Matsya Purana 217: adhyāyaḥ 217

217.1

rājakṛtyavarṇanam.
matsya uvāca.
rājā sahāyasaṃyuktaḥ prabhūta yavasendhanam.
ramyamānatasāmantaṃ madhyamandeśamāvaset .. 217.1 ..

Matsya said—'A king should have his residence in a central place which should be beautiful with abundance of grass and trees It should be inhabited by a number of people and where the tributary kings princes and subjects are loyal and submissive It should also have some Brâhmaṇas skilled in various rituals and many artisans in its vicinity—1 2

217.2

vaiśyaśūdrajanaprāyamanāhāryaṃ tathā paraiḥ.
kiñcid brāhmaṇasaṃyuktaṃ bahukarmakarantathā .. 217.2 ..

217.3

adaivamātṛkaṃ ramyamanuraktajanānvitam.
karairāpīḍitañcāpi bahupuṣpaphalaṃ tathā .. 217.3 ..

It should be surrounded by sweet smelling flowers and fruits. It should be impassable to the foreigner's army There should be no tigers, scorpions, snakes lions thieves round about it The place should be beautiful and should be elevated and well-supplied with water and should not be heavily taxed A king should live with his assistants in such a place of happiness where there should be absolutely nothing to agitate him—3 5

217.4

agamyaṃ paracakrāṇāṃ tadvāsagṛhamāpadi.
samaduḥkhasukhaṃ rājñaḥ satataṃ priyamāsthitam .. 217.4 ..

217.5

sarīsṛpavihīnañca vyāghrataskaravarjitam.
evaṃ vidhaṃ yathālābhaṃ rājā viṣayamāvaset .. 217.5 ..

217.6

tatra durgaṃ nṛpaḥ kuryāt ṣaṇṇāmekatamaṃ budhaḥ.
dhanurdurgaṃ mahīdurgaṃ naradurgaṃ tathaiva ca .. 217.6 ..

Amidst such surroundings he should have his fortress There are six different kinds of forts viz—Dhanuṣadurga Mahîdurga Naradurga Vṛikṣadurga, Jaladurga Giridurga and of these the last named Giri durga is the best—6-7

217.7

vārkṣaṃ caivāmbudurgaṃ ca giridurgaṃ ca pārthiva!.
sarveṣāmeva durgāṇāṃ giridurgaṃ praśasyate .. 217.7 ..

217.8

durgaṃca parikhopetaṃ vaprāṭṭālakasaṃyutam.
śataghnīyantramukhyaiśca śataśaśca samāvṛtam .. 217.8 ..

The castle should be surrounded by a ditch and ramparts The buildings are to be in the centre It should have abundance of weapons e g Sataghni and others. Its doors should be beautifully made

217.9

gopuraṃ sakapāṭañca tatra syātsumanoharam.
sapatākaṃ gajārūḍho yena rājā viśetpuram .. 217.9 ..

Its main entrance should be handsome and big enough to enable the king to pass through it riding on an elephant with his banner streaming Four roads should be laid out to form squares. There should be a temple in front of one road the king s mansions in front of the second road Facing the third one should be the houses of judicial and military officers and the gateway of the city should be in front of the fourth In such a way a royal city should be laid out no matter if it is oblong, square or circular Circular one is the best or it may be triangular or drum-shaped, or semi circular or of other suitable shapes (in the form of military array, diamond shaped, etc)—8 13

217.10

catasraśca tathā tatra kāryastvāyatavīthayaḥ.
ekasmiṃstatra vīthyagre devaveśma bhaveddṛḍham .. 217.10 ..

217.11

vīthyagre ca dvitīye ca rājaveśma vidhīyate.
dharmādhikaraṇaṃ kāryaṃ vīthyagre ca tṛtīyake .. 217.11 ..

217.12

caturthetvatha vīthyagre gopurañca vidhīyate.
āyatañcaturasraṃ vā vṛttaṃ vā kārayet puram .. 217.12 ..

217.13

muktihīnaṃ trikoṇañca yavamadhyaṃ tathaiva ca.
āyatañcaturasraṃ vā vṛttaṃ vā kārayetpuram.. 217.13 ..

