Agni Purana

गजाद्यैश्च गजाद्याश्च न हन्तव्याः पलायिनः । न प्रेक्षकाः प्रविष्टाश्च अशस्त्राः पतितादयः ।। २३६.

Elephants and others like them, as well as those who flee, spectators, those who have entered, the unarmed, and the fallen—these must not be killed.

शान्ते निद्राभिभूते च अर्द्धोत्तीर्णे नदीवने । दुर्द्दिने कूटयुद्धानि शत्रुनाशार्थमाचरेत् ।। २३६.

When the enemy is calm, overcome by sleep, half-crossed rivers or forests, or during difficult weather, one should undertake deceptive warfare for the destruction of the foe.

बाहू प्रगृह्य विक्रोशेद्भग्ना भग्नाः परे इति। प्राप्तं मित्रं बलं भूरि नायकोऽत्र निपातितः ।। २३६.

Grasping their arms, they should loudly proclaim, 'We are broken, we are broken by the others!' If a friend or great force arrives, the leader here is struck down.

सेनानीर्निहतश्चायं भूपतिश्चापि विप्लुतः । विद्रुतानान्तु योधानां सुखं धातो विधीयते ।। २३६.

The commander is slain, and the king is also routed; for the warriors who have fled, a safe retreat is arranged.

धूपश्च देया धर्म्मज्ञ तथा च परमोहनाः । पताकाश्चैव सम्भारो वादित्राणां भयावहः ।। २३६.

Incense should be offered, O knower of righteousness, as well as powerful charms; flags and the equipment of musical instruments that inspire fear.

सम्प्राप्य विजयं युद्धे देवान्विप्रांश्च संयजेत् । रत्नानि राजगामीनि अमात्येन कृते रणे ।। २३६.

Having achieved victory in battle, one should perform offerings to the gods and Brahmins; the jewels and royal treasures gained in war are to be distributed by the minister.

तस्य स्त्रियो न कस्यापि रक्ष्यास्ताश्च परस्य च । शत्रुं प्राप्य रणे मुक्तं पुत्रवत् परिपालयेत् ।। २३६.

The women of the defeated should not be harmed, nor those of the victor; having captured the enemy in battle, one should protect him as a son.

पुनस्तेन न योद्धव्यं देशाचारादि पालयेत् । ततश्च स्वपुरं प्राप्य ध्रुवे भे प्रविशेद् गृहं ।। २३६.

One should not fight again with him; the customs of the land should be observed. Then, having reached his own city, he should certainly enter his house.

पुष्कर उवाच राज्यलक्ष्मीस्थिरत्वाय यथेन्द्रेण पुरा श्रियः । स्तुतिः कृता तथा राजा जयार्थं स्तुतिमाचरेत् ।। २३७.

Puṣkara said: For the stability of royal fortune, just as Indra once composed a hymn to Śrī, so too should the king recite a hymn for victory.

इन्द्र उवाच । नमस्ये सर्वलोकानां जननीमब्धिसम्भवां । श्रियमुन्निद्रपद्माक्षीं विष्णुवक्षःस्थलस्थितां ।। २३७.

Indra said: I bow to Śrī, mother of all worlds, born from the ocean, whose eyes are like blooming lotuses, who dwells upon the chest of Viṣṇu.

त्वं सिद्धिस्त्वं स्वधा स्वाहा सुधा त्वं लोकपावनि । सन्ध्या रात्रिः प्रभा भूतिर्म्मेधा श्रद्धा सरस्वती ।। २३७.

You are success, you are the sacrificial oblations, you are the sacred exclamation, you are nectar, purifier of the worlds; you are twilight, night, radiance, prosperity, intelligence, faith, and Sarasvatī.

यज्ञविद्या महाविद्या गुह्यविद्या च शोभने । आत्मविद्या च देवि त्वं विमुक्तिफलदायिनी ।। २३७.

O beautiful one, you are the knowledge of sacrifice, the supreme knowledge, the secret knowledge, and the knowledge of the self, O goddess, bestower of the fruit of liberation.

आन्वीक्षिकी त्रयी वार्त्ता दण्डनीतिस्त्वमेव च । सौम्या सौम्यैर्जगद्रूपैस्त्वयैतद्देवि पूरितं ।। २३७.

You alone are inquiry, the threefold Veda, commerce, and governance; O gentle goddess, with your gentle forms you fill this entire world.

का त्वन्या त्वामृते देवि सर्वयज्ञमयं वपुः । अध्यास्ते देव देवस्य योगिचिन्त्यं गदाभृतः ।। २३७.

O goddess, who else but you possesses the form composed of all sacrifices, which is contemplated by yogis and is the body of the mace-bearing Lord of gods?

त्वया देवि परित्यक्तं सकलं भुवनत्रयं । विनष्टप्रायमभवत् त्वयेदानीं समेधितं ।। २३७.

