Agni Purana

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.

नाधत्तेऽधश्च यः पादं योऽस्वो लघुनि मण्डले । मोटनोद्वक्कनाभ्यान्तु ग्राहयेत् पादमीशितं ।। २८८.

He who does not place the foot below, and whose horse is light in movement, should guide the foot by the methods of twisting and mouth control, as desired.

वटयित्वासने गाटं मन्दमादाय यो ब्रजेत् । ग्राह्यते संग्रहाद्यत्र तत्संग्रहणमुच्यते ।। २८८.

Having pressed firmly upon the saddle and proceeding gently, wherever the collection is achieved, that is called the act of gathering.

हत्वा पार्श्वे प्रहारेण स्थानस्थो व्यग्रमानसम् । वल्गामाकृष्य पादेन ग्राह्यकण्टकपायनम् ।। २८८.

Having struck the side with a blow, while standing in place and with a focused mind, drawing the reins with the foot, one should grasp the neck and head.

उत्थितो योऽङिग्नणानेन पार्ष्णिपादात्तुरह्गमः । गृह्यते यत् खलीकृत्य खलीकारः स चेष्यते ।। २८८.

When the horse rises with the method of the heel and foot, having made it yield, the act of yielding is then performed.

गतित्रयेपि यः पादमादत्ते नैव वाञ्छितः । हत्वा तु यत्र दण्डेन ग्राह्यते गहनं हि तत् ।। २८८.

If, in any of the three gaits, the horse does not take the foot as desired, then, having struck with the stick, one should grasp the depth, for that is the method.

खलीकृत्य चुष्केण तुरङ्गो वल्गयान्यया । उच्छ्वास्य ग्राह्यतेऽन्यत्र तत्स्यादुच्छ्वासनं पुनः ।। २८८.

Having made the horse yield with the spur and another rein, and causing it to breathe out elsewhere, that is called the act of breathing out again.

स्वभावं वहिरस्यन्तं तस्यां दिशि पदायनं । नियोज्य ग्राहयेत्तत्तु मुखव्यावर्त्तनं मतम् ।। २८८.

Directing its natural movement outward, and placing the foot in that direction, one should guide it; this is considered the turning of the mouth.

ग्राहयित्वा ततः पादं त्रिविधासु यथाक्रमम् । साधयेत् पञ्चधारासु क्रमशो मण्डलादिषु ।। २८८.

Having guided the foot in the three ways, as appropriate, one should accomplish the five streams in order, in the circle and other movements.

आजनोर्द्धाननं वाहं शिथिलं वाहयेत् सुधीः । अङ्गेषु लाघवं यावत्तावत्तं वाहयेद्धयं ।। २८८.

The wise should move the horse with the thigh raised or loosened, maintaining lightness in the limbs as long as possible.

मृदुः स्कन्धे लघुर्वक्त्रे शिथिलः सर्वसन्धिषु । यदा स सादिनो वश्यः सङ्गृह्णीयात्तदा हयं ।। २८८.

When the horse is gentle in the shoulder, light in the mouth, and loose in all joints, and is obedient to the rider, then it should be taken up.