Agni Purana

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.

नयस्य विनयो मूलं विनयः शास्त्रनिश्चयात् । विनयो हीन्द्रियजयस्तैर्युक्तः पालयेन्महीं ।। २३८.

Discipline is the root of good governance; discipline arises from certainty in the scriptures. Discipline is truly mastery over the senses; endowed with these, one should rule the earth.

ग्रभावः शुचिता मैत्री त्यागः सत्यं कृतज्ञता । कुलं शीलं दमश्चेति गुणाः सम्पत्तिहेतवः ।। २३८.

Nobility of birth, purity, friendship, generosity, truthfulness, gratitude, family, character, and self-restraint—these virtues are the causes of prosperity.

प्रकीर्णविषयारण्ये धावन्तं विप्रमाथिनं । ज्ञानाङ्कुशेन कुर्व्वीत वश्यमिन्द्रियदन्तिनं ।। २३८.

In the forest of scattered sense-objects, the mind runs wild and is destructive; with the goad of knowledge, one should bring the elephant of the senses under control.

कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभो हर्षो मानो मदस्तथा । षड्‌वर्गमुतसृजेदेनमस्मिंस्त्यक्ते सुखी नृपः ।। २३८.

Desire, anger, greed, delight, pride, and arrogance—these six should be abandoned; the king who gives them up is happy.

आन्वीक्षिकीं त्रयीं वार्त्तां दण्डनीतिं च पार्थिवः । तद्विद्यैस्तत्‌क्रियोपैतैश्चिन्तयेद्विनयान्वितः ।। २३८.

A king should reflect, with discipline, upon inquiry, the three Vedas, commerce, and the science of governance, using the knowledge and practices associated with each.

आन्वीक्षिक्यार्थविज्ञानं धर्म्माधर्मौ त्रयीस्थितौ । अर्थानर्थौ तु वार्त्तायां दण्डनीत्यां नयानयौ ।। २३८.

Inquiry leads to understanding of meaning; righteousness and unrighteousness are found in the three Vedas; gain and loss are in commerce; right and wrong policy are in the science of governance.

अहिंसा सूनृता वाणी सत्यं शौचं दया क्षमा । वणिनां लिङ्गिनां चैव सामान्यो धर्म्म उच्यते ।। २३८.

Nonviolence, gentle speech, truthfulness, purity, compassion, and forgiveness—these are said to be the common duties for both householders and renunciants.

प्रजाः समनुगृह्णीयात् कुर्य्यादाचारसंस्थितिं । वाक्‌ सूनृता दया दानं हिनोपगतरक्षणं ।। २३८.

He should care for his people, establish proper conduct, speak kindly, show compassion, give gifts, and protect those who are oppressed.

इति वृत्तं सतां साधुहितं सत्पुरुषव्रतं । आधिव्याधिपरीताय अद्य श्वो वा विनाशिने ।। २३८.

Such conduct is the vow of the virtuous, beneficial to the good; for those afflicted by sorrow and disease, whether today or tomorrow, it is their support.

को हि राजा शरीराय धर्म्मापेतं समाचरेत् । न हि स्वसुखमन्विच्छन् पीडयेत् कृपणं जनं ।। २३८.

What king would act unrighteously for the sake of his own body? Seeking his own happiness, he should not oppress the unfortunate.

कृपणः पीड्यमानो हि मन्युना इन्ति पार्थिवं । क्रियतेऽभ्यर्हणीयाय स्वजनाय यथाञ्जलिः ।। २३८.

When the unfortunate are oppressed, they turn their anger toward the king, just as one offers reverence to those worthy among their own people.

ततः साधुतरः कार्यो दुर्जनाय शिवाथिंना । प्रियमेवाभिघातव्यं सत्सु नित्यं द्विषत्सु च ।। २३८.

Therefore, one should act more virtuously toward the wicked, with auspicious intent; always show kindness to the good and even to those who are hostile.

देवास्ते प्रियवक्तारः पशवः क्रूरवादिनः । शुचिरास्तिक्यपूतात्मा पूजयेद्देवताः सदा ।। २३८.

Those who speak kindly are like gods; those who speak harshly are like beasts. One whose mind is pure and faithful should always worship the deities.

देवतावद् गुरुजनमात्मवच्च सुहृज्जनं । प्रणिपातेन हि गुरुं सतोऽमृषानुचेष्टितैः ।। २३८.

One should honor the deities, teachers, and friends as oneself; a teacher is to be approached with reverence and without false conduct.

कुर्व्वीताभिमुखान् भृत्यैर्द्दवान् सुकृतकर्म्मणा । मद्‌भावेन हरेन्मित्रं सम्भ्रमेण च बान्धवान् ।। २३८.

One should face servants with kindness for their good deeds, treat friends with affection, and relatives with respect.

स्त्रीभृत्यान् प्रेम्दानाभ्यां दाक्षिण्येनेतरं जनं । अनिन्दा परकृत्येषु स्वधर्म्मपरिपालनं ।। २३८.

Toward women and servants, one should show love and generosity; toward others, courtesy; do not criticize others' actions, and always uphold one's own duty.

कृपणेषु दयालुत्वं सर्वत्र मधुरा गिरः । प्राणैरप्यपकारित्वं मित्रायाव्यभिचारिणे ।। २३८.

Be compassionate to the unfortunate, speak sweetly to all, and remain unwaveringly loyal to a friend, even at the cost of one's own life.

गृहागते परिष्वङ्गः सक्त्या दानं सहिष्णुता । स्वसमृद्धिष्वनुत्सेकः पररवृद्धिष्वमत्सरः ।। २३८.

When a guest arrives, embrace them, give gifts according to ability, be patient; do not be arrogant in your own prosperity, nor envious of another's success.

अपरोपतापि वचनं मौनव्रतचरिष्णुता । बन्धुभिर्बद्धसंयोगः स्वजने चतुरश्रता ।। २३८.

Even without direct opposition, speech, observance of the vow of silence, union with relatives, and cleverness among one's own people—

राम उवाच स्वाम्यमात्यञ्च राष्ट्रञ्च दुर्गं कोषो बलं सुहृतं । परस्परोपकारीदं सप्ताङ्गं राकज्यमुच्य्ते ।। २३९.

Rama said: The master, the minister, the territory, the fortress, the treasury, the army, and the friend—these seven mutually supporting elements are called the limbs of a kingdom.