Kautilya's Arthashastra 14.1: Chapter 1 (Section 177): Secret Practices for the Destruction of Enemy Troops

14.1.1

cāturvarṇyarakṣārtham aupaniṣadikam adharmiṣṭheṣu prayuñjīta //

IN order to protect the institution of the four castes, such measures as are treated of in secret science shall be applied against the wicked. Through the instrumentality of such men or women of Mlechchha class as can put on disguises, appropriate to different countries, arts, or professions, or as can put on the appearance of a hump-backed, dwarfish, or short-sized person, or of a dumb, deaf, idiot, or blind person, kálakúta and other manifold poisons should be administered in the diet and other physical enjoyments of the wicked. Spies lying in wait or living as inmates (in the same house) may make use of weapons on occasions of royal sports or musical and other entertainments. Spies, under the disguise of night-walkers (rátrichári) or of fire-keepers (agni-jívi) may set fire (to the houses of the wicked).

14.1.2

kālakūṭādir viṣavargaḥ śraddheyadeśaveṣaśilpabhāṣābhijanāpadeśaiḥ kubjavāmanakirātamūkabadhirajaḍāndhacchadmabhir mlecchajātīyair abhipretaiḥ strībhiḥ pumbhiś ca paraśarīropabhogeṣv avadhātavyaḥ //

14.1.3

rājakrīḍābhāṇḍanidhānadravyopabbhogeṣu gūḍhāḥ śastranidhānaṃ kuryuḥ, sattrājīvinaś ca rātricāriṇo 'gnijīvinaś cāgninidhānam //

14.1.4

citrabhekakauṇḍinyakakṛkaṇapañcakuṣṭhaśatapadī.cūrṇam uccidiṇgakambalīśatakanda(kardama?).idhmakṛkalāsacūrṇaṃ gṛhagolikāndhāhikakrakaṇṭakapūtikīṭa.gomārikācūrṇaṃ bhallātakāvalgujarasamyuktaṃ sadyaḥprāṇaharam, eteṣāṃ vā dhūmaḥ //

The powder (prepared from the carcass) of animals such as chitra (?), bheka (frog), kaundinyaka (?), krikana (perdix sylvatika), panchakushtha (?), and satapadi, (centipede); or of animals such as uchchitinga (crab), kambali (?), krikalása (lizard) with the powder of the bark of satakanda (Phyalis Flexuosa); or of animals such as grihagaulika (a small house-lizard), andháhika (a blind snake), krakanthaka (a kind of partridge), pútikíta (a stinking insect), and gomárika (?) combined with the juice of bhallátaka (Semecarpus Anacardium), and valgaka (?);--the smoke caused by burning the above powders causes instantaneous death.

14.1.5

kīṭo vānyatamas taptaḥ kṛṣṇasarpapriyaṅgubhiḥ /
śoṣayed eṣa samyogaḥ sadyaḥprāṇaharo mataḥ //

Any of the (above) insects may be heated with a black snake and priyangu (panic seed) and reduced to powder. This mixture, when burnt, causes instantaneous death.

14.1.6

dhāmārgavayātudhānamūlaṃ bhallātakapuṣpacūrṇayuktam ārdhamāsikaḥ //

The powder prepared from the roots of dhámárgava (lufta foetida) and yátudhána (?) mixed with the powder of the flower of bhallátaka (Semecarpus Anacardium) causes, when administered, death in the course of half a month. The root of vyágháta (casia fistula) reduced to powder with the flower of bhallátaka (Semecarpus A nacardium) mixed with the essence of an insect (kíta) causes, when administered, death in the course of a month.

14.1.7

vyāghātakamūlaṃ bhallātakapuṣpacūrṇayuktaṃ kīṭayogo māsikaḥ //

14.1.8

kalāmātraṃ puruṣāṇām, dviguṇaṃ kharāśvānām, caturguṇaṃ hastyuṣṭrāṇām //

As much as a kalá (16th of a tola) to men; twice as much to mules and horses; and four times as much to elephants and camels.

14.1.9

śatakardamoccidiṅgakaravīrakaṭutumbīmatsya.dhūmo madanakodravapalālena hastikarṇapalāśapalālena vā pravātānuvāte praṇīto yāvac carati tāvan mārayati //

The smoke caused by burning the powder of satakardama (?), uchchitinga (crab), karavira (nerium odorum), katutumbi (a kind of bitter gourd), and fish together with the chaff of the grains of madana (?) and kodrava (paspalam scrobiculatum), or with the chaff of the seeds of hastikarna (castor oil tree) and palása (butea frondosa) destroys animal life as far as it is carried off by the wind.

