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Agnipurana 235

English (machine translation) 235

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English

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235.1

Puṣkara said: / I shall explain the martial rule following the procedure for an expedition. / When the expedition of the king is to take place in seven days,

235.2

Hari, Śambhu, and Vināyaka are to be worshipped with sweets and other offerings. / On the second day, having fully worshipped the guardians of the directions, he should lie down to sleep.

235.3

Either upon his bed or before it, having worshipped the gods, he should recall the mantra: / “Obeisance to Śambhu, the three-eyed Rudra, the granter of boons,

235.4

the dwarf, the misshapen one, the lord of dreams, obeisance!

235.4.p1

[...]

235.4.p2

[Variant reading note:] Manuscript ja reads: “saṃviśet”.

235.4_2

O Blessed One, Lord of the gods of gods, bearer of the trident, whose mount is the bull!

235.5

Tell me, who am asleep, the auspicious and inauspicious in a dream, O Eternal One!” / The royal priest should utter the mantra beginning with “yajjāgrato dūram”.

235.6

On the third day he should worship the guardians of the directions, the Rudras, and those regents of the quarters; / he should worship the planets on the fourth day, and on the fifth day he should worship the two Aśvins.

235.7

There should be worship of those deities on the path, and of rivers and the like, / as well as an oblation to the celestial, atmospheric, and terrestrial deities.

235.8

At night, he should perform worship of the host of spirits, of Vāsudeva and others, / of Bhadrakālī, and of Śrī, and he should pray to all the deities:

235.9

“Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha; / Nārāyaṇa, the lotus-born [Brahmā], Viṣṇu, Nārasiṃha, Varāha;

235.10

Śiva, Īśa, Tatpuruṣa, indeed Aghora, Rāma, and Satyaja; / the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn;

235.11

Rāhu, Ketu, Gaṇapati, Senānī [Kārttikeya], Caṇḍikā, and Umā; / Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Durgā, and the hosts headed by Brahmāṇī;

235.12

the Rudras, the deities headed by Indra, Agni, the serpents, Garuḍa, and the other gods, / residing in heaven, the atmosphere, and on earth—may they grant me victory!

235.13

May they crush my enemies in battle, having accepted this offering! / With my sons, mother, and servants, O gods, I have sought refuge in you.

235.13.p1

[Variant reading note:] Manuscript kha reads: “tatpurataḥ”.

235.13.p2

[Variant reading note:] The passage beginning with “rātrau” up to “satyajaḥ” is missing in manuscript ga.

235.13.p3

[Variant reading note:] Manuscripts gha and ña read: “mardayantu ca me śatrūn”.

235.13.p4

[Variant reading note:] Manuscripts ja and ṭa read: “avantu māṃ svabhṛtyo ’ham”.

235.14

Following behind the armies, O destroyers of enemies, obeisance to you! / When I have returned [victorious], I shall offer an oblation greater than that already given.”

235.15

On the sixth day, the victorious bath is to be performed like an aspersion; / and on the seventh day, the day of departure, he should worship Trivikrama.

235.16

With mantras prescribed for lustration, he should worship his weapon and mount. / Accompanied by the cry of an auspicious day and the shout of victory, he should listen to this mantra:

235.17

“May the gods residing in heaven, the atmosphere, and on earth grant you long life! / May you attain divine success, and may this divine expedition be yours!

235.18

May all the deities protect [you]!” Hearing this, the king should set out. / Having taken up his bow and arrows with the mantra “dhanurnāga…,”

235.19

and then having muttered the mantra “tad viṣṇoḥ…,” he should step toward the direction of the enemy, / taking thirty-two steps with his right foot in the directions starting with the east successively.

235.20

He should mount his elephant, chariot, horse, and draft animals in order; / having mounted, he should proceed with musical instruments and should not look back.

235.21

Having gone a single krośa, he should halt and worship the deities and Brahmins. / Thereafter he should enter foreign territory, protecting his own army.

235.22

The king, having honoured the lord of the gods, should protect the local guardian; / he should perform worship of the deities and must not cut off their revenue here.

