Agni Purana — Chapter 249

AgP 249.1

:ए इत्य् आगेन्ये महापुराणे धनुर्वेदो नाम अष्टचत्वारिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः ॥ छप्तेर् {२४९} :श् अथोनपञ्चाशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः धनुर्वेदकथनं अग्निर् उवाच पूर्णायतं द्विजः कृत्वा ततो मांसैर् गदायुधान् सुनिर्धौतं धनुः कृत्वा यज्ञभूमौ विधापयेत्

:e ity āgenye mahāpurāṇe dhanurvedo nāma aṣṭacatvāriṃśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ || chapter {249} :ś athonapañcāśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ dhanurvedakathanaṃ agnir uvāca pūrṇāyataṃ dvijaḥ kṛtvā tato māṃsair gadāyudhān sunirdhautaṃ dhanuḥ kṛtvā yajñabhūmau vidhāpayet

Thus in the Āgneya Mahāpurāṇa, the two hundred forty-eighth chapter, called the Science of the Bow. Chapter 249. Now the two hundred forty-ninth chapter: the exposition of the science of the bow. Agni said: The twice-born, having made (the bow) fully drawn, then the club-weapons with flesh; having made the bow well polished, he should have it set up on the sacrificial ground.

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

AgP 249.2

ततो वाणं समागृह्य दंशितः सुसमाहितः तूर्णमासाद्य बध्नीयादृढां कक्षाञ्च दक्षिणाम्

tato vāṇaṃ samāgṛhya daṃśitaḥ susamāhitaḥ tūrṇamāsādya badhnīyādṛḍhāṃ kakṣāñca dakṣiṇām

Then, having taken up the arrow, armed and well composed, having approached quickly, he should bind on the firm belt on the right.

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

AgP 249.3

विलक्ष्यमपि तद्वाणं तत्र चैव सुसंस्थितं ततः समुद्धरेद्वाणं तूणाद्दक्षिणपाणिना

vilakṣyamapi tadvāṇaṃ tatra caiva susaṃsthitaṃ tataḥ samuddharedvāṇaṃ tūṇāddakṣiṇapāṇinā

That arrow, even if it has missed the mark, is well set there itself; then he should draw out the arrow from the quiver with the right hand.

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

AgP 249.4

तेनैव सहितं मध्ये शरं सङ्गृह्य धारयेत् वामहस्तेन वै कक्षां धनुस्तस्मात्समुद्धरेत्

tenaiva sahitaṃ madhye śaraṃ saṅgṛhya dhārayet vāmahastena vai kakṣāṃ dhanustasmātsamuddharet

Together with that very (hand) he should grasp and hold the arrow in the middle; with the left hand (he should hold) the belt, and from it draw out the bow.

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

AgP 249.5

अविषण्णमतिर्भूत्वा गुणे पुङ्खं निवेशयेत् सम्पीड्य सिंहकर्णेन पुङ्खेनापि समे दृढं

aviṣaṇṇamatirbhūtvā guṇe puṅkhaṃ niveśayet sampīḍya siṃhakarṇena puṅkhenāpi same dṛḍhaṃ

Becoming undespondent in mind, he should set the nock on the string, pressing it firmly with the 'lion's ear' (grip) and with the nock as well, evenly.

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

AgP 249.6

:प् ४०० वामकर्णोपविष्तञ्च फलं वामस्य धारयेत् वर्णान् मध्यमया तत्र वामाङ्गुल्या च धारयेत्

:p 400 vāmakarṇopaviṣtañca phalaṃ vāmasya dhārayet varṇān madhyamayā tatra vāmāṅgulyā ca dhārayet

And (with) the blade drawn back to the left ear, he should hold (the arrow) with the left (hand); and there he should hold the shafts with the middle finger of the left (hand).

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

AgP 249.7

मनो लक्ष्यगतं कृत्वा मुष्टिना च विधानवित् दक्षिणे गात्रभागे तु कृत्वा वर्णं विमोक्षयेत्

mano lakṣyagataṃ kṛtvā muṣṭinā ca vidhānavit dakṣiṇe gātrabhāge tu kṛtvā varṇaṃ vimokṣayet

Having fixed the mind on the target, and (having gripped) with the fist, one who knows the rule should release the shaft, having (turned) toward the right side of the body.

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

AgP 249.8

ललाटपुटसंस्थानं दण्डं लक्ष्ये निवेशयेत् आकृष्य ताडयेत्तत्र चन्द्रकं षोडशाङ्गुलम्

lalāṭapuṭasaṃsthānaṃ daṇḍaṃ lakṣye niveśayet ākṛṣya tāḍayettatra candrakaṃ ṣoḍaśāṅgulam

He should direct at the target the shaft that is positioned level with the hollow of the forehead; drawing (the bow), he should there strike the sixteen-finger-wide bull's eye (candraka).

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

AgP 249.9

मुक्त्वा वाणं ततः पश्चादुल्काशिक्षस्तदा तया निगृह्णीयान् मध्यमया ततो ऽङ्गुल्या पुनः पुनः

muktvā vāṇaṃ tataḥ paścādulkāśikṣastadā tayā nigṛhṇīyān madhyamayā tato 'ṅgulyā punaḥ punaḥ

Having released the arrow, then afterwards the learner of the ulkā (technique) should grip (the bow) with that, again and again, with the middle finger.