O goddess, when you abandoned it, the entire three worlds nearly perished; now, by your presence, they are flourishing again.

दाराः पुत्रास्तथागारं सुहृद्धान्यघनादिकं । भवत्येतन्महाभागो नित्यं त्वद्वीक्षणान् नृणां ।। २३७.

Wives, sons, houses, friends, grain, wealth, and the like—these blessings come always to people of great fortune through your glance, O goddess.

शरीरारोग्यमैश्वर्यमरिपक्षक्षयः सुखं । देवि त्वद्‌दृष्टिदृष्टानां पुरुषाणां न दुर्ल्लभं ।। २३७.

Health of body, prosperity, destruction of enemies, and happiness—none of these are difficult to obtain for those men who are seen by your gaze, O goddess.

त्वमम्बा सर्वभूतानां देवदेवो हरिः पिता । त्वयैतद्विष्णुना चाम्ब जगद्व्याप्तं चराचरं ।। २३७.

You are the mother of all beings, and Hari, the god of gods, is their father; O mother, with Vishnu, you pervade this entire world, both moving and unmoving.

मानं कोषं तथा कोष्ठं मा गृहं मा परिच्छदं । मा शरीरं कलत्रञ्च त्यजेथाः सर्व्वपावनि ।। २३७.

Do not abandon honor, wealth, storehouses, house, possessions, body, or spouse, O purifier of all.

मा पुत्रान्मासुहृद्वर्गान्मा पशून्मा विभूषणं । मम देवस्य विष्णोर्वक्षःस्थलालये ।। २३७.

Do not abandon sons, friends, cattle, or ornaments, for you dwell upon the chest of my lord Vishnu, O goddess.

सत्त्वेन सत्यशौचाभ्यां तथा शीलादिभिर्गुणैः । त्यज्यन्ते ते नरा सद्यः सन्त्यक्ता ये त्वयामले ।। २३७.

Those men who are abandoned by you, O pure one, are immediately forsaken by virtue, truth, purity, and qualities such as good conduct.

त्वयावलोकिताः सद्यः शीलाद्यैरखिलैर्गुणेः । कुलैश्वर्य्यैश्च युज्यन्ते पुरुषा निर्गणा अपि ।। २३७.

Those men upon whom you cast your glance, O goddess, are endowed at once with all virtues such as good conduct, and with family prosperity, even if they are devoid of qualities.

सश्लाघ्यः स गुणी धन्यः स कुलीनः स बुद्धिमान् । स शूरः स च विक्रान्तो यस्त्वया देवि वीक्षितः ।। २३७.

He is praiseworthy, virtuous, fortunate, noble, wise, heroic, and valiant—he whom you, O goddess, have looked upon.

सद्यो वैगुण्यमायान्ति शीलाद्याः सकला गुणाः । परामुङ्‌मुखी जगद्धात्री यस्य त्वं विष्णुवल्लभे ।। २३७.

All virtues such as good conduct quickly depart from him, O sustainer of the world, O beloved of Vishnu, from whom you turn away.

न ते वर्णयितुं शक्ता गुणान् जिह्वापि वेधसः । प्रसीद देवि पद्माक्षि नास्मांस्त्याक्षईः कदाचन ।। २३७.

Even the tongue of Brahmā is not able to describe your qualities; be gracious, O lotus-eyed goddess, never forsake us.

पुष्कर उवाच । एवं स्तुता ददौ श्रीश्च वरमिन्द्राय चेप्सितं । सुस्थिरत्वं चराज्यस्य सङ्‌ग्रामविजयादिकं ।। २३७.

Puṣkara said: Thus praised, Śrī granted Indra the desired boon—stability of his kingdom, victory in battle, and the like.

स्वस्तोत्रपाठश्रवणकर्तॄणां भुक्तिमुक्तिदं । श्रीस्तोत्रं तस्मात् पठेच्च श्रृणुयान्नरः ।। २३७.

Therefore, one should recite or listen to this hymn to Śrī, which grants enjoyment and liberation to those who recite or hear it.

अग्निरुवाच नीतिस्ते पुष्करोक्ता तु रामोक्ता लक्ष्मणाय या । जयाय तां प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रृणु धर्म्मादिवर्द्धनीं ।। २३८.

Agni said: The policy spoken by Puṣkara, and that which Rāma spoke to Lakṣmaṇa for victory—I shall now declare it, which increases righteousness and the like; listen.

राम उवाच न्यायेनार्ज्जनमर्थस्य वर्द्धनं रक्षणं चरेत् । सत्पात्रप्रतिपत्तिश्च राजवृत्तं चतुर्विधं ।। २३८.

Rāma said: One should acquire wealth by just means, increase and protect it, bestow it upon worthy recipients—these are the four duties of a king.