235.23

He should not disrespect the inhabitants of that land, and having returned again to his own city,

235.23.p1

[Variant reading note:] Manuscript ṭa reads: “camūnāṃ pṛṣṭhaś caiva ripunāśo bhavedyathā”.

235.23.p2

[Variant reading note:] Manuscript ṭa reads: “jitvā śatruṃ pradāsyāmi”.

235.23.p3

[Variant reading note:] Manuscript ṭa reads: “jaitrā yātrāstviti”.

235.23.p4

[Variant reading note:] Manuscripts ga, gha, and ña read: “prāptavideśastu”.

235.23.p5

[Variant reading note:] Manuscript kha reads: “deśācārantu pālayet”; manuscripts ga, gha, cha, ja, and ña read: “deśācāraṇeṇa pālayet”.

235.23_2

having achieved victory, the ruler of the earth should worship the gods and bestow gifts.

235.24

When battle is to take place on the second day, / then he should bathe the elephants, horses, and others, and worship the deity Nṛsiṃha.

235.25

[He should worship] the royal emblems such as the umbrella, the weapons, and at night the attendants [of Śiva]; / in the morning, having worshipped Nṛsiṃha, his mounts, and everything else,

235.26

he should behold the fire offered by the royal priest; having offered fire oblations, he should honour Brahmins. / Having taken up his bow and arrows, and having mounted an elephant or other conveyance, he should set out.

235.27

Invisible to the enemies in that land, he should arrange his forces; / he should fight few troops in compact formation, but may spread out many at will.

235.28

A needle-pointed array should be formed by few against many. / Battle arrays are declared to have the form of living beings' limbs and of inanimate objects:

235.29

the eagle array, the sea-monster array, the wheel, and likewise the hawk, / the crescent, the thunderbolt, and the cart array;

235.30

the circle, the auspicious-on-all-sides, and the needle array, O men! / Now, the army arrangement of all arrays is fivefold:

235.31

two wings, two flanks, and the fifth must be the reserve centre. / If he engages in battle with one or two divisions,

235.32

he should station three divisions specifically for their protection. / A formation of the battle array should never be undertaken by the king [in person].

235.33

If the root is cut down, destruction follows, so the king should not fight himself; / the ruler of the earth should remain a single krośa behind the army.

235.34

The rally of broken warriors is said to take place there; / if the commander is broken, the place of destruction of the army is brought about.

235.34.p1

[Page 353]

235.35

In a battle array, he should station warriors neither too close together nor too dispersed, / so that their weapons do not clash with one another.

235.36

Desiring to break the enemy's army, one should break it only with compact [ranks];
compact [formations] must also be made so that they are protected from being broken by the enemy.

235.37

One should fashion a formation that brings about division among enemy formations at will;
and four [men] are [stationed] for the purpose of protecting the feet of an elephant, O twice-born.

235.38

And four horses are for a chariot, and as many shield-bearers;
archers equal to shield-bearers [are stationed], with the shield-bearers in front in battle.

235.39

Behind [them are] the archers; behind the archers, horses [and] chariots;
elephants are to be placed behind the chariots by the ruler of the earth.

235.40

The proper duty of infantry, elephants, and horses [should be carried out] with effort.
Heroes are to be placed at the very front; only the shoulder [of the ranks] should be displayed.

235.41

That which puts the enemy to flight is to be done by the assembly of timid ones;
since they tear apart in front, the timid must not be placed in the front.

235.42

Heroes stationed in the front indeed encourage the timid in battle.
Men who are tall, hawk-nosed, and straight-eyed,

235.43

with joined eyebrows, wrathful, fond of strife,
constantly cheerful, exhilarated, and passionate are to be known as heroes.

235.44

The work of removing from the battlefield the compact and the slain,
counter-combat of elephants, and the giving of water and the like,

235.44.p1

[Notes]

235.44.p2

1. "Putting the enemy to flight" (śatrudrāvakāraṇam) in manuscripts kha, ga, gha, and ña.

235.44.p3

2. "And those who are crooked-eyed" (ye ca jihmekṣaṇāḥ) in manuscripts kha, ga, gha, and ña.

