Adhyaya 239

Verse 1

इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे राजधर्मो नाम अष्टत्रिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथोनचत्वारिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः षाड्गुण्यं राम उवाच मण्डलं चिन्तयेत् मुख्यं राजा द्वादशराजकं अरिर्मित्रमरेर्मित्रं मित्रमित्रमतः परं

Thus, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa, the two-hundred-and-thirty-eighth chapter is called “Rājadharma (Duties of Kings).” Now begins the two-hundred-and-thirty-ninth chapter, “Ṣāḍguṇya (the six measures of foreign policy).” Rāma said: The king should chiefly contemplate the royal circle (rāja-maṇḍala) consisting of twelve kings: the enemy; the enemy’s ally; the ally of the enemy’s ally; the ally; the ally’s ally; and those beyond these in succession.

Verse 2

राज्यं राष्ट्रञ्चेति ख , छ , ञ च लक्षयेदिति ञ तथारिमित्रमित्रञ्च विजिगीषोः पुरः स्मृताः पार्ष्णिग्राहः स्मृतः पश्चादाक्रन्दस्तदनन्तरं

“Kingdom” and “realm/territory” are to be understood (as the relevant categories) according to the traditional markers. Likewise, the enemy, the enemy’s ally, and one’s own ally are said to stand in front of the would-be conqueror (vijigīṣu). The “seizer at the heel” (pārṣṇigrāha) is declared to be behind him, and the “disturber/raider” (ākranda) comes next after that.

Verse 3

आसारावनयोश् चैवं विजगीषाश् च मण्डलं अरेश् च विजिगीषोश् च मध्यमो भूम्यनन्तरः

Thus, for the king who seeks conquest (vijigīṣu), the circle (maṇḍala) is constituted by neighbouring rulers—both allies and hostile powers; and the “middle king” (madhyama) is the one whose territory lies immediately contiguous between the enemy (ari) and the would-be conqueror (vijigīṣu).

Verse 4

अनुग्रहे संहतयोर् निग्रहे व्यस्तयोः प्रभुः मण्डलाद्वहिरेतेषामुदासीनो बलाधिकः

In granting favour, the overlord should deal with those who are united; in restraining or punishing, with those who are divided. The neutral king, standing outside this mandala of states, surpasses them in strength.

Verse 5

अनुग्रहे संहतानां व्यस्तानां च बुधे प्रभुः सन्धिञ्च विग्रहं यानमासानदि वदामि ते

O wise one, for the protection and advancement of those who are united and those who are dispersed, the Lord—the sovereign—gives instruction. I shall explain to you sandhi (treaty), vigraha (hostility/war), yāna (marching/expedition), āsana (remaining stationed), and the remaining measures of policy.

Verse 6

बलवद्विग्रहीतेन सन्धिं कुर्याच्छिवाय च कपाल उपहारश् च सन्तानः सङ्गतस् तथा

For the sake of welfare (śiva), one should conclude a sandhi (treaty) even with a powerful aggressor. One should also offer a kapāla (skull) as an oblation-gift, and likewise secure continuity of lineage and cohesion of alliance.

Verse 7

उपन्यासः प्रतीकारः संयोगः पुरुषान्तरः अदृष्टनर आदिष्ट आत्मापि स उपग्रहः

“Upanyāsa” (introducing a matter), “pratīkāra” (counter-action or remedy), “saṁyoga” (union or conjunction), “puruṣāntara” (another person or a shift of role), “adṛṣṭa-nara” (an unseen person), “ādiṣṭa” (one instructed or commissioned), and “upagraha” (a subsidiary device)—these are the technical categories; and “ātmāpi” indicates that “even oneself” may be included as agent or party within that classification.

Verse 8

परिक्रमस् तथा छिन्नस् तथा च परदूषणं स्कन्धोपयेयः सन्धिश् च सन्धयः षोडशेरिताः

“Parikrama”, “Chinna”, and “Paradūṣaṇa”, as well as “Skandhopayeya” and “Sandhi”—these are declared as the sixteen varieties of sandhi (dramatic/poetic junctures).

Verse 9

परस्परोपकारश् च मैत्रः सम्बन्धकस् तथा उपहाराश् च चत्वारस्तेषु मुख्याश् च सन्धयः

Mutual assistance, friendship, the building of relationships, and the giving of gifts—these four are the principal forms of alliance (sandhi) among them.