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

AgP 249.10

अक्षिलक्ष्यं क्षिपेत्तूणाच्चतुरस्रञ्च दक्षिणम् चतुरस्रगतं वेध्यमभ्यसेच्चादितः स्थितः

akṣilakṣyaṃ kṣipettūṇāccaturasrañca dakṣiṇam caturasragataṃ vedhyamabhyaseccāditaḥ sthitaḥ

He should shoot at an eye-level target out of the quiver, and at a square (target) to the right; standing at the start, he should practise the piercing of what is set in a square.

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

AgP 249.11

तस्मादनन्तरं तीक्ष्णं परावृत्तं गतञ्च यत् निम्नमुन्नतवेधञ्च अभ्यसेत् क्षिप्रकन्ततः

tasmādanantaraṃ tīkṣṇaṃ parāvṛttaṃ gatañca yat nimnamunnatavedhañca abhyaset kṣiprakantataḥ

Immediately after that (he should practise) what is sharp, what is turned around and moving away, and the piercing of what is low and what is raised; then he should practise the quick (shot).

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

AgP 249.12

वेध्यस्थानेष्वथैतेषु सत्त्वस्य पुटकाद्धनुः हस्तावापशतैश्चित्रैस्तर्जयेद्दुस्तरैर् अपि

vedhyasthāneṣvathaiteṣu sattvasya puṭakāddhanuḥ hastāvāpaśataiścitraistarjayeddustarair api

Then, at these targets, the bow (drawn) from the frame of the (target) figure — with hundreds of varied and hard-to-master hand-guards he should threaten (them).

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

AgP 249.13

तस्मिन्(१) वेध्यगते विप्र द्वे वेध्ये दृढसञ्ज्ञके द्वे वेध्ये दुष्करे वेध्ये द्वे तथा चित्रदुष्करे

tasmin(1) vedhyagate vipra dve vedhye dṛḍhasañjñake dve vedhye duṣkare vedhye dve tathā citraduṣkare

In that, O brahmin, when it comes to the target, there are two targets called 'firm', two targets that are 'hard', and likewise two targets that are 'varied and hard'.

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

AgP 249.14

न तु निम्नञ्च(२) तीक्ष्णञ्च दृढवेध्ये प्रकीर्तिते निम्नं दुष्करमुद्दिष्टं वेध्यमूर्ध्वगतञ्च यत्

na tu nimnañca(2) tīkṣṇañca dṛḍhavedhye prakīrtite nimnaṃ duṣkaramuddiṣṭaṃ vedhyamūrdhvagatañca yat

But the low and the sharp are not (so); (rather) they are declared to be in the 'firm target' (class); the low is designated as 'hard', and also the target that is placed high.

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

AgP 249.15

मस्तकायनमध्ये तु चित्रदुष्करसञ्ज्ञके एवं वेध्यगणङ्कृत्वा दक्षिणेनेतरेण च

mastakāyanamadhye tu citraduṣkarasañjñake evaṃ vedhyagaṇaṅkṛtvā dakṣiṇenetareṇa ca

But those in the middle of the head-line (are) called 'varied and hard'. Having thus made up the set of targets, with the right (hand) and with the other,

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

AgP 249.16

आरोहेत् प्रथमं वीरो जितलक्षस्ततो नरः एष एव विधिः प्रोक्तस्तत्र दृष्टः प्रयोक्तृभिः

ārohet prathamaṃ vīro jitalakṣastato naraḥ eṣa eva vidhiḥ proktastatra dṛṣṭaḥ prayoktṛbhiḥ

the hero should first mount (his vehicle); then the man has mastered the target. Just this is the rule declared, seen therein by the practitioners.

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

AgP 249.17

:न् १ अस्मिन्निति ख॥ , छ॥ , ज॥ च २ नम्रञ्चेति घ॥ , ञ॥ च :प् ४०१ अधिकं भ्रमणं तस्य तस्माद्वेध्यात् प्रकीर्तितम् लक्ष्यं स योजयेत्तत्र पत्रिपत्रगतं दृढम्

:n 1 asminniti kha.. , cha.. , ja.. ca 2 namrañceti gha.. , ña.. ca :p 401 adhikaṃ bhramaṇaṃ tasya tasmādvedhyāt prakīrtitam lakṣyaṃ sa yojayettatra patripatragataṃ dṛḍham

[Apparatus: 1. 'asmin' in MSS kha, cha, ja; 2. 'namraṃ ca' in MSS gha, ña. Page 401] Greater whirling than that (kind) of target is declared for him; there he should fix the target firmly, set leaf upon leaf.

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

AgP 249.18

भ्रान्तं प्रचलितञ्चैव स्थिरं यच्च भवेदिति समन्तात्ताडयेद् भिन्द्याच्छेदयेद्व्यथयेदपि

bhrāntaṃ pracalitañcaiva sthiraṃ yacca bhavediti samantāttāḍayed bhindyācchedayedvyathayedapi

Whatever is whirling, whatever is in motion, and whatever is stationary — he should strike it on all sides, split it, cut it through, and also shake it.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 249.19

कर्मयोगविधानज्ञो ज्ञात्वैवं विधिमाचरेत् मनसा चक्षुषा दृष्ट्या योगशिक्षुर्यमं जयेत्

karmayogavidhānajño jñātvaivaṃ vidhimācaret manasā cakṣuṣā dṛṣṭyā yogaśikṣuryamaṃ jayet

Knowing the rule of the practice of the discipline of action, having thus understood it, he should carry out the procedure; with mind, with eye, with sight, the student of the discipline would conquer Death.

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