Agni Purana

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.

बहुलाभकरं पश्चात्तदा राजा समाश्रयेत् । सर्वशक्तिविहीनस्तु तदा कुर्य्यात्तु संश्रयं ।। २३४.

When there is great gain, then the king should adopt it; but when deprived of all power, he should seek refuge.

पुष्कर उवाच अजस्रं कर्म वक्ष्यामि दिनं प्रति यदाचरेत् । द्विमुहूर्त्तावशेषायां रात्रौ निद्रान्त्यजेन्नृपः ।। २३५.

Puṣkara said: I will explain the daily duties to be performed. When only two muhūrtas remain of the night, the king should give up sleep.

वाद्यवन्दिस्वनैर्गीतैः पश्येद् गूढास्ततो नरान् । विज्ञायते न ये लोकास्तदीया इति केनचित् ।। २३५.

With the sounds of instruments, bards, and songs, he should observe those hidden men whom no one recognizes as belonging to his people.

आयव्ययस्य श्रवणं ततः कार्य्यं यथाविधि । वेगोत्सर्गं ततः कृत्वा राजा स्नानगृहं व्रजेत् ।। २३५.

Then, he should listen to reports of income and expenditure, perform the necessary tasks, and after relieving himself, proceed to the bathing chamber.

स्नानं कुर्य्यान्नृपः श्चाद्दन्तधावनपूर्वकं । कृत्वा सन्ध्यान्ततो जप्यं वासुदेवं प्रपूजयेत् ।। २३५.

The king should bathe, first cleaning his teeth; after performing the twilight worship, he should then worship Vāsudeva with recitation.

वह्नौ पवित्रान् जुहुयात् तर्पयेदु दकैः पितृन् । दद्यात्सकाञ्चनीं धेनुं द्विजाशीर्वादसंयुतः ।। २३५.

He should offer purified oblations into the fire, satisfy the ancestors with water, and give a golden cow, accompanied by the blessings of the twice-born.

अनुलिप्तोऽलङ्कृतश्च मुखं पश्येच्च दर्पणे । ससुवर्णे धृते राजा श्रृणुयाद्दिवसादिकं ।। २३५.

Anointed and adorned, the king should look at his face in a golden mirror, and listen to the day's auspicious omens.

औषधं भिषजोक्तं च मङ्गलालम्भनञ्चरेत् । पश्येद् गुरुं तेन दत्ताशीर्वादोऽथ व्रजेत्सभां ।। २३६.

He should take the prescribed medicine and perform auspicious rites; seeing his teacher, receiving his blessing, he should then proceed to the assembly.

तत्रस्थो ब्राह्मणान् पश्येदमात्यान्मन्त्रिणस्तथा । प्रकृतीश्च महाभाग प्रतीहारनिवेदिताः ।। २३५.

There, he should see the Brāhmaṇas, ministers, and counselors, as well as the honored officials, announced by the doorkeeper.

श्रुत्वेतिहासं कार्य्याणि कार्याणां कार्य्यनिर्णयम् । व्यवहारन्ततः पश्येन्मन्त्रं कुर्य्यात्तु मन्त्रिभिः ।। २३५.

Having heard the histories and matters at hand, and the decisions regarding affairs, he should then attend to legal cases and deliberate with his counselors.

आकारैरिङ्गितैः प्राज्ञा मन्त्रं गृह्णन्ति पण्डिताः । सांवत्सराणां वैद्यानां मन्त्रिणां वचनेरतः ।। २३५.

The wise discern the counsel through expressions and gestures; thus, learned ministers and physicians of many years understand the words spoken.

राजा विभूतिमाप्नोति३ धारयन्ति नृपं हि ते । मन्त्रं कृत्वाथ व्यायामञ्चक्रे याने च शस्त्रके ।। २३५.

The king attains prosperity; for they uphold the king. Having established counsel, he should then engage in exercise and in the use of vehicles and weapons.

निःसत्त्वादौ नृपः स्नातः पश्येद्विष्णुं सुपूजितम् । हुतञ्च पावकं पश्येद्विप्रान् पश्येत्सुपूजितान् ।। २३५.

Having bathed at dawn, the king should behold Viṣṇu duly worshipped, should see the sacred fire offered, and should see the brāhmaṇas properly honored.

शास्त्राणि चिन्तयेद् दृष्ट्वा योधान् कोष्ठायुधं गृहं । अन्वास्य पश्चिमां सन्ध्यां कार्य्याणि च विचिन्त्य तु ।। २३५.

After inspecting the treatises, the warriors, the armory, and the treasury, and having performed the evening rites, he should reflect upon his duties.

चरान् सम्प्रेष्य भुक्तान्नमन्तःपुरचरो भवेत् । वाद्यगीतैरक्षितोऽन्यैरेवन्नित्यञ्चरेन्नृपः ।। २३५.

By sending out spies and having tasted the food, the king should remain within the inner quarters; protected by music and song, and by others, the king should always move about.

पुष्कर उवाच यात्राविधानपूर्वन्तु वक्ष्ये साङ्‌ग्रामिकं विधिं । सप्ताहेन यदा यात्रा भविष्यति महीपतेः ।। २३६.

Puṣkara said: I shall now explain the proper procedure for a military expedition; when, after seven days, the king is to set out.

पूजनीयो हरिः शम्भुर्मोदकाद्यैर्विनायकः । द्वितीयेऽहनि दिंक्‌पालान् सम्पूज्य शयनञ्चरेत् ।। २३६.

Hari, Śambhu, and Vināyaka are to be worshipped with sweets and other offerings; on the second day, having worshipped the guardians of the directions, he should rest.

शय्यायां वा तदग्रेऽथ कदेवान् प्रार्च्य मनुं स्मरेत् । नमः शम्भो त्रिनेत्राय रुद्राय वरदाय च ।। २३६.

On the bed or before it, having worshipped the gods, he should remember Manu: 'Salutations to Śambhu, the three-eyed, to Rudra, and to the bestower of boons.'

वामनाय विरूपाय स्वप्नाधिपतये नमः । भगवन्देवदेवेश शूलभृद्‌वृषवाहन ।। २३६.

Salutations to Vāmana, to the misshapen one, to the lord of dreams; O blessed one, god of gods, bearer of the trident, rider of the bull.

इष्टानिष्टे ममाचक्ष्व स्वप्ने सुप्तस्य शाश्वत । यज्जाग्रतो दूरमिति पुरोधा मन्त्रमुच्चरेत् ।। २३६.

Reveal to me, O eternal one, in my sleep, what is favorable or unfavorable; what is distant while awake—thus should the priest recite the mantra.