Agni Purana

हंसपङ्‌क्त्याकृतिसमे दृश्येते यत्र जानुनी । चतुर्वितस्तिविच्छिन्ने तदे तन्मण्डलं स्मृतं ।। २४९.

Where the knees are seen aligned like the tracks of a swan, and separated by four spans, that is known as the Maṇḍala stance.

हलाकृतिमयं यच्च स्तब्धजानूरुदक्षिणं । वितस्त्यः पञ्च चविस्तारे तदालीढं प्रकीर्त्तितं ।। २४९.

That which is shaped like a plough, with the right knee and thigh rigid, and five spans in breadth, is called the Ālīḍha posture.

एतदेव विपर्य्यस्तं प्रत्यालीढमिति स्मृतं । तिर्य्यग्भूतो भवेद्वामो दक्षिणोऽपि भवेदृजुः ।। २४९.

This same posture, when reversed, is known as Pratyālīḍha; the left leg becomes horizontal, or the right leg may be straight.

गुल्फौ पार्ष्णिग्रहौ चैव स्थितौ पञ्चाङ्गुलान्त्रौ । स्थानं जातं भवेदेतद् द्वादशाङ्गुलमायतं ।। २४९.

With the ankles and heels firmly placed, and the five toes extended, this stance is established, measuring twelve finger-breadths in length.

ऋजुजानुर्भवेद्वामो दक्षिणः सुप्रसारितः । अथवा दक्षइणञ्जानु कुब्जं भवति निश्चलं ।। २४९.

The left knee should be straight, the right well extended; or, if the right knee is bent, it remains motionless and curved.

दण्डायतो भवेदेष चरणः सह जानुना । एवं विकटमुद्दिष्टं द्विहस्तान्तरमायतं ।। २४९.

This leg, together with the knee, should be stretched out like a staff; thus is described the Vikaṭa posture, extending two arm-lengths.

जानुनी द्विगुणे स्यातामुत्तानौ चरणावुभौ । अनेन विधियोगेन सम्पुटं परिकीर्त्तितं ।। २४९.

Both feet should be raised, with the knees doubled; by this method, the Sampuṭa posture is described.

किञ्चिद्विवर्त्तितौ पादौ समदण्डायतौ स्थिरौ । दृष्टमेव यथान्यायं षोडशाङ्गुलमायतं ।। २४९.

The feet are turned slightly outward, steady and aligned like a staff, and, as is proper, measure sixteen finger-breadths in length.

स्वस्तिकेनात्र कुर्वीत प्रणामं प्रथमं द्विज । कार्मुकं गृह्य वामेन वामणं दक्षिणकेन तु ।। २४९.

Here, one should first offer salutation in the svastika posture, O twice-born; holding the bow with the left hand, and the arrow with the right.

वैशाखे यदि वा जाते स्थितौ वाप्यथवायतौ । गुणान्तन्तु ततः कृत्वा कार्मके प्रियकार्मुकः ।। २४९.

Whether standing in the Vaiśākha or Jāta posture, or in any extended stance, one should then attach the string to the beloved bow.

अधः कटिन्तु धनुषः फलदेशन्तु पत्रिणः । धरण्यां स्थापयित्वा त तोलयित्वा तथैव च ।। २४९.

Placing the lower part of the bow at the hip, and the arrowhead at the tip, one should set them on the ground and then lift them accordingly.

भुजाब्यामत्र कुब्जाभ्यां प्रकोष्ठाभ्यां शुभव्रत । यस्य वाणं धनुः श्रेष्ठं पुङ्खदेशे च पत्रिणः ।। २४९.

With the arms bent, and the forearms curved, O virtuous one, the best bow is that whose arrow and feathered end fit well in the hand.

विन्यासो धनुषश्चैव द्वादशङ्गुलमन्तरं । ज्यया विशिष्टः कर्त्तव्यो नातिहीनो न चाधिकः ।। २४९.

The spacing of the bow should be twelve finger-breadths apart; the string must be neither too loose nor too tight, but properly fitted.

निवेश्य कार्मुकं नाभ्यां नितम्बे शरसङ्करं । उत्क्षिपेदुत्थितं हस्तमन्त्रेणाक्षिकर्णयोः ।। २४९.

Placing the bow at the navel and the arrow at the hip, one should raise the hand, reciting the mantra at the finger and ear.

पूर्वेण मुष्टिना ग्राह्यस्तनाग्रे दक्षिणे शरः । हरणन्तु ततः कृत्वा शीघ्रं पूर्वं प्रसारयेत् ।। २४९.

The arrow should be grasped at its tip with the right fist; after taking aim, one should quickly extend the arm forward.

