Agni Purana

न तु निम्नञ्च तीक्ष्णञ्च दृढवेध्ये प्रकीर्त्तिते । निम्नं दुष्करमुद्दिष्टं वेध्यमूद्‌र्ध्वगतञ्च यत् ।। २५०.

But neither the low nor the sharp target is mentioned among the firm targets; the low is designated as difficult, and the target that is elevated.

मस्तकायनमध्ये तु चित्रदुष्करसञ्‌ज्ञके । एवं वेध्यगणङ्‌कृत्वा दक्षिणेनेतरेण च ।। २५०.

In the middle of the head and body, the target is called 'varied and difficult'; thus, having made a group of targets, with the right and the other hand.

आरोहेत् प्रथमं वीरो जितलक्षस्ततो नरः । एष एव विधिः प्रोक्तस्तत्र दृष्टः प्रयोक्तृभिः ।। २५०.

The hero who first achieves the mark should ascend, then the man; this is the prescribed rule, as seen by those who practice it.

अधिकं भ्रमणं तस्य तस्माद् वेध्यात् प्रकीर्त्तितम् । लक्ष्यं स योजयेत्तत्र पत्रिपत्रगतं दृढम् ।। २५०.

Greater rotation is declared for that target; he should attach the mark there, firmly with the feathered arrow.

भ्रान्तं प्रचलिचञ्चैव स्थिरं यच्च भवेदति । समन्तात्ताडयेद् भिन्द्याच्छेदयेद्व्यथयेदपि ।। २५०.

Whatever is spinning, moving, or very steady, he should strike, break, cut, or even afflict it from all sides.

कर्म्मयोगविधानज्ञो ज्ञात्वैवं विधिमाचरेत् । मनसा चक्षुषा दृष्ट्या योगरिक्षुर्यमं जयेत् ।। २५०.

One who knows the method of action and practice should act thus, having understood the rule; with mind, sight, and vision, the yogic archer should conquer restraint.

अग्निरुवाच जितहस्तो जितमतिर्ज्जितदृग्‌लक्ष्यसाधकः । नियतां सिद्धिमासाद्य ततो वाहनमारुहेत् ।। २५१.

Agni said: One who has mastered the hand, mind, and sight, and who achieves the mark, having attained assured success, should then mount the vehicle.

दशहस्तो भवेत् पाशो वृत्तः करमुखस्तथा । गुणकार्पासमुञ्जानां भङ्गस्नाय्वर्क्कवर्म्मिणाम् ।। २५१.

The noose should be ten hands in length, round, and at the end of the hand, made from cords of cotton, munja grass, hemp, and strong threads of gold or armor.

अन्येषां सुदृढानाञ्च सुकृतं परिवेष्टितम् । तया त्रिंशत्‌समं पाशं बुधः कुर्य्यात् सुवर्त्तिंतम् ।। २५१.

For others, who are very strong, it should be well wrapped; with that, the wise should make the noose thirty times as long, well twisted.

कर्त्तव्यं शिक्षकैस्तस्य स्थानं कक्षासु वै तदा । वामहस्तेन सङ्गृह्य दक्षिणेनोद्धरेत्ततः ।। २५१.

The teacher should prepare its place in the arena; grasping it with the left hand, he should then lift it with the right.

कुण्डलस्याकृतिं कृत्वा भ्राम्यैकं मस्तकोपरि । क्षिपेत् तूणमये तूर्णं पुरुषे चर्मवेष्टिते ।। २५१.

Having made it in the form of a coil, spinning it once above the head, he should quickly throw it onto a man clad in leather armor.

वल्गिते च प्लुते चैव तथा प्रव्रजितेषु च । समयोगविधिं कृत्वा प्रयुञ्जीत सुशिक्षितम् ।। २५१.

When leaping, springing, or wandering, having followed the proper method, he should apply it with skillful training.

विजित्वा तु यथान्यायं ततो बन्धं समाचरेत् । कट्याम्बद्‌ध्वा ततः खड्गं वामपार्श्वावलम्बितम् ।। २५१.

Having conquered according to the rule, he should then perform the binding; tying it at the waist, then the sword is suspended at the left side.

दृढं विगृह्य वामेन निष्कर्षेद्दक्षिणेन तु । षडङ्गुलपरीणाहं सप्तहस्तसमुच्छितं ।। २५१.

Grasping firmly with the left, he should draw out with the right; it should be six fingers in circumference and raised seven hands high.