14.1.10

pūkikīṭamastyakaṭutumbīśatakardamedhma.indragopacūrṇaṃ pūtikīṭakṣudrārālāhemavidārīcūrṇaṃ vā bastaśṛṅgakhuracūrṇayuktam andhīkaro dhūmaḥ //

The smoke caused by burning the powder of pútikita (a stinking insect), fish, katutumbi (a kind of bitter gourd), the bark of satakardama (?), and indragopa (the insect cochineal), or the powder of pútikita, kshudrárála (the resin of the plant, shorea robusta), and hemavidári (?) mixed with the powder of the hoof and horn of a goat causes blindness.

14.1.11

pūtikarañjapattraharitālamanaḥśilāguñja.āraktakārpāsapalālānyāsphoṭakācagośakṛd.rasapiṣṭam andhīkaro dhūmaḥ //

The smoke caused by burning the leaves of pútikaranja (guilandina bonducella), yellow arsenic, realgar, the seeds of gunja (abrus precatorius), the chaff of the seeds of red cotton, ásphota (a plant, careya arborea), khácha (salt?), and the dung and urine of a cow causes blindness.

14.1.12

sarpanirmokaṃ gośvapurīṣam andhāhikaśiraś cāndhīkaro dhūmaḥ //

The smoke caused by burning the skin of a snake, the dung of a cow and a horse, and the head of a blind snake causes blindness.

14.1.13

pārāvataplavakakravyādānāṃ hastinaravarāhāṇāṃ ca mūtrapurīṣaṃ kāsīsahiṅguyavatuṣakaṇataṇḍulāḥ kārpāsakuṭajakośātakīnāṃ ca bījāni gomūtrikābhāṇḍīmūlaṃ nimbaśigruphaṇirjakākṣīvapīlukabhaṅgaḥ sarpaśapharīcarma hastinakhaśṛṅgacūrṇam ity eṣa dhūmo madanakodravapalālena hastikarṇapalāśapalālena vā praṇītaḥ pratyekaśo
yāvac carati tāvan mārayati //

The smoke caused by burning the powder made of the mixture of the dung and urine of pigeons, frogs, flesh-eating animals, elephants, men, and boars, the chaff and powder of barley mixed with kásísa (green sulphate of iron), rice, the seeds of cotton, kutaja (nerium antidysentericum), and kosátaki (lufta pentandra), cow's urine, the root of bhándi (hydroeotyle asiatica), the powder of nimba (nimba meria), sigru (hyperanthera morunga), phanirjaka (a kind of tulasi plant), kshíbapíluka (ripe coreya arborea), and bhánga (a common intoxicating drug), the skin of a snake and fish, and the powder of the nails and tusk of an elephant, all mixed with the chaff of madana and kodravá (paspalam scrobiculatum), or with the chaff of the seeds of hastikarna (castor oil tree) and palása (butea frondosa) causes instantaneous death wherever the smoke is carried off by the wind.

14.1.14

kālīkuṣṭhanaḍaśatāvalīmūlaṃ sarpapracalākakṛkaṇapañcakuṣṭhacūrṇaṃ vā dhūmaḥ pūrvakalpenārdraśuṣkapalālena vā praṇītaḥ saṃgrāmāvataraṇāvaskandanasaṃkuleṣu kṛtanejanodakākṣipratīkāraiḥ praṇītaḥ sarvaprāṇināṃ netraghnaḥ //

When a man who has kept his eyes secure with the application of ointment and medicinal water burns, on the occasion of the commencement of a battle and the assailing of forts, the roots of káli (tragia involucrata), kushtha (costus), nada (a kind of reed) and satávari (asperagus racemosus), or the powder of (the skin of) a snake, the tail of a peacock, krikana (a kind of partridge), and panchakushtha (?), together with the chaff as previously described or with wet or dry chaff, the smoke caused thereby destroys the eyes of all animals.

14.1.15

śārikākapotabakabalākāleṇḍam arkākṣipīlukasnuhikṣīrapiṣṭam andhīkaraṇam añjanam udakadūṣaṇaṃ ca //

The ointment prepared by mixing the excretion of sáriká (maina), kapota (pigeon), baka (crane), and baláka (a kind of small crane) with the milk of kákshiva (hyperanthera morunga), píluka (a species of careya arborea) and snuhi (euphorbia) causes blindness and poisons water.