235.44.p4

3. "The work of removing the army" (valāpanayanakriyā) in manuscript ja.
[Page 354]

235.45

and the bringing of weapons—this is prescribed as the infantry's duty.
Protecting one's own army against enemies who wish to break through,

235.46

and breaking through the compact [ranks] is proclaimed the duty of shield-bearers;
and turning the enemy's back in battle is likewise said [to be the duty] of archers.

235.47

Retreating far away and charging are likewise said [to be the duty] of the well-struck [cavalry];
terrifying the enemy armies is likewise said to be the duty of chariots.

235.48

Breaking through compact [forces], uniting divided [forces],
and breaking walls, gateways, watchtowers, and trees in the encounter [is the duty of elephants].

235.49

Uneven ground is to be known as [suitable] for infantry; similarly, flat [ground] for chariot and horse;
and muddy ground is declared the battleground for elephants.

235.50

Having thus arranged the battle array, keeping the sun to the back,
and likewise having Venus, Saturn, the guardians of the directions, and a gentle wind favorable,

235.51

he should inspire all the warriors by [mentioning their] name, lineage, and heroic deeds,
and by [promising] the attainment of worldly enjoyment in victory, and attainment of heaven if killed:

235.52

"Having conquered enemies, there is the attainment of worldly enjoyment; and for the slain, the supreme destination.
[Battle is] discharge of debt to the master's food; there is no destination equal to battle!

235.53

The blood of heroes flows, and by that they cast off sin;
enduring pain from blows and wounds in battle, that is supreme ascetic austerity.

235.54

Thousands of choice celestial nymphs go to the hero slain in battle;
the master takes the good deeds of those who are broken and flee.

235.55

The fruit of killing a brāhmaṇa is likewise declared for them at every step.
He who flees abandoning his companions, the gods [work] for his destruction!

235.56

The fruit of a horse sacrifice is declared for heroes who do not retreat."

235.56.p1

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235.56_2

Victory belongs to the king steadfast in righteousness; and equals must fight with equals.

235.57

Elephants and the like [should fight] with elephants and the like; fleeing men must not be slain,
nor spectators, nor those who have entered [the camp], nor the weaponless, nor those who have fallen.

235.58

When [the enemy is] exhausted, overcome by sleep, half-crossed over a river or a forest,
or on a stormy day, one should practice deceitful warfare for the destruction of the enemy.

235.59

Raising his arms, he should shout: "Broken, the enemies are broken!
An allied force, vast in size, has arrived; the leader here has been struck down!

235.60

The commander of the army has been slain, and the king too has fled!"
And striking down the faces of fleeing warriors is prescribed.

235.61

Incenses, O knower of righteousness, highly deluding, should also be applied,
and banners, and a fearsome display of musical instruments.

235.62

Having obtained victory in battle, he should worship the gods and brāhmaṇas.
When the battle has been fought by a minister, jewels belong to the king.

235.63

His women [must be protected; they belong] to no one else, and those of the enemy must be protected.
Capturing an enemy in battle and releasing him, he should protect him like a son.

235.64

He should not fight with him again; he should preserve the customs of the country and the like.
And then, having reached his own city under a fixed asterism, he should enter his palace.

235.65

He should perform worship of the gods and others, and protect the families of his warriors;
and he should distribute [wealth] among his servants from what was obtained.

235.66

The battle initiation has been declared by me to you, which ensures victory for the king.

235.66.p1

Thus in the great Purāṇa of Agni, the two hundred thirty-fifth chapter, entitled "Battle Initiation" [is concluded].

235.66.p2

[Notes]

235.66.p3

1. "Victory is always for one steadfast in righteousness" (dharmaniṣṭho jayo nityaḥ) in manuscripts kha and cha.

235.66.p4

2. "He should worship the gods, brāhmaṇas, and gurus" (devān viprān gurūn yajet) in manuscripts gha, ja, and ña.
[Page 356]

235.66.p6

Now the two hundred thirty-sixth chapter.

235.66.p7

Hymn of Praise to Śrī

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