अयोमय्यः शलाकाश्च वर्माणि विविधानि च । अर्द्धहस्ते समे चैव तिर्य्यगूद्‌र्ध्वगतं तथा ।। २५१.

Iron rods and various armors, at half a hand's distance, and likewise at equal, transverse, and elevated positions.

योजयेद्विधिना येन तथात्वङ्गदतः श्रृणु । तूणचर्मावनद्‌धाङ्गं स्थापयित्वा नवं दृढं ।। २५१.

Listen to how one should properly employ it, as I explain in detail: after placing a new, sturdy shield and bow upon the body,

करेणादाय लगुडं दक्षिणाङ्गुलकं नवं । उद्यम्य घातयेद्यस्य नाशस्तेन शिशोर्दृढं ।। २५१.

Taking a new club in the right hand, and raising it, one should strike firmly; by this, the destruction of the child is assured.

उभाभ्यामथ हस्ताब्यां कुर्य्यात्तस्य निपातनं । अक्लेशेन ततः कुर्वन् बधे सिद्धिः प्रकीर्त्तिता ।। २५१.

Then, using both hands, one should bring it down upon him; doing this without difficulty, success in the killing is declared.

अग्निरुवाच भ्रान्तमुद् भ्रान्तमाविद्धमाप्लुतं विप्लुतं सृतं । सम्पातं समुदीशञ्च श्येनपातमथाकुलं ।। २५२.

Agni said: The circling, the striking, the leaping, the plunging, the running, the swooping, the attacking from above, the descent like a hawk, and the confusion—

उद्‌धूतमवधूतञ्च सव्यं दक्षिणमेव च । अनालक्षितविस्फोटौ करालेन्द्रमहासखौ ।। २५२.

The shaking, the tossing, the leftward and rightward movements, the unnoticed explosions, the mighty blows of the elephant-hand—

विकरालनिपातौ च विभीषणभयानकौ । समग्रार्द्धतीयांशपादपादार्द्धवारिजाः ।। २५२.

The fierce descents, terrifying and dreadful, the complete, half, and third parts, and the lotus-shaped foot placements—

प्रात्यालीढमथालीढं वराहं लुलितन्तथा । इति द्वात्रिंशतो ज्ञेयाः खड्गचर्मविधौ रणे ।। २५२.

The backward stance, the forward stance, the boar, and the twisting—thus, thirty-two are to be known in the science of sword and shield in battle.

परवृत्तमपावृत्तं गृहीतं लघुसञ्ज्ञितं । ऊद्‌र्ध्वात् क्षइप्तमधः क्षिप्तं सन्धारितविधारितं ।। २५२.

The turning away, the turning back, the grasped, the light movement, the upward throw, the downward throw, the holding and the restraining—

श्येनपातं गजपानं ग्राहग्राह्यन्तथैव च । एवमेकादशविधा ज्ञेयाः पाशविधा रणाः ।। २५२.

The hawk's descent, the elephant's drinking, and the crocodile's grasp—thus, eleven types of noose techniques in battle are to be known.

ऋज्वायतं विशालञ्च तिर्य्यग्‌भ्रामितमेव च । पञ्चकर्म विनिर्द्दिष्टं व्यस्ते पाशे महात्मभिः ।। २५२.

The straight, the wide, the oblique, and the spinning—these five actions are described by the great ones when the noose is separated.

छेदनं भेदनं पातो भ्रमणं शयनं तथा । विकर्त्तनं कर्त्तऩञ्च चक्रकर्मेदमेव च ।। २५२.

Cutting, splitting, striking, whirling, lying down, slicing, carving, and the wheel technique—these are the actions.

आस्फोटः क्ष्वेडनं भेदस्त्रासान्दोलितकौ तथा । शूलकर्माणि जानीहि षष्ठमाघातसञ्ज्ञितं ।। २५२.

The stamping, the hissing, the splitting, the frightening, the swinging—know these as the spear techniques, the sixth is called the blow.

दृष्टिघातं भुजाघातं पार्श्वघातं द्विजोत्तम । ऋजुपक्षेषुणा पातं तोमरस्य प्रकीर्त्तितं ।। २५२.

Striking the eyes, striking the arms, striking the sides, O best of twice-born; the fall with a straight-feathered arrow, and the technique of the javelin are described.

आहतं विप्र गोमूत्रप्रभूतङ्कमलासनं । ततोर्द्धगात्रं नमितं वामदक्षिणमेव च ।। २५२.

The struck, O brahmin, the cow-urine, the abundant, the lotus-seated, the one with raised body, the bent, the left and the right—