217.14

arddhacandraṃ praśaṃsanti nadītīreṣu tadvasan.
anyattatra na kartavyaṃ prayatnena vijānatā .. 217.14 ..

The palace on the banks of a river should be of the shape of a crescent, this is the best Treasure should be kept in the southern portion of the palace, to the further south of which should be the place for the elephants The elephantyard should have its doorway to the east or the north The arsenal should be made south east—14-16

217.15

rājñā kośagṛhaṃ kāryaṃ dakṣiṇe rājaveśmanaḥ.
tasyāpi dakṣiṇe bhāge gajasthānaṃ vidhīyate .. 217.15 ..

217.16

gajānāṃ prāṅmukhī śālā kartavyā vāpyudaṅmukhī.
āgneye ca tathā bhāge āyudhāgāramiṣyate .. 217.16 ..

217.17

mahānasaśca dharmajña! karmaśālāstathāparāḥ.
gṛhaṃ purodhasaḥ kāryaṃ vāmato rājaveśmanaḥ .. 217.17 ..

In the same direction should be the kitchen and houses for other works The house of the royal priest should be to the left of the king's mansion where should also be the places for ministers, Vedic professors and students, physicians, stables and cow sheds and store-houses The stables should face the north, or the south It is not well if it faces any other direction—17-18

217.18

mantrivedavidāñcaiva cikitsākarttureva ca.
tatraiva ca tathā bhāge koṣṭhāgāraṃ vidhīyate .. 217.18 ..

217.19

gavāṃ sthānaṃ tathaivātra turagāṇāṃ tathaiva ca.
uttarābhimukhā śreṇī turagāṇāṃ vidhīyate .. 217.19 ..

217.20

dakṣiṇābhimukhā vātha pariśiṣṭastu garhitāḥ.
turagāste tathā dhāryāḥ pradīpaiḥ sārvarātrikaiḥ .. 217.20 ..

All night there are to be lamps burning in the stables The horses should stay there Cocks monkeys she goats and cows with calves should be kept near the stables She goats should also be kept for the benefit of the horses Dung should always be cleared away from the stables, elephant and cow yards before sunset The quarters for the grooms and elephant drivers and charioteers should be near the stables and the elephant yard Besides them, soldiers, artisans, those versed in formulæ, veterinary doctors (about horses and elephants etc), guests should also be best accommodated within the fortress For diseases are likely to prevail much in the fortress Brahmanas and Châranas should also be accommodated—21 26

217.21

kukkuṭān vānarāṃścaiva markaṭāṃśca viśeṣataḥ.
dhārayedaśvaśālāsu savatsāṃ dhenumeva ca .. 217.21 ..

217.22

ajāśca dhāryā yatnena turagāṇāṃ hitaiṣiṇā.
gogajāśvādiśālāsu tatpurīṣasya nirgamaḥ.. 217.22 ..

217.23

astaṃgate na kartavyo devadeve divākare.
tatra tatra yathāsthānaṃ rājā vijñāya sārathīn .. 217.23 ..

217.24

dadyādāvasathasthānaṃ sarveṣāmanupūrvaśaḥ.
yodhānāṃ śilpināñcaiva sarveṣamaviśeṣataḥ .. 217.24 ..

217.25

dadyādāvasathān durge kālamantravidāṃ śubhān.
gaurvaidyānaśvavaidyāṃśca gajavaidyāṃstathaiva ca .. 217.25 ..

217.26

āhareta bhṛśaṃ rājā durge hi prabalā rucaḥ.
kuśīlavānāṃ viprāṇāṃ durge sthānaṃ vidhīyate .. 217.26 ..

217.27

na bahūnāmato durge vinā kāryaṃ tathā bhavet.
durge ca tatra kartavyā nānā praharaṇānvitāḥ .. 217.27 ..

A large number of people should not be allowed to enter the fortress. There should be various kinds of cannon and weapons in the fort as well as those who can use them for weapons that can destory thousands of people protect the king. There are to remain warriors also close by Besides all these things there should be secret doors as well as other doors within the fort protected by those who killed thousand warriors or are skilled in shooting bows and arrows and throwing various other weapons A number of bows, clubs spears, arrows, swords, sticks, maces, big pieces of stones, tridents, battle axes quoits, etc, should always be kept ready within the fortress Shields, skins, phiroas, ropes, canes, various things of artisanship, husks loads of straw, wood, coals, etc, should also be kept The tools of all the artisans, musical instruments various kinds of medicines, drums, weapons, various clothings, gems, iron etc, should also be kept ready—29 31

217.28

sahasraghātino rājaṃstaistu rakṣā vidhīyate.
durge dvārāṇi guptāni kāryāṇyapi ca bhūbhṛjā .. 217.28 ..