14.1.16

yavakaśālimūlamadanaphalajātīpattranara.mūtrayogaḥ plakṣavidārīmūlayukto mūkodumbaramadanakodravakvāthayukto hastikarṇapalāśakvāthayukto vā madanayogaḥ //

The mixture of yavaka (a kind of barley), the root of sála (achyrantes triandria), the fruit of madana (dattúra plant?), the leaves of játí (nutmeg?), and the urine of a man mixed with the powder of the root of plaksha (fig tree), and vidári (liquorice), as well as the essence of the decoction of musta (a kind of poison), udumbara (glomerous fig tree), and kodrava (paspalam scrobiculatum) or with the decoction of hastikarna (castor oil tree) and palása (butea frondosa) is termed the juice of madana (madanayoga).

14.1.17

śṛṅgigautamavṛkakaṇṭakāramayūrapadīyogo guñjālāṅgalīviṣamūlikeṅgudīyogaḥ karavīrākṣipīlukārkamṛgamāraṇīyogo madnakodravakvāthayukto hastikarṇapalāśakvāthayukto vā madanayogaḥ //

The mixture of the powders of sringi (atis betula), gaumevriksha (?), kantakára (solanum xanthocarpum), and mayúrapadi (?), the powder of gunja seeds, lánguli (jusseina repens), vishamúlika (?), and ingudi (heart-pea), and the powder of karavira (oleander), akshipiluka (careya arborea), arka plant, and mrigamáríni (?) combined with the decoction of madana and kodrava or with that of hastikarna and palása is termed madana mixture (madanayoga).

14.1.18

samastā vā yavasendhanodakadūṣaṇāḥ //

The combination of (the above two) mixtures poisons grass and water when applied to them.

14.1.19

kṛtakaṇḍalakṛkalāsagṛhagolikāndhāhikadhūmo netravadham unmādaṃ ca karoti //

The smoke caused by burning the mixture of the powders of krikana (a kind of partridge), krikalása (lizard), grihagaulika (a small house-lizard) and andháhika (a blind snake) destroys the eyes and causes madness.

14.1.20

kṛkalāsagṛhagolikāyogaḥ kuṣṭhakaraḥ //

The (smoke caused by burning the) mixture of krikalása and grihagaulika causes leprosy.

14.1.21

sa eva citram ekāntramadhuyuktaḥ prameham āpādayati, manuṣyalohitayuktaḥ śoṣam //

The smoke caused by burning the same mixture together with the entrails of chitrabheka (a kind of frog of variegated colour), and madhu (celtis orientalis?) causes gonorrhœa.

The same mixture, wetted with human blood causes consumption.

14.1.22

dūṣīviṣaṃ madanakodravacūrṇam apajihvikāyogaḥ //

The powder of dúshívisha (?), madana (dattúra plant?), and kodrava (paspalam scrobiculatum) destroys the tongue.

14.1.23

mātṛvāhakāñjalikārapracalākabhekākṣipīluka.yogo viṣūcikākaraḥ //

The mixture of the powder of mátriváhaka (?), jalúka (leech), the tail of a peacock, the eyes of a frog, and píluká (careya arborea) causes the disease known as vishúchika.

14.1.24

pañcakuṣṭhakakauṇḍinyakarājavṛkṣapuṣpamadhuyogo jvarakaraḥ //

The mixture of panchakushtha (?), kaundinyaka (?), rájavriksha (cassia fistula), and madhupushpa (bassia latifolia) and madhu (honey?) causes fever.

14.1.25

bhāsanakulajihvāgranthikāyogaḥ kharīkṣīrapiṣṭo mūkabadhira..karo māsārdhamāsikaḥ //

The mixture prepared from the powder of the knot of the tongue of bhája (?), and nakula (mongoose) reduced to a paste with the milk of a she-donkey causes both dumbness and deafness.

14.1.26

kalāmātraṃ puruṣāṇām it samānaṃ pūrveṇa //

The proportion of a dose to bring on the desired deformities in men and animals in the course of a fortnight or a month is as laid down before.

14.1.27

bhaṅgakvāthopanayanam auṣadhānām, cūrṇaṃ prāṇabhṛtām, sarveṣāṃ vā kvāthopanayanam, evaṃ vīryavattaraṃ bhavti //

Mixtures become very powerful when, in the case of drugs, they are prepared by the process of decoction; and in the case of animals, by the process of making powders; or in all cases by the process of decoction.

