Agni Purana

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.

ववन्देऽजञ्च तन्देवा अभ्यनन्दन्त हर्षिताः । तस्मात्स नन्दकः खड्‌गो देवोक्तो हरिरग्रहीत् ।। २४५.

They bowed to the Unborn One, and those gods, delighted, welcomed him; from him, the sword Nandaka, proclaimed by the gods, was taken up by Hari.

तं जग्राह शनैर्देवो विकोषः सोऽभ्यपद्यत। खड्‌गो नीलो रत्नमुष्टिस्ततोऽभूच्छतबाहुकः ।। २४५.

The god slowly grasped it; as he drew it forth, the sword appeared—blue in hue, with a jeweled hilt; thus arose the hundred-armed one.

दैत्यः स गदया देवान् द्रावयामास वै रणे । विष्णुना खड्गच्छिन्नानि दैत्यगात्राणि भूतले ।। २४५.

That demon drove the gods away in battle with his mace; but by Viṣṇu, the demon's limbs were cut on the earth by the sword.

पतितानि तु संस्पर्शान्नन्दकस्य च तानि हि । लोहभूतानि सर्वाणि हत्वा तस्मै हरिर्वरं ।। २४५.

Those limbs, having been struck by Nandaka, fell and became iron; having slain him, Hari granted him a boon.

ददौ पवित्रमङ्गन्ते आयुधाय भवेद्भुवि । हरिप्रसादाद् ब्रह्मापि विना विघ्नं हरिं प्रभुं ।। २४५.

He gave him a pure and auspicious body, so that he would become a weapon on earth; by Hari's favor, even Brahmā, without obstacle, worshipped Hari, the Lord.

पूजयामास यज्ञेन वक्ष्येऽथो शड्‌गलक्षणं । खटीखट्टरजाता ये दर्शनीयास्तु ते स्मृताः ।। २४५.

He worshipped him with sacrifice; now I shall describe the sixfold characteristics. Those born from the anvil and hammer, which are pleasing to behold, are considered auspicious.

कायच्छिदस्त्वार्षिकाः स्युर्दृढाः सूर्पारकोद्बवाः । तीक्ष्णाश्छेदसहा वङ्गास्तीक्ष्णाःस्युश्चाङ्गदेशजः ।। २४५.

Those that cut the body are called 'Ārṣika,' strong and arising from the sūrpāraka region; sharp and able to withstand cutting are those from Vaṅga, and sharp also are those from the Aṅga region.

शातार्द्धमङ्गुलानाञ्च श्रेष्ठं खड्गं प्रकीर्त्तितं । तदर्द्धं मध्यमं ज्ञेयं ततो हीनं न धारयेत् ।। २४५.

A sword measuring one and a half fingers in width is declared best; half of that is considered middling, and less than that should not be worn.

दीर्घं सुमधुरं शब्दं यस्य खड्‌गस्य सत्तम । किङ्किणीसदृशन्तस्य धारणं श्रेष्ठमुच्यते ।। २४५.

That sword which is long and has a very sweet sound, resembling the jingling of bells—its bearing is said to be excellent.

ख़़ड़गः पद्मपलाशाग्रो मण्डलाग्रश्च शस्यते । करवीरदलाग्राभो घृतगन्धो वियत्‌प्रभः ।। २४५.

A sword with a tip like a lotus petal or a circle is praised; one with the appearance of an oleander leaf, the fragrance of clarified butter, and the radiance of the sky.