Agni Purana

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.

न त्यजेत् पश्चिमं पादं यदा साधुर्भवेत्तदा । तदाकृष्टिर्व्विधातव्या पाणिभ्यामिह वल्गया ।। २८८.

One should not let go of the hind foot; when the horse becomes obedient, then the drawing of the reins should be performed with the hands.

तत्र त्रिको यथा तिष्ठेदुद्ग्रीवोश्वः समाननः । धरायां पश्चिमौ पादौ अन्तरीशे यदाश्रयौ ।। २८८.

There, as the triangle stands, the horse with raised neck and equal face, when the hind feet rest upon the ground and the inner ones are supported.

तदा सन्धारणं कुर्य्याद्गाठवाहञ्च मुष्टिना । सहसैवं समाकृष्टो यस्तुरङ्गो न तिष्ठति ।। २८८.

Then one should maintain the position, and hold the strong horse with the fist; if the horse is suddenly drawn in this way and does not stand still.

शरीरं विक्षिपन्तञ्च साधयेन्मण्डलभ्रमैः । क्षिपेत् स्कन्धञ्च यो वाहं स च स्थाप्यो हि वल्गया ।। २८८.

One should train the horse that tosses its body by circling movements; and if it throws its shoulder, it should be steadied with the reins.

गोमयं लवणं मूत्रं क्कथितं मृत्समन्वितम् । अङ्गलेपो मक्षिकादिदंशश्रमविनाशनः ।। २८८.

Cow dung, salt, urine, and clay mixed together: this ointment for the limbs destroys fatigue from bites of flies and others.

मध्ये भद्रादिजातीनां मण्डो देयो हि सादिना । दर्शनं भोततीक्षस्य निरुत्साहः क्षुधा हयः ।। २८८.

In the midst of horses of the Bhadrā and other breeds, a gruel should be given with food; a horse lacking appetite and enthusiasm is seen to be hungry.

यथा वश्यस्तथा शिक्षा विनश्यन्त्यतिवाहिताः । अवाहिता न सिध्यन्ति तुङ्गवक्त्रांश्च वाहयेत् ।। २८८.

Training should be according to the horse’s disposition; those excessively driven perish, while those not driven do not succeed; one should drive horses with high-set jaws.

सम्पीड्य जानुयुग्मेन स्थिरमुष्टिस्तुरङ्गमं । गोमूत्राकुटिला वेणई पद्ममण्डलमालिका ।। २८८.

Pressing with both knees, with a firm fist, the horse is controlled; cow urine, twisted rope, and a garland in the shape of a lotus circle.

संक्षिप्तञ्चैव विक्षिप्तं कुञ्चितञ्च यथाचितम् ।। २८८.

Contracted, extended, bent, and arranged as desired.

वल्गितावल्गितौ चैव षोढा चेत्थमुदाहृतम् । विथीधनुःशतं यावदशीतिर्न्नवतिस्तथा ।। २८८.

Leaping and counter-leaping, these six are thus described; as many as a hundred bows in a street, eighty, and ninety likewise.