The Agni Purana
by N. Gangadharan | 1954 | 360,691 words | ISBN-10: 8120803590 | ISBN-13: 9788120803596
This page describes Instructions relating to Military Expedition (yuddha-yatra) which is chapter 228 of the English translation of the Agni Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas dealing with all topics concerning ancient Indian culture, tradition and sciences. Containing roughly 15,000 Sanskrit metrical verses, subjects contained in the Agni-Purana include cosmology, philosophy, architecture, iconography, economics, diplomacy, pilgrimage guides, ancient geography, gemology, ayurveda, etc.
Chapter 228 - Instructions relating to Military Expedition (yuddha-yātrā)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Puṣkara said:
1. When a king is attacked by a strong enemy and he thinks “I have been attacked”, he should undertake the military expedition [i.e., yuddha-yātrā].
2. If the (king thinks that the) warriors had been well-cared for and the servants well supported and he feels, “I have a strong army and I am capable of protecting the central (army)”, he should go with them and move into the camp.
3-5. Otherwise one may invade (the country of) the enemy when it (the latter’s country) is afflicted by natural calamities such as the appearance of the earthquake in that direction or the comet afflicting it or the army of the enemy king dislikes that king and awaits his ruin. One should enter the kingdom of the enemy when he has auspicious throbbing (of the muscles) of the body, has good dreams and good omens. One should employ an army consisting largely of infantry etc. and elephants in the rainy season.
6. In the early and advanced winter it should consist of chariots and cavalry, while it should consist of four divisions of an army (cavalry, infantry etc.) in the spring and autumn.
7. An army consisting of a large number of infantry would always win the enemies. The throbbing (of the muscles) on the right side (of the body) would be commendable.
8. So also the palpitation on the left back and the heart and mark of mole (on the left side) should be known as not commendable. While the contrary to what has been told on the left side would be auspicious for women.