Sutra 18

Devanagari script

समरागलेखमनिम्नोन्नते देशे निकषितम् परिमृदितं परिलीढं नखान्तराद्वा गैरिकेणावचूर्णितमुपधिं विद्यात् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१८ ॥

Transliteration

samarāgalekham animnonnate deśe nikaṣitam parimṛditaṃ parilīḍhaṃ nakhāntarād vā gairikeṇāvacūrṇitam upadhiṃ vidyāt

Translation

Wenn der Strich gleichmäßig gefärbt erscheint, aber—an einer weder erhabenen noch vertieften Stelle geprüft—verschmiert, weggezogen/abgerieben wird, sich in die Nagelrille schaben lässt oder eine ockerartige Pulverung zeigt, soll man dies als Verfälschung (upadhi) erkennen.

Word by Word

• समरागलेखम्: a uniformly coloured written mark/line
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेख
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; सम-राग-लेख (समः रागः यस्य सः लेखः)

• अनिम्नोन्नते: on a surface that is neither hollowed nor raised (i.e., even)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निम्न/उन्नत
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी; अ-निम्न-उन्नत = न निम्नं न उन्नतं (neither depressed nor raised)

• देशे: in/at a place; on a surface/spot
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी

• निकषितम्: rubbed/tested (by rubbing)
• Type: Participle
• Root: कष् (कषति)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; नि-√कष् + क्त = rubbed/scraped/tested on a touchstone

• परिमृदितम्: thoroughly rubbed/smoothed
• Type: Participle
• Root: मृद् (मृद्नाति/मर्दति)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; परि-√मृद् = thoroughly rubbed/smoothed

• परिलीढम्: licked over
• Type: Participle
• Root: लिह् (लेढि)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; परि-√लिह् = licked over/licked all around

• नखान्तरात्: from the space under the fingernail
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख + अन्तर
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, पञ्चमी; नखस्य अन्तरम् = space under/within the nail

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• गैरिकेण: with red ochre
• Type: Noun
• Root: गैरिक
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया

• अवचूर्णितम्: powdered over / dusted
• Type: Participle
• Root: चूर्ण् (चूर्णयति)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; अव-√चूर्ण् = powdered over/sprinkled with powder

• उपधिम्: fraud/deception; (here) a forged/adulterated trick/defect
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपधि
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया

• विद्यात्: one should recognize/know
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (वेद/विन्दति)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √विद् = should know/should recognize

Entities Mentioned

• nikaṣa
• upadhi
• gairika

More Details

FAQs

Why specify testing on a surface that is neither raised nor hollow?

To control the test environment: uneven surfaces can distort the streak and create false positives/negatives in adjudicating fraud.

What is the governance logic behind listing multiple physical indicators?

It operationalizes enforcement: officers can justify seizure/penalty using observable criteria rather than discretionary opinion.