Verse 10

बालो वृद्धो दीर्घरोगस् तथा बन्धुवहिष्कृतः मौरुको भीरुकजनो लुब्धो लुब्धजनस् तथा

A child, an elderly man, one afflicted with a long-standing illness, and one cast out by his kinsmen; likewise a fool, a timid person, a greedy man, and one who keeps company with the greedy.

Verse 11

विरक्तप्रकृतिश् चैव विषयेष्वतिशक्तिमान् अनेकचित्तमन्त्रश् च देवब्राह्मणनिन्दकः

He is by nature detached (from right conduct) and yet excessively addicted to sense-objects; his counsel is fickle and many-minded, and he is a reviler of the gods and of brāhmaṇas.

Verse 12

दैवोपहतकश् चैव दैवनिन्दक एव च दुर्भिक्षव्यसनोपेतो बलव्यसनसङ्कुलः

He is one struck by fate, and also a reviler of divine ordinance; afflicted by the calamity of famine, and entangled in the calamities that befall the armed forces.

Verse 13

पुरःस्थिता इति ख , छ च मैत्रः सुखकरस्तथेति ग स्वदेशस्थो बहुरिपुर्मुक्तः कालेन यश् च ह सत्यधर्मव्यपेतश् च विंशतिः पुरुषा अमी

“Those standing in front”—so say the readings kha and cha. “A friendly one is likewise a giver of comfort”—so says the reading ga. “One who remains in one’s own country yet has many enemies; one who has been released (or let go) in due course; and one who has fallen away from truth and righteousness (dharma)”—these are among the twenty types of persons enumerated here.

Verse 14

एर्तैः सन्धिं न कुर्वीत विगृह्णीयात्तु केबलं परस्परापकारेण पुंसां भवति विग्रहः

With such people one should not conclude an alliance (sandhi); rather, one should adopt only a stance of hostility (vigraha). For among men, conflict arises from mutual injury and reciprocal wrongdoing.

Verse 15

आत्मनो ऽभ्युदयाकाङ्क्षी पीड्यमानः परेण वा देशकालबलोपेतः प्रारभेतेह विग्रहं

Seeking his own prosperity—or being harassed by an adversary—a ruler, when furnished with suitable place, time, and strength, should here undertake hostilities (vigraha, war).

Verse 16

राज्यस्त्रीस्थानदेशानां ज्ञानस्य च बलस्य च अपहारी मदो मानः पीडा वैषयिकी तथा

Intoxication or delusion (mada) and pride (māna) are robbers—of kingship, of women (i.e., one’s relations), of one’s place and territory, and also of knowledge and strength; and likewise there is the torment that arises from sense-objects (viṣaya).

Verse 17

ज्ञानात्मशक्तिधर्माणां विघातो दैवमेव च मित्रार्थञ्चापमानश् च तथा बन्धुविनाशनं

Obstruction to knowledge, to one’s inner power, and to dharma; the dominance of fate alone; loss of a friend’s benefit or wealth; humiliation; and likewise the destruction of kinsmen—these are counted among the calamities.

Verse 18

भूतानुग्रहविच्छेदस् तथा मण्डलदूषणं एकार्थाभिनिवेशत्वमिति विग्रहयोनयः

Interruption of the intended relations of meaning, corruption of the “maṇḍala” (the metrical/structural circle of the verse), and obsessive fixation on a single meaning—these are stated to be the sources of vigraha (discordance/defect) in composition.

Verse 19

सापत्न्यं वास्तुजं स्त्रीजं वाग्जातमपराधजं वैरं पञ्चविधं प्रोक्तं साधनैः प्रशमन्नयेत्

Enmity is declared to be of five kinds: arising from rivalry (with a co-wife or competitor), from property or land, from women, from speech, and from offense. One should pacify it by appropriate means.

Verse 20

किञ्चित्फलं निष्फलं वा सन्दिग्धफलमेव च तदात्वे दोषजननमायत्याञ्चैव निष्फलं

An act may yield a small result, or no result, or only an uncertain result; it produces faults immediately, and in the future it proves fruitless as well.

Verse 21

आयत्याञ्च तदात्वे च दोषसञ्जननं तथा अपरिज्ञातवीर्येण परेण स्तोभितो ऽपि वा

It produces faults both in the future and in the immediate present; likewise, even when one is provoked or incited by another whose true strength has not been ascertained, one should not act rashly.

