Agni Purana

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.

समाङ्गुलस्थाः शस्यन्ते व्रणाः खड्‌गेषु लिङ्गवत् । काकोलूकसवर्णाभा विषमास्ते न शोभनाः ।। २४५.

Marks on swords that are even and finger-length are praised as auspicious; those that are uneven, resembling the color of a cuckoo or owl, are not good.

खड्गे न पश्येद्वदनमुच्छिष्टो न स्पृशेदसिं । मूल्यं जातिं न कथयेन्निशि कुर्यान्न शीर्षके ।। २४५.

One should not look at one's face in a sword, nor touch the blade when impure; one should not mention its price or origin at night, nor place it on the head.

अग्निरुवाच रत्नानां लक्षणां वक्ष्ये रत्नं धार्य्यमिदं नपैः । वज्रं मरकतं रत्नं पद्मरागञ्च मौक्तिकं ।। २४६.

Agni said: I shall describe the characteristics of gems; these gems are to be worn by men: diamond, emerald, ruby, sapphire, and pearl.

इन्द्रनीलं महानीलं वैदूर्य्यं गन्धशस्यकं । चन्द्रकान्तं सूर्यकान्तं स्फटिकं पुलकं तथा ।। २४६.

Indranīla, great sapphire, cat's eye, topaz, moonstone, sunstone, crystal, and also pulaka.

कर्केतनं पूष्परागं तथा ज्योतीरसं द्विज । स्फटिकं राजपट्टञ्च तथा राजमयं शुभं ।। २४६.

Karketana, pushparāga, and also jyotīrasa, O twice-born; crystal, royal cloth, and also auspicious royal metal.

सौगन्धिकं तथा गञ्जं शङ्खब्र्ह्ममयं तथा । गोमेदं रुधिराक्षञ्च तथा भल्लातकं द्विज ।। २४६.

Saugandhika, ganja, conch and Brahma metal, gomeda, rudhirākṣa, and also bhallātaka, O twice-born.

धूलीं मरकतञ्चैव तुथकं सीसमेव च । पीलुं प्रवालकञ्चैव गिरिवज्रं द्विजोत्तम ।। २४६.

Dust, emerald, tuttha, sesame, pīlu, coral, and mountain diamond, O best of the twice-born.

भूजङ्गममणिञ्चैव तथा वज्रमणिं शुभं । टिट्टिभञ्च तथा पिण्डं भ्रामरञ्च तथोत्पलं ।। २४६.

Serpent-gem, and also the excellent diamond-gem; ṭiṭṭibha, piṇḍa, bhrāmara, and likewise utpala.

सुवर्णप्रतिबद्धानि रत्नानि श्रीजयादिके । अन्तःप्रभावं वैमल्यं सुसंस्थानत्वमेव च ।। २४६.

Jewels adorned with gold, such as Śrī and Jaya, possess inner brilliance, purity, and excellent form.

सुधार्या नैव धार्य्यास्तु निष्प्रभा मलिनास्तथा । खण्डाः सशर्करा ये च प्रशस्तं वज्रधारणम् ।। २४६.

Those that are impure, lack luster, are broken, or contain gravel are not to be worn; the best are those fit for setting in a vajra.