Agni Purana

अविसंवादिता सत्यं वृद्धसेवा कृतज्ञता । दैवसम्पन्नता बुद्धिरक्षुद्रपरिवारता ।। २३९.

Truthfulness, reliability, service to elders, gratitude, possession of divine fortune, intelligence, and freedom from inferior associates—

दीर्घदर्शित्वमुत्साहः शुचिता स्थूललक्षिता ।। २३९.

Foresight, enthusiasm, purity, and recognition of important matters—

विनीतत्वं धार्मिकता साधोश्च नृपतेर्गुणाः । प्रख्यातवंशमक्रूरं लोकसङ्‌ग्राहिणं शुचिं ।। २३९.

Humility, righteousness, and the qualities of a virtuous king: renowned lineage, gentleness, ability to unite people, and purity—

कुर्व्वीतात्महिताकाङ्क्षी परिचारं महीपतिः । वाग्मी प्रगल्भः स्मृतिमानुदग्रो बलवान् वशी ।। २३९.

A king seeking his own welfare should appoint attendants who are eloquent, bold, mindful, unarrogant, strong, and self-controlled—

नेता दण्डस्य निपुणः कृतशिल्पपरिग्रहः । पराभियोगप्रसहः सर्वदुष्टप्रतिक्रिया ।। २३९.

A leader skilled in punishment, accomplished in arts and acquisitions, able to withstand hostile attacks, and capable of countering all wickedness—

परवृत्तान्ववेक्षी च सन्धिविग्रहतत्तववित् । गूढमन्त्रप्रचारज्ञो देशकालविभागवित् ।। २३९.

One who observes the conduct of others, knows the principles of alliance and conflict, is expert in secret counsel, and understands the distinctions of place and time—

आदाता सम्यगर्थानां विनियोक्ता च पात्रवित् । क्रोधलोभभयद्रोहदम्भचापलवर्ज्जितः ।। २३९.

A proper collector of wealth, a distributor who knows the right recipients, free from anger, greed, fear, betrayal, deceit, and fickleness—

परोपतापपैशून्यमात्सर्येर्षानृतातिगः । वृद्धोपदेशसम्पन्नः शक्तो मधुरदर्शनः ।। २३९.

Free from harming others, emptiness, envy, jealousy, falsehood, and transgression; endowed with the counsel of elders, capable, and pleasant in appearance—

गुणानुरागस्थितिमानात्मसम्पद्‌गुणा स्मृताः । सुलीनाः शुचयः शूराः श्रुतवन्तोऽनुरागिणः ।। २३९.

Firm in attachment to virtues, possessing self-acquired qualities; gentle, pure, courageous, learned, and affectionate—

दण्डनीतेः प्रयोक्तारः सचिवाः स्युर्म्महीपतेः । सुविग्रहो जानपदः कुलशीलकलान्वितः ।। २३९.

Those who administer punishment are the ministers of the king; the people should be well-formed, endowed with family, character, and skill—

वाग्मी प्रगल्भश्चक्षुष्मानुत्साही प्रतिपत्तिमान् । स्तम्भ्चापलहीनश्च मैत्रः क्लेशसहः शुचिः ।। २३९.

Eloquent, bold, keen-sighted, enthusiastic, perceptive, free from stubbornness and fickleness, friendly, enduring hardship, and pure—

सत्यसत्त्वधृतिस्थैर्य्यप्रबावारोग्यसंयुतः । कृतशिल्पश्च७ दक्षश्च प्रज्ञावान् धारणान्वितः ।। २३९.

Endowed with truth, strength, firmness, patience, power, and health; accomplished in arts, skilled, wise, and possessing concentration—

दृढभक्तिरकर्त्ता च वैराणां सचिवो भवेत् । स्मृतिस्तत्परतार्थेषु चित्तज्ञो ज्ञाननिश्चयः ।। २३९.१५ दृढता मन्त्रगुप्तिश्च मन्त्रिसम्पत् प्रकीर्त्तिता । त्रय्यां च दण्डनीत्यां च कुशलः स्यात् पुरोहितः ।। २३९.

A minister should be steadfast in devotion and not the instigator of enmity; mindful in matters concerning that purpose, understanding the mind, and certain in knowledge.

अथर्व्ववेदविहितं कुर्य्याच्छान्तिकपौष्टिकं । साधुतैषाममात्यानां तद्विद्यैः सह बुद्धिमान् ।। २३९.

He should perform rites for appeasement and prosperity as prescribed in the Atharva Veda, together with the ministers who are wise and skilled in those disciplines.