नाभ्यन्तरा नैव वाह्या नोद्‌र्ध्वका नाधरा तथा । न च कुब्जा न चोत्ताना न चला नातिवेष्टिता ।। २४९.

The arrow should be neither too close nor too far, neither too high nor too low; it should not be bent, upturned, moving, or excessively twisted.

समा स्थैर्य्यगुणोपेता पूर्वदण्डमिव स्थिता । छादयित्वा ततो लक्ष्यं पूर्व्वेणानेन मुष्टिना ।। २४९.

It should be straight, endowed with the quality of steadiness, and held like a staff; then, with this same fist, one should cover the target.

उरसा तूत्थितो यन्ता त्रिकोणविनतस्थितः । स्रस्तांशे निश्चलग्रीवो मयूराञ्चितमस्तकः ।। २४९.

The archer stands upright with the chest, forming a triangle, with the neck steady and the head bent like a peacock.

ललाटनासावक्त्रांसाः कुर्य्युरश्वसमम्भवेत् । अन्तरं त्र्यङ्गुलं ज्ञेयं चिवुकस्यांसकस्य च ।। २४९.

The forehead, nose, mouth, and shoulders should be aligned like those of a horse; the distance between the string and the shoulder should be known as three finger-breadths.

प्रथमन्त्रयङ्गुलं ज्ञेयं द्वितीये द्व्यङ्गुलं स्मृतं । तृतीयेऽङ्गुलमुद्दिष्टमायतञ्चिवुकांसयोः ।। २४९.

For the first mantra, one finger's length is to be known; for the second, two fingers' length is prescribed; for the third, one finger's length is indicated, measured between the chin and the shoulders.

गृहीत्वा सायकं पुङ्खात्तर्ज्जन्याङ्गुष्ठकेन तु । अनामया पुनर्गृह्य तथा मध्यमयापि च ।। २४९.

Having taken the arrow by its feather with the thumb and forefinger, one should then grasp it again with the ring finger, and likewise with the middle finger.

तावदाकर्षयेद्वेगाद्यावद्वाणः सुपूरितः । एवं विधमुपक्रम्य मोक्तव्यं विधिवत् खगं ।। २४९.

One should draw the bow with force until the arrow is fully drawn; having begun in this manner, the arrow is to be released according to the proper method.

दृष्टिमुष्टिहतं लक्ष्यं भिन्द्याद्वाणेन सुव्रत । मुक्वा तु पश्चिमं हस्तं क्षिपेद्वेगेन पृष्ठतः ।। २४९.

O virtuous one, with sight and fist aligned, one should pierce the target with the arrow; after releasing, the rear hand should be swiftly thrown backward.

एतदुच्छेदमिच्छन्ति ज्ञातव्यं हि त्वया द्विज । कर्पूरन्तदधः कार्य्यमाकृष्य तु धनुष्मता ।। २४९.

This is called the 'cutting off' technique, which you should know, O twice-born; the lower part of the wrist should be drawn down by the archer.

ऊद्‌र्ध्वं विमुक्तके कार्ये लक्षश्लिष्टन्तु मध्यमं । श्रेष्ठं प्रकृष्टं विज्ञेयं धनःशास्त्रविशारदैः ।। २४९.

When releasing upward, the middle is to be aimed at the target; the best and most excellent is to be known by those skilled in the science of archery.

ज्येष्ठस्तु सायको ज्ञेयो भवेद्‌द्वादशमुष्टयः । एकादश तथा मध्यः कनीयान्दशमुष्टयः ।। २४९.

The longest arrow is to be known as twelve fists in length; the middle one is eleven, and the shortest is ten fists.

चतुर्हस्तं धनुः श्रेष्ठं त्रयः साद्‌र्धन्तु मध्यमं । कनीयस्तु त्रयः प्रोक्तं नित्यमेव पदातिनः ।। २४९.

A bow of four cubits is considered excellent; three and a half is the middle length; the shortest, always for foot soldiers, is said to be three cubits.

अग्निरुवाच पूर्णायतं द्विजः कृत्वा ततो मांसैर्गदायूधान् । सुनिर्धौतं धनुः कृत्वा यज्ञभूमौ विधापयेत् ।। २५०.

Agni said: Having drawn the bow to its full extent, O twice-born, then, with flesh and mace weapons, having made the bow thoroughly clean, one should set it up in the sacrificial ground.

ततो वाणं समागृह्य दंशितः सुसमाहितः । बध्नीयाद्‌दृढां कक्षाञ्च दक्षिणाम् ।। २५०.

Then, having taken up the arrow, attentive and well-concentrated, one should firmly tie the right arm-guard.