should show the arrival of the army and cause a rain of blood upon the enemy.

छिन्नानि रिपूशीर्षाणि प्रासादाग्रेषु दर्शयेत् । षाड्‌गुण्यंसम्प्रवक्ष्यामि तद्वरौ सन्धिविग्रहौ ।। २३४.

He should display severed heads of enemies at the front of the palace; I will now explain the sixfold policy, especially regarding alliance and conflict.

सन्धिश्च विग्रहश्चैव यानमासनमेव च । द्वैधीभावः संशयश्च षड्‌गुणाः परिकीर्त्तिताः ।। २३४.

Alliance, conflict, marching forth, remaining stationary, division, and doubt—these are declared as the six strategies.

पणबन्धः स्मृतः सन्धिरपकारस्तु विग्रहः। जिगीषोः शत्रुविषये यानं यात्राऽभिवीयते ।। २३४.

Alliance is known as a pact; hostility is called conflict; the desire to conquer the enemy is termed marching forth.

विग्र्हेण स्वके देशे स्थितिरासनमुच्यंते । बलार्द्धेन प्रयाणन्तु द्वैधीभावः स उच्यते ।। २३४.

Remaining in one's own territory during conflict is called staying stationary; proceeding with half the force is called division.

उदासीनो मध्यमो वा संश्रयात्संश्रयः स्मृतः । समेन सन्धिरन्वेष्योऽहीनेन च बलीयसा ।। २३४.

Taking shelter with a neutral or intermediate party is called seeking refuge; alliance should be sought with an equal or a stronger party.

हीनेन विग्रहः कार्यः स्वयं राज्ञा बलीयसा । तत्रापि शुद्धपार्ष्णिस्तु बलीयांसं समाश्रयेत् ।। २३४.

A weaker king should engage in conflict himself with a stronger one; even then, one with a pure ally should seek shelter with the stronger.

आसीनः कर्मविच्छेदं शक्तः कर्त्तु रिपोर्यदा । अशुद्धपार्ष्णिश्चासीत विगृह्य वसुधाधिपः ।। २३४.

When able to disrupt the enemy's actions while remaining stationary, the king should do so; if allied with an impure ally, he should engage in conflict.

अशुद्धपार्ष्णिर्बलवान् द्वैधीभावं समाश्रयेत् । वलिना विगृहीतस्तु२ योऽसन्देहेन पार्थिवः ।। २३४.

A powerful king with an impure ally should adopt division; if a king is attacked by a stronger one, he should not doubt.

संश्रयस्तेन वक्तव्यो गुणानामघमो गुणः । बहुक्षयव्ययायासं३ तेषां यानं प्रकीर्त्तितं ।। २३४.

In that case, seeking refuge is advised; among the strategies, this is the best. Marching forth brings much loss, expense, and hardship.