Verse 22

परार्थं स्त्रीनिमित्तञ्च दीर्घकालं द्विजैः सह अकालदैवयुक्तेन बलोद्धतसखेन च

For another’s advantage, and with women as the occasion (of entanglement), for a long time one becomes involved through association with the twice-born (Brahmins); and also through association with a friend made reckless by strength and driven by ill-timed fate.

Verse 23

आत्मन इत्य् अदिः, विग्रहमित्यन्तः पाठः गपुस्तके नास्ति अवहार इति घ ज्ञानार्थशक्तिधर्माणामिति ञ तदात्वे फलसंयुक्तमायत्यां फलवर्जितं आयत्यां फलसंयुक्तं तदात्वे निष्फलं तथा

“Ātmana” is the reading at the beginning; the reading ending with “vigraham” is not found in the Ga manuscript. (Another variant is) “avahāra” in the Gha manuscript; and “jñānārthaśaktidharmāṇām” in the Ña manuscript. That which is connected with an immediate result (tadātva-phala) is devoid of a future result (āyati-phala); and that which is connected with a future result is likewise without an immediate result.

Verse 24

इतीमं षोडशविधन्नकुर्यादेव विग्रहं तदात्वायतिसंशुद्धं कर्म राजा सदाचरेत्

Thus, having weighed these sixteen considerations, the king should not undertake war; rather, he should always act with conduct purified in view of both the immediate situation and the future outcome.

Verse 25

हृष्टं पुष्टं बलं मत्वा गृह्णीयाद्विपरीतकं मित्रमाक्रन्द आसारो यदा स्युर्दृढभक्तयः

Having assessed an ally’s forces as cheerful, well supplied, and strong, one should then undertake the counter-measure (that is, adopt the reverse strategy against him); and when cries of distress and a rush of calamity arise, one should act when one’s own adherents are firmly devoted.

Verse 26

परस्य विपरीतञ्च तदा विग्रहमाचरेत् विगृह्य सन्धाय तथा सम्भूयाथ प्रसङ्गतः

When the adversary’s course turns contrary to one’s interest, then one should undertake hostilities. Having first broken relations, one should then make a treaty; and likewise one may also form an alliance again, according to the exigency of the situation.

Verse 27

उपेक्षया च निपुणैर् यानं पञ्चविधं स्मृतं परस्परस्य सामर्थ्यविघातादासनं स्मृतं

And by the policy of upekṣā (strategic indifference), the skilled declare yāna (march/expedition) to be fivefold. āsana (remaining stationed/encampment) is said to arise from a situation of mutual obstruction of one another’s power.

Verse 28

अरेश् च विजगीषोश् च यानवत् पञ्चधा स्मृतम् बलिनीर्द्विषतोर्मध्ये वाचात्मानं समर्पयन्

For a king and for one who seeks to conquer, yāna (march/expedition) is taught as fivefold. When facing two hostile powers, let him—being strong—commit his intent through speech, placing himself between the two enemies.

Verse 29

द्वैधीभावेन तिष्ठेत काकाक्षिवदलक्षितः उभयोरपि सम्पाते सेवेत बलवत्तरं

He should remain in a stance of dual policy (dvaidhībhāva), concealing his intention like a crow’s eye that seems to look both ways; and when the two sides come into contact, he should attach himself to the stronger party.

Verse 30

यदा द्वावपि नेच्छेतां संश्लेषं जातसंविदौ तदोपसर्पेत्तच्छत्रुमधिकं वा स्वयं व्रजेत्

When both parties—though already in contact and mutually informed—do not desire a close union (alliance), then one should approach that enemy for engagement; or else go oneself to one stronger than that enemy to seek support.

Verse 31

उच्छिद्यमानो बलिना निरुपायप्रतिक्रियः कुलोद्धतं सत्यमार्यमासेवेत बलोत्कटं

When one is being crushed by a stronger power, with no remedy or countermeasure available, one should attach oneself to a high-born and influential noble—truthful and honourable—who is mighty in strength.

Verse 32

तद्दर्शनोपास्तिकता नित्यन्तद्भावभाविता तत्कारितप्रश्रियता वृत्तं संश्रयिणः श्रुतं

Devotion shown by seeking His vision (darśana) and worship, constant inner absorption in His very being, and humility born of actions done for His sake—this is declared in the tradition to be the conduct of one who has taken refuge (in Him).