217.29

sañcayaścātra sarveṣāmāyudhānāṃ praśasyate.
dhanuṣāṃ kṣepaṇīyānāntomarāṇāṃ ca pārthivaḥ .. 217.29 ..

217.30

śaraṇāmatha khaḍgānāṃ kavacānāṃ tathaiva ca.
laguḍānāṃ gur̤ānāñca huḍānāṃ parighaiḥ saha .. 217.30 ..

217.31

aśmanāñca prabhūtānāṃ mudgarāṇāṃ tathaiva ca.
triśūlānāṃ paṭṭiśānāṃ kuṭhārāṇāñca pārthiva .. 217.31 ..

217.32

prāsānāñca saśūlānāṃ śaktīnāñca narottamaḥ.
paraśvadhānāṃ cakrāṇāṃ varmaṇāñcarmabhiḥ saha .. 217.32 ..

217.33

kuddālakṣuravetrāṇāṃ pīṭhakānāntathaiva ca.
tuṣāṇāñcaiva dātrāṇāmaṅgārāṇāñca sañcayaḥ .. 217.33 ..

217.34

sarveṣāṃ śilpibhāṇḍānāṃ sañcayaścātra ceṣyate.
vāditrāṇāñca sarveṣāmauṣadhīnāntathaiva ca .. 217.34 ..

217.35

yavasānāṃ prabhūtānāmindhanasya ca sañcayaḥ.
gur̤asya sarvatailānāṃ gorasānāntathaiva ca.. 217.35 ..

A good quantity of grass firewood, molasses, oils, milk, fat, sinews, cowhides hides for drums all kinds of grains, silk cloths, barley, wheat, jewels, other kinds of cloths, all kinds of irons all kinds of pulses such as Moth, Mûnga and Urada gram sesamum cowdung, grain-dust, hemp, resinous exudation of Sâla tree, bark of the birch tree, wax, borax, etc, should also be kept in stock in abundance—35 39

217.36

vasānāmatha majjānāṃ snāyūnāmasthibhiḥ saha.
gocarmapaṭahānāñca dhānyānāṃ sarvatastathā .. 217.36 ..

217.37

tathaivābhra paṭānāñca yava godhūmayorapi.
ratnānāṃ sarvavastrāṇāṃ lohānāmapyaśeṣataḥ .. 217.37 ..

217.38

kalāpamudgamāṣāṇāñcaṇakānāntilaiḥ saha.
tathā ca sarvaśasyānāṃ pāṃśugomayayorapi .. 217.38 ..

217.39

śaṇasarjarasaṃ bhūrjaṃ jatulākṣā ca ṭaṅkaṇam.
rājā sañcinuyāddurge yaccānyadapi kiñcana .. 217.39 ..

217.40

kumbhāścāśīviṣaiḥ kāryā vyālasiṃhādayastathā.
mṛgāśca pakṣiṇaścaiva rakṣyāste ca parasparam .. 217.40 ..

Poisons of snakes should be kept locked up in jars and similarly lions, deer, birds, etc., should also be kept confined separately Animals earth for seven nights in a vessel made of horn Then it should be placed in a golden pendant studded with precious stones which should be used on the hand It will dispel the poison from everything it touches

217.41

sthānāni ca viruddhānāṃ suguptāni pṛthak pṛthak.
kartavyāni mahābhāga! yatnena pṛthivīkṣitā .. 217.41 ..

217.42

uktāni cāpyanuktāni rājadravyāṇyaśeṣataḥ.
suguptāni pure kuryājjanānāṃ hitakāmyayā .. 217.42 ..

217.43

jīvakarṣabhakākolamāmalakyāṭarūṣakān.
śālaparṇī pṛṣṭhiparṇī mudgaparṇī tathaiva ca .. 217.43 ..