14.1.28

iti yogasampat //

14.1.29

śālmalī vidārīdhānyasiddho mūlavatsanābhasamyuktaś cucchundarīśoṇitapralepena digdho bāṇo yaṃ vidhyati sa viddho 'nyān daśapuruṣān daśati, te daṣṭā daśānyān daśanti puruṣān //

Whoever is pierced by the arrow prepared from the grains of sálmali (bombax heptaphyllum) and vidári (liquorice) reduced to powder and mixed with the powder of múlavatsanábha (a kind of poison) and smeared over with the blood of chuchundari (musk-rat) bites some ten other persons who in their turn bite others.

14.1.30

ballātakayātudhānāvānudhāmārgavabāṇānāṃ puṣpair elakākṣigugguluhālāhalānāṃ ca kaṣāyaṃ bastanaraśoṇitayuktaṃ daṃśayogaḥ //

The mixture prepared from the flowers of bhallátaka (semecarpus anacardium), yátudhána (?), dhámárgava (achyranthes aspera), and bána (sal tree) mixed with the powder of elá (large cardamom), kákshi (red aluminous earth), guggulu (bdellium), and háláhala (a kind of poison) together with the blood of a goat and a man causes biting madness.

14.1.31

tato 'rdhadharaṇiko yogaḥ saktupiṇyākābhyām udake praṇīto dhanuḥśatāyāmam udakāśayaṃ dūṣayati //

When half a dharana of this mixture together with flour and oil-cakes is thrown into water of a reservoir measuring a hundred bows in length, it vitiates the whole mass of water; all the fish swallowing or touching this mixture become poisonous; and whoever drinks or touches this water will be poisoned.

14.1.32

matsyaparamparā hy etena daṣṭābhimṛṣṭā vā viṣībhavati, yaś caitad udakaṃ pibati spṛśati vā //

14.1.33

raktaśvetasarṣapair godhā tripakṣam uṣṭrikāyāṃ bhūmau nikhātāyāṃ nihitā vadhyenoddhṛtā yāvat paśyati tāvan mārayati, kṛṣṇasarpo vā //

No sooner does a person condemned to death pull out from the earth an alligator or iguana (godhá) which, with three or five handfuls of both red and white mustard seeds, is entered into the earth than he dies at its sight.

14.1.34

vidyutpradagdho 'ṅgāro jvālo vā vidyutpradagdhaiḥ kāṣṭhair gṛhītaś cānuvāsitaḥ kṛttikāsu bharaṇīṣu vā raudreṇa karmaṇābhihuto 'gniḥ praṇītaś ca nispratīkāro dahati //

When, on the days of the stars of krittiká or bharaní and following the method of performing fearful rites, an oblation with a black cobra emitting froth at the shock of lightning or caught hold of by means of the sticks of a tree struck by lightning and perfumed is made into the fire, that fire continues to burn unquenchably.

14.1.35

karmārād agnim āhṛtya kṣaudreṇa juhuyāt pṛthak /
surayā śauṇḍikād agniṃ mārgato 'gniṃ ghṛtena ca //

An oblation of honey shall be made into the fire fetched from the house of a blacksmith; of spirituous liquor into the fire brought from the house of a vintner; of clarified butter into the fire of a sacrificer (?);

14.1.36

mālyena caikapatnyagniṃ puṃścalyagniṃ ca sarṣapaiḥ /
dadhnā ca sūtikāsv agnim āhitāgniṃ ca taṇḍulaiḥ //

Of a garland into the fire kept by a sacrificer with one wife; of mustard seeds into the fire kept by an adulterous woman; of curds into the fire kept during the birth of a child; of rice-grain into the fire of a sacrificer;

14.1.37

caṇḍālāgniṃ ca māṃsena citāgniṃ mānuṣeṇa ca //
samastān bastavasayā mānuṣeṇa dhruveṇa ca //

Of flesh into the fire kept by a chandala; of human flesh into the fire burning in cremation grounds; an oblation of the serum of the flesh of a goat and a man shall be made by means of a sacrificial ladle into the fire which is made of all the above fires;

14.1.38

juhuyād agnimantreṇa rājavṛkṣasya dārubhiḥ /
eṣa niṣpratikāro 'gnir dviṣatāṃ netramohanaḥ //

Repeating the mantras addressed to the fire, an oblation of the wooden pieces of rájavriksha (cassia fistula) into the same fire. This fire will unquenchably burn deluding the eyes of the enemies.

14.1.39

adite namaste, anumate namaste, sarasvati namaste, deva savitar namāste //

Salutation to Aditi, salutation to Anumati, salutation to Sarasvati and salutation to the Sun; oblation to Agni, oblation to soma, oblation to the earth, and oblation to the atmosphere.

14.1.40

agnaye svāhā, somāya svāhā, bhūḥ svāhā bhuvaḥ svāhā //E