Agni Purana

आयव्ययौ दण्डनीतिरमित्रप्रतितषेधनं । व्यसनस्य प्रतीकारो राज्यराजाभिरक्षणं ।। २४१.

Revenue and expenditure, administration of justice, restraining enemies and rivals—these are the remedies for misfortune and the protection of the kingdom and the king.

इत्यमात्यस्य कर्म्मदं इन्ति सव्यसनान्वितः । हिरण्यधान्यवस्त्राणि वाहनं प्रजया भवेत् ।। २४१.

Thus, the duties of a minister are described, even when beset by calamities; he should possess gold, grain, garments, vehicles, and offspring.

तथान्ये द्रव्यनिचया हन्ति सव्यसना प्रजा । प्र्जानामापदिस्थानां रक्षणं कोषदण्डयोः ।। २४१.

Likewise, other accumulations of wealth are destroyed by calamities; the protection of subjects in distress depends on treasury and punishment.

पौराद्याश्चोपकुर्वन्ति संश्रयादिह दुर्द्दिनं । तूष्णीं युद्धं जनत्राणं मित्रामित्रपरिग्रहः ।। २४१.

Citizens and others assist in times of hardship by providing shelter; silent warfare, protection of the people, and discerning friends and enemies are necessary.

सामन्तादि कृते दोषे नश्येत्तद्व्यसनाच्च तत् । भृत्यानां भरणं दानं प्र्जामित्रपरिग्रहः ।। २४१.

If a frontier chief commits an offense, he perishes due to that calamity; maintaining servants, giving gifts, and discerning friends among the people are essential.

धर्म्मकामादिभेदश्च दुर्गसंस्कारभूषणं । कोषात्तद्व्यसनाद्धन्ति कोषमूलो हि भूपतिः ।। २४१.

Distinctions of righteousness, desire, and the like, and the fortification of strongholds—these are destroyed by loss of treasury, for the king is rooted in the treasury.

मित्रामित्रावनीहेमसाधनं रिपुमर्द्दनं । दूरकार्य्याशुकारित्वं दण्डात्तद्व्यसनाद्धरेत् ।। २४१.

The means for dealing with friends and enemies, wealth, and the destruction of foes, as well as the ability to accomplish distant tasks swiftly, are all lost through the calamity of punishment.

संस्तम्भयति मित्राणि अमित्रं नाशयत्यपि । धनाद्यैरुपकारित्वं मित्रात्तद्व्यसनाद्धरेत् ।। २४१.

It strengthens friends and destroys enemies; the benefit of wealth and other resources is lost through the calamity of friends.

राजाच सव्यसनी हन्याद्राजकार्य्याणि यानि च । वाग्दण्डयोश्च पारुष्यमर्थदूषणमेव च ।। २४१.

A king afflicted by calamity destroys royal undertakings; harshness in speech and punishment, and the corruption of wealth, also result.

पानं स्त्री मृगया द्यूतं व्यसनानि महीपतेः । आलस्यं स्तब्धता दर्पः प्रमादो द्वैधकारिता ।। २४१.

Drinking, women, hunting, gambling—these are the king’s great vices; also, laziness, stubbornness, arrogance, recklessness, and fostering division.

इति पूर्व्वेपदिष्टञ्च सचिवव्यसनं स्मृतं । अनावृष्टिश्च पीडादी राष्ट्रव्यसनमुच्यते ।। २४१.

Thus, what has been previously described is known as the minister’s vice; drought and oppression are called calamities of the kingdom.

विशीर्णयन्त्रप्राकारपरिखात्वमशस्त्रता । क्षीणया सेनया नद्धं दुर्गव्यसनमुच्यते ।। २४१.

A fortress with broken machinery, walls, and moats, lacking weapons, and with a depleted army—this is called a calamity of the stronghold.

व्ययीकृतः परिक्षिप्तोऽप्रजितोऽसञ्चितस्तथा । दषितो दरसंस्थश्च कोषव्यसनमुच्यते ।। २४१.

When the treasury is spent, besieged, unconquered, not accumulated, plundered, or held by enemies—this is called a calamity of the treasury.

उपरुद्धं परिक्षिप्तोऽप्तममानितविमानितं । अभूतं व्याधितं श्रान्तं दूरायातन्नवागतं ।। २४१.

When the army is blockaded, surrounded, not honored by allies, insulted, non-existent, diseased, exhausted, coming from afar, or newly arrived—

परिक्षीणं प्रतिहतं प्रहताग्रतरन्तथा । आशानिर्वेदभूयिष्ठमनृतप्राप्तमेव च ।। २४१.

