Agni Purana

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.

सामदानं च भेदश्च दण्डोपेक्षेन्द्रजालकं । मायोपायाः सप्त परे निक्षिपेत्साधनाय तान् ।। २४१.

Conciliation, gifts, division, punishment, neglect, illusion, and deceptive means—these seven strategies should be employed to accomplish objectives.

चतुर्विधं स्मृतं साम उपकारानुकीर्त्तनात् । मिथःसम्बन्धकथनं मृदुपूर्व्वं च भाषणं ।। २४१.

Conciliation is said to be fourfold: recounting past favors, speaking of mutual relationships, and gentle speech at the outset.

आयाते दर्शनं वाचा तवाहमिति चार्पणं । यः सम्प्राप्तधनोत्सर्ग उत्तमाधममध्यमः ।। २४१.

When someone arrives, he should be received with words and offerings such as, 'I am yours'; the giving up of acquired wealth is of three kinds: superior, inferior, and middling.

प्रतिदानं तदा तस्य गृहीतस्यानुमोदनं । द्रव्यदानमपूर्व्वं च स्वयङ्ग्राहप्रवर्त्तनं ।। २४१.

At that time, reciprocation is to be shown—approval of what is received, giving new gifts, and personally initiating the act of taking.

देयश्च चप्रतिमोक्षश्च दानं पञ्चविधं स्मृतं । स्नेहरागापनयनसंहर्षोत्पादनं तथा ।। २४१.

Giving, release from obligation, and donation are said to be fivefold: removing affection and attachment, and producing delight as well.

मिथो भेदश्च भेदज्ञैर्भेदश्च त्रिविधः स्मृतः । बधोऽर्थहरणं चैव परिक्लेशस्त्रिधा दमः ।। २४१.

Division, according to those skilled in it, is threefold: causing separation, taking away wealth, and inflicting distress—these are the three forms of punishment.

प्रकाशश्चाप्र्काशश्च लोकद्विष्टान् प्रकाशतः । उद्विजेत हतैर्ल्लोकस्तेषु पिण्डः प्रशस्यते ।। २४१.

Open and secret actions—those hated by the people should be dealt with openly; the people should be made to fear by executions, and in those cases, a reward is praised.

विशेषेणोपनिषद्योगैर्हन्याच्छस्त्रादिना द्विषः । जातिमात्रं द्विजं नैव हन्यात् सामोत्तरं वशे ।। २४१.

Especially, enemies should be killed by secret means or with weapons; but a twice-born should not be killed merely for his birth—he should be subdued through conciliation.

प्रलिम्पन्निव चेतांसि दृष्ट्वासाधु पिबन्निव । ग्रसन्निवामृतं साम प्रयुञ्जीत प्रियं वचः ।। २४१.

One should employ conciliatory words that seem to soothe the mind, as if anointing, as if drinking nectar, as if swallowing—always using pleasing speech.

मिथ्याभिशस्तः श्रीकाम आहूयाप्रतिमानितः । राजद्वेषी चातिकर आत्मसम्बावितस्तथा ।। २४१.

One who is falsely accused, desires prosperity, is summoned but not honored, hates the king, acts unlawfully, or is self-important—