Agni Purana

दिव्यान्तरीक्षभूमिष्ठाः सन्त्वायुर्दाः सुराश्च ते । देवसिद्धिं प्रप्नुहि त्वं देवयात्रास्तु सा तव ।। २३६.

May those gods who dwell in heaven, the atmosphere, and the earth grant you long life; may you attain divine success, and may this divine journey be yours.

रक्षन्तु देवताः सर्वा इति श्रुत्वा नृपो व्रजेत् । गृहीत्वा सशरञ्चापं धनुर्नागेति मन्त्रतः ।। २३६.

Having heard 'May all the deities protect,' the king should proceed, taking up bow and arrows, reciting the mantra 'O bow of the serpent.'

नद्विण्णोरिति जप्त्वाथ दद्याद्रिपुमुख पदं । दक्षिणं पदं द्वात्रिंशद्दिक्षुं प्राच्यादिषु क्रमात् ।। २३६.

Reciting 'nadviṇṇor,' he should then place his foot at the mountain's mouth; the right foot, in thirty-two directions, beginning with the east, in order.

नागं रथं हयञ्चैव धुर्यांश्चैवारुहेत् क्रमात् । आरुह्य वाद्यैर्गच्छेत पृष्ठतो नावलोकयेत् ।। २३६.

He should mount the elephant, the chariot, the horse, and the draught animals in sequence; having mounted, he should proceed with music, not looking back.

क्रोशमात्रं गतस्तिष्ठेत् पूजयेद्देवता द्विजान् । परदेशं व्रजेत् पश्चादात्मसैन्यं हि पालयन् ।। २३६.

Having gone a distance of a krośa, he should halt and worship the deities and the Brahmins; afterwards, he should proceed to foreign lands, protecting his own army.

देवानां पूजनं कुर्य्यान्न छिन्द्यादायमत्र तु ।। २३६.

He should perform the worship of the gods, and this should not be neglected here.

नावमानयेत्तद्देश्यानागत्य स्वपुरं पुनः । जयं प्राप्यार्च्चयेद्देवान् दद्याद्दानानि पार्थिपः ।। २३६.

He should not insult the people of that land; having returned to his own city, the king, having attained victory, should worship the gods and give gifts.

द्वितीयेऽहनि सङ्‌ग्रामो भविष्यति यदा तदा । स्नापयेद्‌गजमश्वादि यजेद्देवं नृसिंहकं ।। २३६.

On the second day, when battle is to occur, he should bathe the elephant, the horse, and others, and worship the god Narasiṃha.

छत्रादिराजलिङ्गानि शस्त्राणि निशि वै गणान् । प्रातर्नृसिंहकं पूज्य वाहनाद्यमशेषतः ।। २३६.

At night, he should worship the royal insignia such as the umbrella and weapons, and the groups; in the morning, he should worship Narasiṃha, and all the vehicles and others without exception.

पुरोधसा हुतं पश्येद्वह्निं हुत्वा द्विजान्यदेत्। गृहीत्वा सशरञ्चापं गजाद्यारुद्य वै ब्रजेत् ।। २३६.

The priest should observe the offering; after making the fire offering, he should honor the Brahmins; taking up bow and arrows, he should mount the elephant and others and proceed.

देशे त्वदृश्यः शत्रूणां कुर्य्यात् प्रकृतिकल्पनां । संहतान् योधयेदल्पान् कामं विस्तारयेद्‌बहून् ।। २३६.

In a place unseen by the enemies, he should arrange the formation; he should engage the gathered troops with the few, and expand the many as desired.

सूचीमुखमनीकं स्यादल्पानां बहुभिः सह। व्यूहाः प्राण्यङ्गरूपाश्च द्रव्यरूपाश्च कीर्त्तिताः ।। २३६.

The formation of the needle-point should be used for the few along with the many; the battle arrays are described as having the forms of vital limbs and of objects.

गरुडो मकरव्यूहश्चक्रः श्येनस्तथैव च । अर्द्धचन्द्रश्च वज्रश्च शकटव्यूह एव च ।। २३६.

The Garuḍa, Makara, Chakra, and Śyena formations, as well as the half-moon, the thunderbolt, and the cart formation, are also mentioned.

मण्डलः सर्वतोभद्रः सूचीव्यूहश्च ते नराः । व्यूहानामथ सर्वेषां पञ्चधा सैन्यकल्पना ।। २३६.

The circle, the all-auspicious, and the needle formation—these are the arrays; and the arrangement of the army is described as fivefold for all these formations.