When it is diminished, repulsed, its vanguard struck, overwhelmed by despair, filled with hopelessness, or falsely reported—

कलत्रगर्भन्निक्षिप्तमन्तःशल्पं तथैव च । विच्छिन्नवीवधासारं शून्यमूलं तथैव च ।। २४१.

When it is scattered by women and children, engaged in internal quarrels, divided by disputes, or has lost its foundation—

अस्वाम्यसंहतं वापि भिन्नकूटं तथैव च । दुष्पार्ष्णिग्राहमर्थञ्च बलव्यसनमुच्यते ।। २४१.

When it lacks a master, is disunited, has broken ranks, is difficult to control, or is seized for another’s purpose—this is called a calamity of the army.

दैवोपपीडितं मित्रं ग्रस्तं शत्रुवलेन च । कामकोधादिसंयुक्तमुत्साहादरिभिर्भवेत् ।। २४१.

A friend afflicted by fate, seized by the enemy’s power, overcome by desire, anger, or similar faults, or discouraged by adversaries—

अर्थस्य दूषणं क्रोधात् पारुष्यं वाक्यदण्डयोः । कामजं मृगया द्यूतं व्यसनं पानकं स्त्रियः ।। २४१.

The corruption of wealth through anger, harshness in words or punishment, hunting and gambling born of desire, drinking, and women—these are vices.

वाक्‌पारुष्यं परं लोके उद्वेजनमनर्थकं । असिद्धसाधनं दण्डस्यं युक्त्यावनयोन्नृपः ।। २४१.

Harsh speech in the world is distressing and pointless; punishment not properly applied, or lacking due process, brings down the king.

उद्वेजयति भूतानि दण्डपारुष्यवान् नृपः । भूतान्युद्वेज्यमानानि द्विषतां यान्ति संश्रयं ।। २४१.

A king who is harsh in punishment disturbs all beings; when beings are disturbed, they seek refuge with the king’s enemies.

विवृद्धाः शत्रवश्चैव विनाशाय भवन्ति ते । दूष्यस्य दूषणार्थञ्च परित्यागो महीयसः ।। २४१.

When enemies grow strong, they bring about destruction; abandoning the corrupt for the sake of the great is proper.

अर्थस्य नीतितत्त्वज्ञैरर्थदूषणमुच्यते । पानात् कार्य्यादिनो ज्ञानं मृगयातोऽरितः ।। २४१.

The wise, knowing the principles of policy, call the corruption of wealth a vice; from drinking comes loss of judgment, from hunting, deviation from duty.

जितश्रमार्थं मृगयां विचरेद्रक्षिते वने । धर्म्मार्थप्राणनाशादि द्यूते स्यात् कलहादिकं ।। २४१.

To relieve fatigue, the king may hunt in the forest; but gambling leads to loss of righteousness, wealth, life, and to quarrels.

कालातिपातो धर्म्मार्थपीडा स्त्रीव्यसनाद्भ्वेत् । पानदोषात् प्राणनाशः कार्य्याकार्यविनिश्चयः ।। २४१.

Delay, harm to righteousness and wealth, arise from addiction to women; from the fault of drinking comes loss of life and confusion about right and wrong.

स्कन्धावारनिवेशज्ञो निमित्तज्ञो रिपुं जयेत् । स्कन्धावारस्य मध्ये तु सकोषं नृपतेर्गृहं ।। २४१.

One skilled in arranging camps and interpreting omens should defeat the enemy; the king’s residence, with the treasury, should be in the center of the camp.

मौलीभूतं श्रेणिसुहृद्‌द्विषदाटविकं बलं । राजहर्म्यं समावृत्य क्रमेण विनिवेशयेत् ।। २४१.

The main force—guildsmen, friends, enemies, and forest-dwellers—should be stationed in order, surrounding the royal palace.

सैन्यैकदेशः सन्नद्धः सेनापतिपुरःसरः । परिभ्रमेच्चत्वरांश्च मण्डलेन वहिर्न्निशि ।। २४१.

A section of the army, fully armed and led by the commander, should circle the crossroads at night in formation, moving around the perimeter.

वार्त्ताः स्वका विजानीयाद्दरसीमान्तचारिणः । निर्गच्छेत् प्रविशेच्चैव सर्व्व एवोपलक्षितः ।। २४१.

He should learn his own intelligence reports from those who move along the border; everyone who goes out and comes in must be carefully observed.