Agni Purana

द्विजानां सत्यवाक्येन सोमस्य गरुडस्य च । रुद्रस्य वरुणस्यैव पवनस्य बलेन च ।। २८८.

By the truth of the words of the twice-born, and by the strength of Soma, Garuḍa, Rudra, Varuṇa, and the wind,

हुताशनस्य दीप्त्या च स्मर जाति तुरङ्गम । स्मर राजेन्द्रपुत्रस्त्वं सत्यवाक्यमनुस्मर ।। २८८.

And by the brilliance of Agni, remember your origin, O horse. Remember you are the son of a king; recall the truth of your lineage.

समर त्वं वारुणीं कन्यां स्मर त्वं कौस्तुभं मणिं । क्षीरोदसागरे चैव मथ्यमाने सुरासुरैः ।। २८८.

Remember the daughter of Varuṇa; remember the Kaustubha jewel, which emerged from the ocean of milk when the gods and demons churned it.

तत्र देवकुले जातः स्ववाक्यं परिपालय । कुले जातस्त्वमश्वानां मित्रं मे भव शाश्वतम् ।। २८८.

Born in the house of the gods, uphold your own word; born in the horse lineage, be my eternal friend.

श्रृणु मित्र त्वमेतच्च सिद्धो मे भव वाहन । विजयं रक्ष माञ्चैव समरे सिद्धिमावह ।। २८८.

Listen, friend, to this as well: become my accomplished mount; protect my victory, bring me success in battle.

तव पृष्ठं समारुह्य हता दैत्याः सुरैः पुरा । अधुना त्वां समारुह्य जेष्यामि रिपुवाहिनीं ।। २८८.

Mounted on your back, the gods once slew the demons; now, mounting you, I shall defeat the enemy host.

पर्य्यानयेद्धयं सादी वाहयेद् युद्धतो जयः ।। २८८.

One should turn the horse around, and victory is achieved by riding it in battle.

सञ्जाताः स्वशरीरेण दोषाः प्रायेण वाजिनां । हन्यन्तेऽतिप्रयत्नेन गुणाः सादिवरैः पुनः।। २८८.

Faults that arise naturally in the body of horses are generally eliminated with great effort; but virtues, even those present from birth, are lost again through neglect.

सहजा इव दृश्यन्ते गुणाः सादिवरोद्भवाः । नाशयन्ति गुणानन्ये सादिनः सहजानपि ।। २८८.

Virtues that arise from training appear as if innate; other, untrained horses can destroy even inborn virtues.

गुणानेको विजानाति वेत्ति दोषांस्तथाऽपरः । धन्यो धीमान् हयं वेत्ति नोभयं वेत्ति मन्दधीः ।। २८८.

One person knows the virtues, another knows the faults; the wise and fortunate know the horse, but the dull-minded know neither.

अकर्म्मज्ञोऽनुपायज्ञो वेगासक्तोऽतिकोपनः । घनदण्डरतिच्छिद्रे यः समोपि न व्शस्यते ।। २८८.

He who is ignorant of tasks, unaware of methods, obsessed with speed, excessively irritable, and delights in harsh punishment—even if he is equal, he is not to be praised.

उपायज्ञोऽथ चित्तज्ञो विशुद्धो दोपनाशनः । गुणार्ज्जनपरो नित्यं सर्व्वकर्म्मविशारदः ।। २८८.

But one who knows the methods, understands the mind, is pure, destroys faults, is always intent on acquiring virtues, and skilled in all tasks—

प्रग्रहेण गृहीत्वाऽथ चित्तज्ञो विशुद्धो दोषनाशनः । गुणार्ज्जनपरो नित्यं सर्व्वकर्म्मविशारदः ।। २८८.

Having restrained the horse, understanding its mind, pure, a remover of faults, always intent on acquiring virtues, and skilled in all tasks—

आरुह्य सहसा नैव ताड़नीयो हयोत्तमः । ताड़नाद् भयमाप्नोति भयान्मोहश्च जायते ।। २८८.

A superior horse should not be made to leap suddenly; from such leaping, fear arises, and from fear, confusion is born.

प्रातः सादी प्लुतेनैव वल्गामुद्धृत्य चालयेत् । मन्दं मन्दं विना नालं धृतवल्गो दिनान्तरे ।। २८८.