द्वौ पक्षावनुपक्षौ द्वाववश्यं पञ्चमं भवेत् । एकेन यदि वा द्वाभ्यां भागाभ्यां युद्धमाचरेत् ।। २३६.

There are two wings, two sub-wings, and the fifth must always be present; one may fight with one or two divisions.

भागत्रयं स्थापयेत्तु तेषां रक्षार्थमेव च । न व्यूहकल्पना कार्य्या राज्ञो भवति कर्हिंचित् ।। २३६.

He should establish three divisions for their protection; the arrangement of battle formations is never to be made by the king himself.

मूलच्छेदे विनाशः स्यान्न युध्येच्च स्वयन्नृपः । सैन्यस्य पश्चात्तिष्ठेत्तु क्रोशमात्रे महीपतिः ।। २३६.

If the root is cut, destruction follows; the king should not fight personally, but remain behind his army at a distance of a krosha.

भग्नसन्धारणं तत्र योधानां परिकीर्त्तितं । प्रधानभङ्गे सैन्यस्य नावस्थानं विधीयते ।। २३६.

There, the breaking of the main force of the warriors is described; when the principal part of the army is broken, no further stand can be made.

न संहतान्न विरलान्योधान् व्यूहे प्रकल्पयेत् । आयुधानान्तु सम्मर्द्दो यथा न स्यात् परस्परं ।। २३६.

He should not arrange warriors too densely nor too sparsely in the formation; so that their weapons do not clash with each other.

भेत्तुकामः परनीकं संहतैरेव भेदयेत् । भेदरक्ष्याः परेणापि कर्त्तव्याः संहतास्तथा ।। २३६.

One who wishes to break the enemy's ranks should do so with closely grouped troops; the enemy too must protect their close formations from being broken.

व्यूहं भेदावहं कुर्य्यात् परव्यूहेषु चेच्छया । गजस्य पादरक्षार्थाश्चत्वारस्तु तथा द्विज ।। २३६.

He should create a formation capable of breaking the enemy's formation at will; and, O twice-born, four guards are assigned for the protection of an elephant's feet.

रथस्य चाश्वाश्चत्वारः समास्तस्य च चर्म्मिणः । धन्विनश्चर्मिभिस्तुल्याः पुरस्ताच्चर्म्मिणो रणे ।। २३६.

For a chariot, four horses are to be harnessed, and its leather-covered warriors as well; archers are to be matched with leather-armored men, and in battle, leather-armored men should be placed in front.

वृष्ठतो धन्विनः पश्चाद्धन्विनान्तुरगा रथाः । रथानां कुञ्जराः पश्चाद्धातव्याः पृथिवीक्षिता ।। २३६.

Behind the archers should be more archers, then horses and chariots; behind the chariots, elephants are to be stationed by the ruler of the land.

पदातिकुञ्जराश्वनां धर्म्मकार्य्यं प्रयत्नतः । शूराः प्रमुखतो देयाः स्कन्धमात्रप्रदर्शनं ।। २३६.

The proper arrangement of foot soldiers, elephants, and horses must be made with care; brave men should be placed at the front, showing only their shoulders.

कर्त्तव्यं भीरुसङ्घेन शत्रुविद्रावकारकं । दारयन्ति पुरस्तात्तु न देया भीरवः पुरः ।। २३६.

A formation that causes the enemy to flee should be made with a group of timid men; those who are timid should not be placed at the front.

प्रोत्साहयन्त्येव रणे भीरून् शूगः पुरस्थिताः । प्रांशवः शुकनाशाश्च ये चाजिह्मेक्षणा२ नराः ।। २३६.

The brave who stand at the front in battle inspire the timid; tall men, those with broad shoulders, and those whose eyes do not shift are to be placed at the front.

संहतभ्रयुगाश्चैव क्रोधनाः कलहप्रियाः । नित्यहृष्टाः प्रहृष्टाश्च शूरा ज्ञेयाश्य कामिनः ।। २३६.

Those who are closely yoked together, quick to anger, fond of quarrels, always cheerful and delighted, and brave—these are to be known as desirous of battle.

प्रप्तियुद्धं गजानाञ्च तोयदानादिकश्च यत् ।। २३६.

The battle tactics for elephants, such as water supply and other needs, are described.

आयुधानयनं चैव पत्तिकर्म्मं विधीयते । रिपूणां भेत्तुकामानां स्वसैन्यस्य तु रक्षणं ।। २३६.

The movement of weapons and the duties of infantry are prescribed; for those wishing to break the enemy, and for the protection of one's own army.