Agni Purana

जान्वोरुर्वोश्च पृष्ठस्थ वंशौ द्वौ करनासयोः । नेत्रे नासपुटौ कर्णौ मेढ्रं पायुमुखेऽमलं ।। २४३.

The knees and thighs have two bamboo-like structures on the back; the eyes, nostrils, ears, genitals, and anus are pure at their openings.

जिह्वोष्ठे तालुनेत्रे तु हस्तपादौ नखास्तथा । शिश्नाग्रवक्त्रं शस्यन्ते पद्माभा दश देहिनां ।। २४३.

The tongue, lips, palate, eyes, hands, feet, and nails, as well as the tip of the penis and mouth, are praised as ten lotus-like features in embodied beings.

पाणिपादं सुखं ग्रीवा श्रवणे हृदयं शिरः । ललाटमुदरं पृष्ठं वृहन्तः पूजिता दश ।। २४३.

The hands and feet are pleasant, the neck, ears, heart, head, forehead, abdomen, and back are the ten honored parts.

प्रसारितभुजस्येह मध्यमाग्रद्वयान्तरं । उच्छ्रायेण समं यस्य न्यग्रोधपरिमण्डलः ।। २४३.

For one whose arms are extended, the space between the tips of the middle fingers is equal to his height, forming a circular shape like a banyan tree.

पादौ गुल्फौ स्फिचौ पर्श्वौ वङ्क्षणौ वृषणौ कुचौ । कर्णौष्ठे सक्थिनी जह्घे हस्तौ बाहू तथाक्षिणी ।। २४३.

The feet, ankles, hips, sides, groins, testicles, breasts, ears, lips, thighs, calves, hands, arms, and eyes.

चतुर्द्दशमद्वन्द्व एतत्सामान्यतो नरः । विद्याश्चतुर्द्दश द्व्यक्षैः पश्येद्यः षोडशाक्षकः ।। २४३.

Fourteen pairs, these are generally found in a man; whoever sees fourteen sciences with two syllables, is called one with sixteen syllables.

रूक्षं शिराततं गात्रमशुभं मांसवजितं । दुर्गन्धिविपरीतं यच्छस्तन्दृष्ट्या प्रसन्नया ।। २४३.

A rough, scattered body, inauspicious, devoid of flesh, with a foul and contrary odor, is praised when seen with a clear gaze.

धःयस्य मधुरा वाणी गतिर्म्मत्तेभसन्निभा । एककूपभवं रोम भये रक्षा सकृत् सकृत् ।। २४३.

His speech is sweet, his gait resembles a proud elephant; hair growing from a single pore, protection in fear, again and again.

समुद्र उवाच शस्ता स्त्री चारुसर्वाङ्गी मत्तमातङ्गगामिनी । गुरूरुजघना या च मत्तपारावतेक्षणा ।। २४४.

Samudra said: An auspicious woman is one with beautiful limbs, who walks like a proud elephant, whose hips are heavy, and whose eyes are like those of a proud pigeon.

सुनीलकेशी तन्वङ्गी विलोमाऱङ्गी मनोहरा । समभूमिस्पृशौ पादौ संहतौ च तथा स्तनौ ।। २४४.

With beautiful hair, slender limbs, fine body hair, charming, whose feet touch the ground evenly, whose breasts are close together.

नाभिः प्रदक्षिणावर्त्ता गुह्यमश्वत्थपत्रवत् । गुल्फौ निगूढौ मध्येन नाभिरङ्गुष्ठमानिका ।। २४४.

Her navel turns to the right, her genitals are like the leaf of a fig tree, her ankles are hidden, and the navel is at the midpoint between the thumb and the middle finger.

जठरन्न प्रलम्बञ्च चरोमरूक्षा न शोभना । नर्क्षवृक्षनदीनाम्नी न सदा कलहप्रिया ।। २४४.

A woman with a protruding belly, hanging breasts, or rough, leathery skin is not attractive; nor is one named after animals, trees, or rivers, or one who is always fond of quarrels.

न लोलुपा न दुर्भाषा शुभा देवादिपूजीता । गण्डैर्म्मघूकपुष्पाभैर्न शिराला न लोमशा ।। २४४.

She should not be greedy, nor speak harshly; she is auspicious, worshipped by gods and others; not with swollen cheeks or lips like the flower of the maghūka tree, not with a large head, nor excessively hairy.

न संहतभ्रूकुटिला पतिप्राणा पतिप्रिया । अलक्षणापि लक्षण्या यत्राकारस्ततो गुणाः।। २४४.

She should not have joined or crooked eyebrows; she values her husband as her very life, and is dear to him; even if lacking in marks of fortune, she is to be considered fortunate—where there is good form, there are virtues.

अग्निरुवाच चामरो रुक्मदण्डोऽग्र्यः छत्रं राज्ञः प्रशस्यते । हंसपक्षैर्विरचितं मयूरस्य शुकस्य च ।। २४५.