In the morning, the horse should be exercised by making it leap, lifting the bridle; on another day, with a steady bridle, it should be moved slowly, never without the rein.

प्रोक्तमाश्वसनं सामभेदोऽश्वेन नियोज्यते । कषादिताड़नं दण्डो दानं कालसहिष्णुता ।। २८८.

The methods of horse-training have been described: persuasion, division, use of the whip, punishment, reward, and patience with time.

पूर्व्वपूर्व्वविशुद्धौ तु विदध्यादुत्तरोत्तरम् । जिह्वातले विनायोगं विदध्याद्वाहने हये ।। २८८.

With each prior purification, one should proceed to the next; if the tongue is not engaged, one should apply the method to the horse's training.

गुणेतरशतां वल्गां सृक्कण्या सह गाहयेत् । विस्मार्य्य वाहनं कुर्य्याच्छिथिलानां शनैः शनैः ।। २८८.

One should make the horse circle a hundred times with the bridle and the bit; for those that are slack, the training should be done gradually and gently.

हयं जिह्वाङ्गमाहीने जिह्वाग्रन्थिं विमोचयेत् । गाटतां मोचयेत्तावद्यावत् स्तोभं न मुञ्चति ।। २८८.

For a horse lacking tongue movement, the knot at the tip of the tongue should be loosened; the tightness should be released until it no longer resists.

कुर्य्याच्छ्रतमुरस्त्राणमविलालञ्च मुञ्चति । ऊद्र्ध्वाननः स्वभावाद्यस्तस्योरस्त्राणमश्लथम् ।। २८८.

One should make a chest-strap for the horse; if it releases it, do not use it. For one whose head is naturally raised, the chest-strap will not fit properly.

विधाय वाहयेद्दुष्ट्या लीलया सादिसत्तमः । तस्य सव्येन पूर्वेण संयुक्तं सव्यवल्गया ।। २८८.

Having arranged everything, the best-trained horse should be driven with skill; its left rein should be joined with the front, using the left bridle.

यः कुर्य्यात्पश्चिमं पादं गृहीतस्तेन दक्षिणः । क्रमेणानेन यो सेवां कुरुते वामवल्गया ।। २८८.

He who takes the hind foot, by that the right is held; by this sequence, service is performed with the left bridle.

पादौ तेनापि पादः स्याद्गृहीतो वाम एव हि । अग्ने चेच्चरणे त्यक्ते जायते सुदृढासनं ।। २८८.

By that method, the foot is held, and it is always the left; if the foot is released, a firm seat is established.

यौ हृतौ दुष्करे चैव मोटके नाटकायनं । सव्यहीनं खलीकारो हनने गुणने तथा ।। २८८.

Those that are difficult to restrain, or in the play of the bit, or in the show, if lacking the left rein, become unruly both in striking and in counting.

स्वबावं हि तुरङ्गस्य मुखव्यावर्त्तनं पुनः । न चैवेत्थं तुरङ्गाणां पादग्रहणहेतवः ।। २८८.

Indeed, the natural behavior of a horse is to turn its head away; but for horses, the reasons for holding the foot are not as such.

विश्वस्तं हयमालोक्य गाढ़मापीड्य चासनं । रोकयित्वा मुखे पादं ग्राह्यतो लोकनं हितं ।। २८८.

Having observed the horse with trust, pressing firmly upon the saddle, restraining its mouth with the foot, one should grasp the reins for its guidance.

गाढ़मापीड्य रागाभ्यां वल्गामाकृष्य गृह्यते । तद्वन्धनाद् युग्मपादं तद्वद्वक्कनमुच्यते ।। २८८.

Pressing firmly with the thighs and drawing the reins with affection, the horse is controlled; by this binding, the paired feet are managed, and likewise, the mouth is directed.

संयोज्य वल्गया पादान् वल्गामामोच्य वाञ्छितम् । वाह्यपार्ष्णिप्रयोगात्तु यत्र तत्ताड़नं मतम् ।। २८८.

Joining the feet with the reins, and loosening them as desired, through the use of the outer heel, wherever this is applied, it is considered the method of turning.

प्रलयाविप्लवे ज्ञात्वा क्रमेणानेन बुद्धिमान् । मोटनेन चतुर्थेन विधिरेष विधीयते ।। २८८.

Knowing the dissolution and disturbance, the wise should proceed in order; with the fourth method, this procedure is established.