217.44

māṣaparṇī ca madadvaisāri vedvebalātrayam.
vārā śvasantī vṛṣyā ca bṛhatī kaṇṭakārikā .. 217.44 ..

217.45

śṛṅgī śṛṅgāṭakī droṇī varṣābhūrdarbhareṇukā.
madhuparṇī vidārye dve mahākṣīrā mahātapāḥ .. 217.45 ..

217.46

dhanvanaḥ sahadevāhvā kaṭukairaṇḍakaṃ viṣaḥ.
parṇī śatāhvā mṛdvīkā phalgu kharjarayaṣṭikāḥ .. 217.46 ..

217.47

śukrātiśukrakāśmaryañchatrāticchatravīraṇāḥ.
ikṣurikṣuvikārāśca phāṇitādyāśca sattama .. 217.47 ..

217.48

siṃhī ca sahadevī ca viśvedevāśvarodhakam.
madhukaṃ puṣpahaṃsākhyā śatapuṣpā madhūlikā .. 217.48 ..

217.49

śatāvarī madhūke ca pippalantālameva ca.
ātmaguptā kaṭphalākhyā dārvikā rājaśīrṣakī .. 217.49 ..

217.50

rājasarṣapadhānyākamṛṣyaproktā tathotkaṭā.
kālaśākaṃ padmabījaṃ govallī madhuvallikā .. 217.50 ..

217.51

śītapākī kuverākṣī kākajihvorupuṣpikā.
parvatatrapusau cobhau guñjātakapunarnave .. 217.51 ..

217.52

kaseru kārukāśmīrī balyā śālūka kesaram.
tuṣadhānyāni sarvāṇi śamī dhānyāni caiva hi .. 217.52 ..

217.53

kṣīraṃ kṣaudrantathā takraṃ tailaṃ majjā vasā ghṛtam.
nīpaścāriṣṭakākṣor̤a vātāma soma bāṇakam .. 217.53 ..

217.54

evamādīni cānyāni vijñeyo madhuro gaṇaḥ.
rājā sañcinuyātsarvaṃ pure niravaśeṣataḥ .. 217.54 ..

217.55

dār̤imāmrātakau caiva tintir̤īkāmlavetasam.
bhavyakarkandhulakucakaramarddakarūṣakam .. 217.55 ..

217.56

bījapūrakakaṇḍūre mālatīrājabandhukam.
kolakadvayaparṇāni dvayorāmnātayorapi .. 217.56 ..

217.57

pārāvataṃ nāgarakaṃ prācīnolakameva ca.
kapitthāmalakaṃ cukra phalandantaśaṭhasya ca .. 217.57 ..

217.58

jāmbavaṃ navanītañca sauvīra karuṣodake.
surāsavañca madyāni maṇḍa takradadhīni ca .. 217.58 ..

217.59

śuklāni caiva sarvāṇi jñeyamāmlagaṇaṃ dvija.
evamādīni cānyāni rājā sañcinuyātpure .. 217.59 ..

217.60

saindhavodbhidapāṭheya pākyasāmudralomakam.
kupya-sauvarcalavir̤a bālakeyaṃ yavāhvakam .. 217.60 ..

217.61

aurvaṃ kṣāraṃ kālabhasma vijñeyo lavaṇogaṇaḥ.
evamādīni cānyāni rājā sañcinuyātpure .. 217.61 ..

217.62

pippalī pippalīmūla cavyacitrakanāgaram.
kuberakaṃ maricakaṃ śigrubhallātasarṣapāḥ .. 217.62 ..

217.63

kuṣṭhāja modākiṇi-hīhiṅgu mūlakadhānyakam.
kāravī kuñjikā yājyā sumukhā kālamālikā .. 217.63 ..

217.64

phaṇijjakotha laśunaṃ bhūstṛṇāṃ surasantathā.
kāyasthā ca vayasthā ca haritālaṃ manaḥ śilā .. 217.64 ..

217.65

amṛtā ca rudantī ca rohiṣaṃ kuṅkumantathā.
jayā eraṇḍakāṇḍīraṃ sallakīhañjikā tathā .. 217.65 ..

217.66

sarvapittāni mūtrāṇi prāyo haritakāni ca.
phalāni caiva hi tathā sūkṣmailā hiṅgupaṭṭikā .. 217.66 ..

