Brihadyatra 22: adhyāyaḥ 22

Chapter 22: The Characteristics and Movements of Horses

Endowed with good qualities such as whorls, spirit, lustre, colour, breed, gait, neigh, and bodily parts,

horses briefly bring victory to kings; since this is an introduction to the topic of whorls:

[The hair-whorls] are inauspicious on the tear-channels, jaw, cheek, heart, throat, muzzle, temples, waist, bladder, and knees,

as well as on the scrotum, navel, hump, anus, left flank, and feet.

Those situated at the water-trough [part of the mouth], throat, ears, middle of the back, and above the eyes,

[or] on the lip, thigh, chest, flank, together with the forehead, are exceedingly auspicious.

The scattering of hair, neighing, smoke, flame, and the like are also to be observed during an undertaking.

Regarding horses, the āryā verses composed by Viṣṇugupta are proclaimed here:

"There, as a general rule, their burning on the seat and the hind parts

is undesirable, but elsewhere it is commendable; likewise on the left and right flanks.

Equally otherwise: flames, fire-sparks, and smoke on the feet, mane, and tail

produce danger to the realm, disease, panic, and the crushing of the enemy's army.

On the back, buttocks, and tail-hairs, [a result] equal to the former result is indicated;

fury in the harem [arises] when the penis burns or is accompanied by smoke.

And constantly, burning, flames, sparks, and smoke on the horsehair,

the shoulder, seat, and collar-bone region lead to slaughter and capture in battles.

On the chest, eye, forehead, and forelegs of horses, and from their mouths as they neigh,

the appearance of flame brings victory; the appearance of smoke brings the ruin of the master.

At night, on the nostrils, tear-channels, muzzle, head, and eyes,

flaming brings victory for coppery, black, green, and dappled horses.

For pure white and parrot-colored horses, flaming upon these parts always indeed brings victory."

And in like manner, the result should be applied according to possibility to other conveyances as well.

Beyond this, the neighing that indicates the desirable and undesirable is to be determined:

And that which arises from an outstretched, steady neck yields a desirable result;

for horses whose mouths are between mouthfuls, [a neigh that is] loud, smooth, resonant, and deep,

accompanied by brahmins, full vessels, auspicious objects, garlands, perfumes, gods, and roots,

or who greet the bridle, food, water, armor, and the master's regalia,

brings about the success of all aims for those looking toward the right flank.

At the twilights, neighing toward blazing directions with panic and having lost deep sleep,

they produce fear, and bring slaughter, imprisonment, and defeat.

Those whose tails are bent and who lie down on their right flank are undesirable;

those striking the surface of the earth with their left hooves are known to cause exile.

Yawning and shaking the back, or twitching the tail repeatedly while desiring to lick,

[or] rubbing foot against foot, is a normal habit for horses showing zeal for the army's march.

With sluggish, dark eyes due to lack of sleep, whose memory is blank with brooding during the day,

and whose sleep is ruined at night by mutual strife, horses do not bode well for their master.

Licking the shanks where hair and mud are free from sores, and [licking] the forefeet with bristling body, is for victory;

the reverse on the hind legs [is unfavorable], but when held by effort, facing the expedition oneself [is favorable].

One who urinates and dungs repeatedly, does not move forward even when beaten,

is afraid without cause, and has tearful eyes—such a horse brings no good to its master.

When the king mounts, a horse that is endowed with obedience, follows the expedition, and neighs back at another horse,

or touches its own right flank with its mouth, swiftly increases its master's royal fortune.