Matsya Purana 240: adhyāyaḥ 240

240.1

yātrākālavidhānavarṇanam.

Manu said:—Lord! now be pleased to tell me when and how a king should march for war?—1.

240.2

manuruvāca.
idānīṃ sarvadharmajña! sarvaśāstraviśārada!.
yātrākālavidhānaṃ me kathayasva mahīkṣitām .. 240.1 ..

240.3

matsya uvāca.
yadā manyeta nṛpatirākrandena balīyasā.
pārṣṇigrāhābhibhūto'yaṃ tadā yātrāṃ prayojayet .. 240.2 ..

Matsya said:—A king should march when he finds his enemy pressed by some valiant king or his tributary chiefs. He should first see that he has abundance of strength and fighting men and materials and then he should leave a powerful guard to protect his stronghold before starting to face his enemy, without which he should never set out. To protect his own country, the base of all operations, there should be many more fighting persons and generals than the other kings and chiefs engaged in conquering his enemy. He should never start when his tributary chiefs and the neighbouring kings are not subject to him. It becomes very hot during the month of Chaitra so Chaitra should be chosen for an expedition as far as possible, or the month of Agrahayana when rains cease might be chosen otherwise he should take every advantage of his enemies' adverse circumstances.—2-6.

240.4

duṣṭā yodhā bhṛtā bhṛtyāḥ sāmpratañca balaṃ mama.
mūlarakṣāsamartho'smi tadā yātrāṃ prayojayet .. 240.3 ..

240.5

aśuddhapārṣṇinṛpatirna tu yātrāṃ prayojayet.
pārṣṇigrāhādhikaṃ sainyaṃ mūle nikṣipya ca vrajet .. 240.4 ..

240.6

caitryāṃ vā mārgaśīrṣyāṃ vā yātrāṃ yāyānnarādhipaḥ.
caitryāṃ paśyecca naidāghaṃ hanti puṣṭiñca śāradīm .. 240.5 ..

240.7

etadeva viparyastaṃ mārgaśīrṣyāṃ narādhipaḥ.
śatrorvā vyasane yāyāt kāla eva sudurlabhaḥ .. 240.6 ..

240.8

divyāntarikṣakṣitijairutpātaiḥ pīḍitaṃ param.
ṣaḍakṣa pīr̤ā santaptaṃ pīr̤itañca tathā grahaiḥ .. 240.7 ..

A king should take every advantage of the planets and celestial, intermediate and terrestrial influences that completely harass for his enemy, or when his enemy has broken his hands or legs or is become defective in any of his organs—7

240.9

jvalantī ca tathaivolkā diśaṃ yāñca prapadyate.
bhūkampolkā diśaṃ yāti yāñcaketuḥ prasūyate .. 240.8 ..

He should set out to the direction that gets unusually red where there are myriads of falling meteors, or thunderbolts when there has been an earthquake, and meteors come out of the earth when a comet is visible He should also go to fight against the country when people lead a vicious life where there are too many flies and insects, where the king is addicted to some particular hobby and is oblivious of his affairs where the people are atheists and disrespectful, the country that is under the rage of diseases, plague or famine He should certainly encounter foe upset with rage A king is undoubtedly victorious when he invades the country of the infidels of the thoughtless and of those who have bad generals in the army Where the people are divided against themselves—8 13 \

240.10

nirghātaśca patedyatra tāṃ yāyādvasudhādhipaḥ.
sa balavyasanopetaṃ tathā durbhikṣapīr̤itam .. 240.9 ..

240.11

sambhūtāntarakopañca kṣipraṃ prāyādariṃ nṛpaḥ.
yūkāmākṣīkabahulaṃ bahupaṅkantathā bilam .. 240.10 ..

240.12

nāstikaṃ bhinnamaryādaṃ tathā maṅgalavādinam.
apetaprakṛtiñcaiva niḥsārañca tathā jayet .. 240.11 ..

240.13

vidviṣṭanāyakaṃ sainyaṃ tathā bhinnaṃ parasparam.
vyasanāśaktanṛpatiṃ balaṃ rājābhiyojayet .. 240.12 ..

240.14

sainikānāṃ na śāstrāṇi sphurantyaṅgāni yatra ca.
duḥsvapnāni ca paśyanti balantadabhiyojayet .. 240.13 ..

A king is to start against his enemy whose soldiers have no weapons and fighting materials, whose bodies tremble, and who see bad dreams A king who is full of ambition hilarity, and has valiant generals in his army and his soldiers energetic and glad, should face his foe (He should at once set out against his foe when his auspicious limb vibrates and when there are other similar auspicious signs, when the sweet peacocks echo etc—14 15 \

240.15

utsāhabalasampannaḥ svānurakta balastathā.
tuṣṭapuṣṭabalo rājā parānabhimukho vrajet .. 240.14 ..

240.16

śarīrasphuraṇe dhanye tathā duḥsvapna nāśane.
nimitte śakune dhanye jāte śatrupuraṃ vrajet .. 240.15 ..

240.17

ṛkṣeṣu ṣaṭsu śuddheṣu graheṣvanuguṇeṣu ca.
praśnakāle śubhe jāte parān yāyānnarādhipaḥ .. 240.16 ..

He should start to conquer his foe when he is under the influence of the six lucky stars presiding over Janma, Sampat, Kṣema, etc, when the planets are auspicious and when the astrologers predict auspicious times—16

240.18

evantu daivasampannastathā pauruṣasaṃyutaḥ.
deśakālopapannāntu yātrāṃ kuryānnarādhipaḥ .. 240.17 ..

A king should be blessed by the Devas, after worshipping them and he should consider the time place, and circumstances and he should feel himself sufficiently powerful An ambitious king should not lose the opportunity of vanquishing his foe who is under unlucky stars and has his country and times against him As a crocodile is subdued by an elephant on land, an elephant by a crocodile in water, a crow by an owl during the night an owl by a crow during the day, so should a king start against his foe taking a measure of the current circumstances—17-19

240.19

sthale nakrastu nāgasya tasyāpi sajale vaśe.
ulūkasya niśi dhvāṅkṣaḥ sa ca tasya divā vaśe .. 40.18 ..

240.20

evaṃ deśañca kālañca jñātvā yātrāṃ prayojayet .. 240.19 ..

240.21

padāti sāga bahulāṃ senāṃ prāvṛṣi yojayet.
hemante śiśire caiva rathavājisamākulām
kharoṣṭrabahulāṃ senāṃ tathā grīṣme narādhipaḥ .. 240.20 ..

He should march with a good force of infantry and elephants during the rainy season, of cavalry and chariots during the dewy and cold season, he should march with camels and mules during the hot weather, and with forefold forces during the vernal season A king whose infantry is strong can attack his foe with great vigour—20 22

240.22

caturaṅgabalopetāṃ vasante vā śaradyatha.
senā padātibahulā yasya syātpṛthivīpateḥ .. 240.21 ..

240.23

abhiyojyo bhavettena śatrurviṣamamāśritaḥ.
gamye vṛkṣāvṛte deśe sthitaṃ śatruntathaiva ca .. 240.22 ..

An elephant corps can win a foe situated in a muddy surrounding, or in a woody country, and a cavalry and chariots can vanquish a foe on even land If the king be helped by a number of allies, he should respect them by presents and kindness If a king who has a strong mule and camel corps should be subdued during the rains and taken prisoner, he should still fight on as there is chance of his recovery—23 25

240.24

kiñcit paṅke tathā yāyād bahunāgo narādhipaḥ.
tathāśvabahulo yāyācchatruṃ samaṃ pathisthitam .. 240.23 ..

240.25

tamāśrayanto bahulāstāṃstu rājā prapūjayet.
kharoṣṭrabahulo rājā śatrūrbandhena saṃsthitaḥ .. 240.24 ..

240.26

bandhanastho'bhiyojyo'ristathā prāvṛṣibhūbhṛjā.
himapātayute deśe sthitaṃ grīṣme'bhiyojayet .. 240.25 ..

During the winter season a king should have a good store of straw and fire wood to enable him to vanquish his foe Vernal season is known as the best time A king should set out in the summer season against a country that is wetty and covered with snow—26

240.27

yavasendhanasaṃyukta kālaḥ pārthiva! haimanaḥ.
śaradvasantau dharmajña! kālau sādhāraṇau smṛtau .. 240.26 ..

240.28

vijñāya rājā hitadeśakālau daivaṃ trikālañca tathaiva buddhvā.
yāyāt paraṃ kālavidāṃ matena sañcintya sārddhaṃ dvijamantravidbhiḥ .. 240.27 ..

A king should always think well over the present circumstances, past and future and take the advice of his minister and Brâhmanas before setting out against his enemy —27