चक्षुष्मत्तां च शिल्पञ्च परीक्षएत गुणद्वयं । स्वजनेभ्यो विजानीयात् कुलं स्थानमवग्रहं ।। २३९.

He should examine the qualities of keen sight and skill, and discern family and position among his own people.

परिकर्म्म्सु दक्षञ्च विज्ञानं धारयिष्णुतां । गुणत्रयं परीक्षेत प्रागल्भ्यं प्रीतितां तथा ।। २३९.

One should examine skill in duties, knowledge, the capacity to retain, the three qualities, boldness, and also affection.

कथायोगेषु बुद्ध्येत वाग्‌मित्वं सत्यवादितां । उत्साहं च प्रभावं च तथा क्लेशसहिष्णुतां ।। २३९.

In conversations, one should discern eloquence, truthfulness in speech, enthusiasm, influence, and endurance of hardship.

धृतिं चैवानुरागं च स्थैर्य्यञ्चापदि लक्ष्येत् । भक्तिं मैत्रीं च शौचं च जानीयाद्व्यवहारतः ।। २३९.

One should observe steadfastness and attachment, as well as stability in adversity; devotion, friendship, and purity are to be known through conduct.

संवासिभ्यो बलं सत्त्वमारोग्यं शीलमेव च । अस्तव्धतामचापल्यं वैराणां चाप्यकार्त्तनं ।। २३९.

From those who live together, one should know strength, character, health, good conduct, absence of stubbornness, restraint, and lack of enmity.

प्रत्यक्षतो विजानीयाद भद्रतां क्षुद्रतामपि । फलानुमेयाः सर्वत्र परोक्षगुणवृत्तयः ।। २३९.

Directly, one should discern both nobility and baseness; everywhere, hidden qualities and actions are to be inferred from their results.

शस्याकरवती पुण्या खनिद्रव्यसमन्विता । गोहिता भूरिसलिला पुन्यैर्जनपदैर्युता ।। २३९.

A land is praised that is fertile, virtuous, rich in minerals, beneficial to cows, abundant in water, and joined with virtuous people.

रम्या सकुञ्जरबला वारिस्थलपथान्विता । अदेवमातृका चेति शस्यते भूरिभूतये ।। २३९.

A delightful land, strong with elephants, possessing water, roads, and boats, and not belonging to others, is said to be fit for great prosperity.

शूद्रकारुवणिक्‌प्रायो महारम्भः कृषीबलः । सानुरागो रिपुद्वेषी पीड़ासहकरः पृथुः ।। २३९.

Where laborers, artisans, and merchants abound, where there is great enterprise and agricultural strength, where there is affection, enmity toward foes, endurance of hardships, and abundance.

नानादेश्यैः समाकीर्णो धार्म्मिकः पशुमान् बली । ईदृक्‌जनपदः शस्तोऽमूर्खव्यसनिनायकः।। २३९.

A region filled with people from various lands, righteous, rich in cattle, strong—such a country is praised, led by one who is neither ignorant nor addicted to vice.

पृथुसीमं महाखातमुच्चप्राकारतोरणं । पुरं समावसेच्छैलसरिन्मरुवनाश्रयं ।। २३९.

A city should be established with broad boundaries, great moats, high ramparts and gates, and situated near mountains, rivers, and forests.

जलवद्धान्यधनवद्‌दुर्गं कालसहं महत् । औदकं पार्वतं वार्क्षमैरिणं धन्विनं च षट् ।। २३९.

A fortress should have water, grain, and wealth, be able to withstand time, and be of six types: aquatic, mountainous, wooded, sandy, marshy, and forested.

ईप्सितद्रव्यसम्पूर्णः पितृपैताम्होचितः । धर्मार्जितो व्ययसहः कोषो धर्मादिवृद्धये ।। २३९.

A treasury, filled with desired wealth, inherited from ancestors, acquired righteously, able to endure expenditure, grows through righteousness and other virtues.

पितृपैतामहो वश्यः संहतो दत्तवेतनः । विख्यातपौरुषो जन्यः कुशलः शकुनैर्वृतः ।। २३९.

One who is obedient to ancestors, united, paid wages, renowned for valor, born of good lineage, skilled, and accompanied by auspicious omens.

नानाप्रहरणोपेतो नानायुद्धविशारदः । नानायोधसमाकीर्णो नीराजितहयद्विपः ।। २३९.

Endowed with various weapons, skilled in many kinds of warfare, surrounded by diverse warriors, and honored with horses and elephants.