Agni Purana — Chapter 225

AgP 225.1

:ए इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे राजधर्मो नाम चतुर्विंशत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः ॥ छप्तेर् {२२५} :श् अथ पञ्चविंशत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः राजधर्माः पुष्कर उवाच स्वयमेव कर्म दैवाख्यं विद्धि देहान्तरार्जितं तस्मात् पौरुषमेवेह श्रेष्ठमाहुर्मनीषिणः

:e ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe rājadharmo nāma caturviṃśatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ || chapter {225} :ś atha pañcaviṃśatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ rājadharmāḥ puṣkara uvāca svayameva karma daivākhyaṃ viddhi dehāntarārjitaṃ tasmāt pauruṣameveha śreṣṭhamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ

Thus in the Āgneya Mahāpurāṇa the two hundred twenty-fourth chapter, called 'The Duties of Kings'. || Chapter 225: Now the two hundred twenty-fifth chapter, The Duties of Kings. Puṣkara said: Know that what is called fate is one's own action, earned in another body; therefore the wise say that here human effort is the best.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.2

:प् ३२० प्रतिकूलं तथा दैवं पौरुषेण विहन्यते सात्त्विकात् कर्मणः पूर्वात् सिद्धिः स्यात्पौरुषं विना

:p 320 pratikūlaṃ tathā daivaṃ pauruṣeṇa vihanyate sāttvikāt karmaṇaḥ pūrvāt siddhiḥ syātpauruṣaṃ vinā

Likewise, adverse fate is struck down by human effort; from a prior action of the sattva kind, success may come even without human effort.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.3

पौरुषं दैवसम्पत्त्या काले फलति भार्गव दैवं पुरुषकारश् च द्वयं पुंसः फलावहं

pauruṣaṃ daivasampattyā kāle phalati bhārgava daivaṃ puruṣakāraś ca dvayaṃ puṃsaḥ phalāvahaṃ

Human effort, together with the attainment of fate, bears fruit in due time, O Bhārgava; fate and human action, the two together, bring fruit to a man.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.4

कृषेर्वृष्टिसमायोगात् काले स्युः फलसिद्धयः सधर्मं पौरुषं कुर्यान्नालसो न च दैववान्

kṛṣervṛṣṭisamāyogāt kāle syuḥ phalasiddhayaḥ sadharmaṃ pauruṣaṃ kuryānnālaso na ca daivavān

From the conjunction of ploughing with rain, the ripening of fruits comes in due time; one should make lawful human effort, being neither idle nor a fatalist.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.5

सामादिभिरुपायैस्तु सर्वे सिद्ध्यन्त्युपक्रमाः साम चोपप्रदानञ्च भेददण्डौ तथापरौ

sāmādibhirupāyaistu sarve siddhyantyupakramāḥ sāma copapradānañca bhedadaṇḍau tathāparau

But by the means beginning with conciliation, all undertakings succeed: conciliation, and the offering of gifts, and the two others, division and force;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.6

मायोपेक्षेन्द्रजालञ्च उपायाः सप्त ताञ्छृणु द्विविधं कथितं साम तथ्यञ्चातथ्यमेव च

māyopekṣendrajālañca upāyāḥ sapta tāñchṛṇu dvividhaṃ kathitaṃ sāma tathyañcātathyameva ca

deceit, indifference, and illusion — these are the seven means; hear them. Conciliation is said to be of two kinds: the truthful and the untruthful.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.7

तत्राप्यतथ्यं साधूनामाक्रोशायैव जायते महाकुलीना ह्य् ऋजवो धर्मनित्या जितेन्द्रियाः

tatrāpyatathyaṃ sādhūnāmākrośāyaiva jāyate mahākulīnā hy ṛjavo dharmanityā jitendriyāḥ

Among these, the untruthful sort only leads to the reviling of good men; for those of great family, upright, constant in dharma, with senses subdued,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.8

सामसाध्या अतथ्यैश् च गृह्यन्ते राक्षसा अपि तथा तदुप्रकाराणां कृतानाञ्चैव वर्णनं

sāmasādhyā atathyaiś ca gṛhyante rākṣasā api tathā taduprakārāṇāṃ kṛtānāñcaiva varṇanaṃ

are to be won by conciliation; and by untruthful (conciliation) even demons are caught. So too the description of its kinds and of the things done (by it).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 225.9

परस्परन्तु ये द्विष्टाः क्रुद्धभीतावमानिताः तेषान्भेदं प्रयुञ्जीत परमं दर्शयेद्भयं(१)

parasparantu ye dviṣṭāḥ kruddhabhītāvamānitāḥ teṣānbhedaṃ prayuñjīta paramaṃ darśayedbhayaṃ(1)

But those who hate one another, who are angry, afraid, or slighted — against them let (the king) employ dissension, and let him display the greatest fear (to them).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.10

आत्मीयान् दर्शयेदाशां येन दोषेण बिभ्यति परास्तेनैव ते भेद्या रक्ष्यो वै ज्ञातिभेदकः

ātmīyān darśayedāśāṃ yena doṣeṇa bibhyati parāstenaiva te bhedyā rakṣyo vai jñātibhedakaḥ

He should show hope to his own men; by whatever fault the enemies are frightened, by just that they are to be divided; and one who sows dissension among kinsmen must indeed be guarded against.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 225.11