217.67

evamādīni cānyāni gaṇaḥ kaṭukasaṃjñitaḥ.
rājā sañcinuyāddurge prayatnena nṛpottama! .. 217.67 ..

217.68

mustañcandana hrī vera kṛtamālakadāravaḥ.
daridrānaladośīra naktamālakadambakam .. 217.68 ..

217.69

dūrvā paṭolakaṭukā dīrghatvak patrakaṃ vacā.
kirātatikta bhūtumvī viṣā cātiviṣā tathā .. 217.69 ..

217.70

tālīsapatratagaraṃ saptaparṇavikaṅkatāḥ.
kākodumvarikā divyā tathā caiva surodbhavā .. 217.70 ..

217.71

ṣaḍgranthā rohiṇī māṃsī parpaṭaścātha dantikā.
rasāñjanaṃ bhṛṅgarājaṃ pataṅgī paripelavam .. 217.71 ..

217.72

duḥsparśā guruṇī kāmā śyāmākaṃ gandhanākulī.
rūpaparṇī vyāghranakhaṃ mañjiṣṭhā caturaṅgulā .. 217.72 ..

217.73

rambhā caivāṅkurāsphotā tālāsphotā hareṇukā.
vetrāgra vetasastumbī viṣāṇī lodhrapuṣpiṇī .. 217.73 ..

217.74

mālatīkarakṛṣṇākhyā vṛścikā jīvitā tathā.
parṇikā ca gur̤ūcī ca sagaṇastikta saṃjñakaḥ .. 217.74 ..

217.75

evamādīni cānyāni rājā sañcinuyātpure.
abhayāmalake cobhe tathaiva ca bibhītakam .. 217.75 ..

217.76

priyaṅgudhātakī puṣpaṃ mocākhyā cārjunāsanāḥ.
anantā strītuvarikā syonāṅkaṭ phalantathā .. 217.76 ..

217.77

bhūrjapatraṃ śilāpatraṃ pāṭalāpatra-lomakam.
samaṅgātrivṛtāmūlakārpāsa-gairikāñjanam .. 217.77 ..

217.78

vidrumaṃ sa madhūcchiṣṭaṃ kumbhikākumudotpalam.
nyagrodhodumbarāśvattha kiṃśukāḥ śiṃśupā śamī .. 217.78 ..

217.79

priyālapīlukāsāri śirīṣāḥ padmakantathā.
bilvo'gnimanthaḥ plakṣañca śyāmākaśca vako ghanam .. 217.79 ..

217.80

rājādanaṃ karīrañca dhānyakaṃ priyakastathā.
kaṅkolā-śoka-badarāḥ kadambakhadiradvayam .. 217.80 ..

217.81

eṣāṃ patrāṇi sārāṇi mūlāni kusumāni ca.
evamādīni cānyāni kaṣāyākhyo mato rasaḥ .. 217.81 ..

217.82

prayatnena nṛpaśreṣṭha! rājā sañcinuyātpure.
kīṭāśca māraṇe yogyā vyaṅgatāyāṃ tathaiva ca .. 217.82 ..

217.83

vātadhūmāśca mārgāṇāṃ dūṣaṇāni tathaiva va.
dhāryāṇi pāthivairdurge tāni vakṣyāmi pārthiva .. 217.83 ..

217.84

viṣāṇāṃ dhāraṇaṃ kāryaṃ prayatnena mahībhujā.
vicitrāścāṅgadā dhāryā viṣasya śamanāstathā .. 217.84 ..

217.85

rakṣobhūtaḥ piśācaghnāḥ pāpaghnāḥ puṣṭivardhanāḥ.
kalāvidaśca puruṣāḥ pure dhāryāḥ prayatnataḥ .. 217.85 ..

217.86

bhītān pramattān kupitāṃstathaiva ca vimānitān.
kubhṛtyān pāpaśīlāṃśca na rājā vāsayet pure .. 217.86 ..

217.87

yantrāyudhāṭṭālacayopapannaṃ samagradhānyauṣadhisamprayuktam.
vaṇigjanaiśca vṛtamāvaseta durgaṃ suguptaṃ nṛpatiḥ sadaiva .. 217.87 ..