Agni said: The best fly-whisk has a golden handle; a royal umbrella is praised, crafted with feathers of swan, peacock, or parrot.

पक्षैर्वाथ बलाकाया न कार्य्यं मिश्रपक्षकैः । चतुरस्त्रं ब्राह्मणस्य वृत्तं राज्ञश्च शुक्लकं ।। २४५.

But it should not be made with the feathers of the crane, nor with mixed feathers; the umbrella for a Brahmin should be four-sided, for a king round and white.

त्रिचतुश्पञ्चषट्‌सप्ताष्टपर्वश्च दण्डकः । भद्रासनं क्षीरवृक्षैः पञ्चाशदङ्गुलोच्छ्रयैः ।। २४५.

The staff may have three, four, five, six, seven, or eight joints; the auspicious seat is made from milky trees and should be fifty finger-breadths high.

विस्तारेण त्रिहस्तं स्यात् सुवर्णाद्यैश्च चित्रितं । धनुर्द्रव्यत्रयं लोहं श्रृह्गं दारु द्विजोत्तम ।। २४५.

Its width should be three hand-spans, adorned with gold and other precious materials; the three materials for a bow are iron, horn, and wood, O best of twice-born.

ज्याद्रव्यत्रितयञ्चैव वंशभङ्गत्वचस्तथा । दारुचापप्रमाणन्तु श्रेष्ठं हस्तचतुष्टयं ।। २४५.

The three materials for the bowstring are bamboo, sinew, and hide; the best wooden bow should measure four hand-spans.

तदेव समहीनन्तु प्रोक्तं मध्यकनीयसि । मुष्टिग्राहनिमित्तानि मध्ये द्रव्याणि कारयेत् ।। २४५.

That is considered standard; less is for the middle and lower types; the grip should be made in the middle, using suitable materials.

स्वल्पकोटिस्त्वचा श्रृङ्गं शर्ङ्गलोहमये द्विज। कामिनीभ्रूलताकारा कोटिः कार्य्या सुसंयता ।। २४५.

The horn tip should be small and covered with skin; in a bow made of horn and iron, the tip should be shaped like a woman's eyebrow and well-fitted.

पृथग्वा विप्र मिश्रं वा लौहं शार्ङ्गन्तु कारयेत् । शर्ङ्गं समुचितं कार्य्यं रुक्मविन्दुविभूषितं ।। २४५.

O Brahmin, the iron bow may be made separately or mixed; the bow should be appropriate and adorned with golden dots.

कुटिलं स्पुटितञ्चापं सच्छिद्रञ्च न शस्यते । सुवर्णं रजतं ताम्रं कृष्णायो धनुषि स्मृतं ।। २४५.

A crooked, split, or perforated bow is not praised; gold, silver, copper, and black iron are known for bows.

माहिषं शारभं शार्ङ्ग रौहिषं वा धनुः शुभं । चन्दनं वेतसं सालं धावलङ्गकुभन्तरुः ।। २४५.

A fine bow may be made from buffalo horn, śārabha horn, or horse horn; or from sandalwood, cane, sāl, or the white aṅgaku tree.

सर्वश्रेष्ठं धनुर्वंशैर्गृहोतैः शरदि श्रितैः । पूजयेत्तु धनुः खड्गमन्त्रैस्त्रैलोक्यमोहनैः ।। २४५.

The very best bow is made from bamboo grown at home and harvested in autumn; the bow should be worshipped with sword-mantras that enchant the three worlds.

अयसश्चाथ वंशस्य शरस्याप्यशरस्य च । ऋजवो हेमवार्णभाः स्नायुश्लिष्टाः सुपत्रकाः ।। २४५.

The arrow, whether of iron, bamboo, or other material, should be straight, golden in color, bound with sinew, and well-feathered.

रुक्मपुङ्खाः सुपुङ्कास्ते तैलधौताः सुवर्णकाः । यात्रायामभिषेकादौ यजेद्वायणधनुर्मुखान् ।। २४५.

Those with golden feathers are the best; they should be well-feathered and oiled; at the start of a journey or consecration, one should offer oblations to the arrowheads.

सपताकाश्त्रसङ्ग्राहसंवत्‌सरकरान्नृपः । ब्रह्मा वै मेरुशिखरे स्वर्गगङ्गातटेऽयजत् ।। २४५.

The king should perform worship with banners, weapons, and annual offerings; Brahmā himself worshipped on the summit of Meru and on the banks of the heavenly Ganges.

लोहदैत्यं स ददृशे विघ्नंयज्ञे तु चिन्तयन् । तस्य चिन्तयतो वह्नेः पुरुषोऽभूद्बली महान् ।। २४५.

He saw the iron demon, an obstacle to the sacrifice, and as he pondered this, a mighty man arose from the fire.