सामन्तकोषो वाह्यस्तु मन्त्रामात्यात्मजादिकः(२) अन्तःकोषञ्चोपशाम्य कुर्वन् शत्रोश् च तं जयेत्

sāmantakoṣo vāhyastu mantrāmātyātmajādikaḥ(2) antaḥkoṣañcopaśāmya kurvan śatroś ca taṃ jayet

The neighbouring (king's) store is the external one, (namely) counsel, ministers, sons and the rest; and having pacified the internal store while acting, he should conquer that (store) of the enemy.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 225.12

उपायश्रेष्ठं दानं स्याद्दानादुभयलोकभाक् न सो ऽस्ति नाम दानेन वशगो यो न जायते

upāyaśreṣṭhaṃ dānaṃ syāddānādubhayalokabhāk na so 'sti nāma dānena vaśago yo na jāyate

Giving would be the best of the expedients; through giving one obtains both worlds. There is indeed no one who does not become subject (to another) through giving.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.13

:न् १ परस्मादर्शयेद्भयमिति ञ॥ २ मन्त्रामात्यानुजादिक इति ञ॥ :प् ३२१ दानवानेव शक्नोति संहतान् भेदितुं परान् त्रयासाध्यं साधयेत्तं दण्डेन च कृतेन च

:n 1 parasmādarśayedbhayamiti ña.. 2 mantrāmātyānujādika iti ña.. :p 321 dānavāneva śaknoti saṃhatān bhedituṃ parān trayāsādhyaṃ sādhayettaṃ daṇḍena ca kṛtena ca

[note 1: 'parasmād darśayed bhayam' in ña. note 2: 'mantrāmātyānujādikaḥ' in ña. p. 321] Only the man of gifts is able to divide enemies who are united. What is not achievable by the three (expedients) he should achieve by force and by contrivance.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 225.14

दण्डे सर्वं स्थितं दण्डो नाशयेद्दुष्प्रणीकृतः अदण्ड्यान् दण्डयन्नश्येद्दण्ड्यान्राजाप्यदण्डयन्

daṇḍe sarvaṃ sthitaṃ daṇḍo nāśayedduṣpraṇīkṛtaḥ adaṇḍyān daṇḍayannaśyeddaṇḍyānrājāpyadaṇḍayan

On punishment everything rests; punishment, when badly administered, brings ruin. A king perishes by punishing those who should not be punished, and also by not punishing those who should be.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.15

दैवदैत्योरगनराः सिद्धा भूताः पतत्रिणः उत्क्रमेयुः स्वमर्यादां यदि दण्डान् न पालयेत्

daivadaityoraganarāḥ siddhā bhūtāḥ patatriṇaḥ utkrameyuḥ svamaryādāṃ yadi daṇḍān na pālayet

Gods, demons, serpents, men, siddhas, spirits and birds would overstep their own bounds if he did not maintain punishments.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.16

यस्माददान्तान् दमयत्यदण्ड्यान्दण्डयत्यपि दमनाद्दण्डनाच्चैव तस्माद्दण्ड विदुर्बुधाः

yasmādadāntān damayatyadaṇḍyāndaṇḍayatyapi damanāddaṇḍanāccaiva tasmāddaṇḍa vidurbudhāḥ

Because it tames the untamed, and punishes even those (who think themselves) unpunishable — from 'taming' and from 'punishing', therefore the wise know it as daṇḍa.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.17

तेजसा दुर् निरीक्ष्यो हि राजा भास्करवत्ततः लोकप्रसादं गच्छेत दर्शनाच्चन्द्रवत्ततः

tejasā dur nirīkṣyo hi rājā bhāskaravattataḥ lokaprasādaṃ gaccheta darśanāccandravattataḥ

By his splendour the king is hard to look upon, like the sun; therefore he should also win the favour of the people by his (mild) appearance, like the moon.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.18

जगद्व्याप्नोति वै चारैर् अतो राजा समीरणः दोषनिग्रहकारित्वाद्राजा वैवस्वतः प्रभुः

jagadvyāpnoti vai cārair ato rājā samīraṇaḥ doṣanigrahakāritvādrājā vaivasvataḥ prabhuḥ

He pervades the world by his spies — therefore the king is Wind; because he effects the restraint of faults, the king is the lord Vaivasvata (Yama).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.19

यदा दहति दुर्बुद्धिं तदा भवति पावकः यदा दानं द्विजातिभ्यो दद्यात् तस्माद्धनेश्वरः

yadā dahati durbuddhiṃ tadā bhavati pāvakaḥ yadā dānaṃ dvijātibhyo dadyāt tasmāddhaneśvaraḥ

When he burns up the evil-minded, then he becomes Fire; when he gives gifts to the twice-born, therefore he is the Lord of wealth (Kubera).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 225.20

धनधाराप्रवर्षित्वाद्देवादौ वरुणः स्मृतः क्षमया धारयंल्लेकान् पार्थिवः पार्थिवो भवेत्

dhanadhārāpravarṣitvāddevādau varuṇaḥ smṛtaḥ kṣamayā dhārayaṃllekān pārthivaḥ pārthivo bhavet

Because he pours down showers of wealth, he is called Varuṇa among the gods and the rest; by his forbearance upholding the worlds (?), an earthly (king) becomes Earth (Pṛthivī).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 225.21

उत्साहमन्त्रशक्त्याद्यै रक्षेद्यस्माद्धरिस्ततः

utsāhamantraśaktyādyai rakṣedyasmāddharistataḥ

Because he protects by energy, counsel, power and the rest, therefore he is Hari.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition