Sutra 3
Devanagari script
अप्सु निष्ठ्यूतास्तैलवद्विसर्पिणः षङ्कमलग्राहिणश्च ताम्ररूप्ययोः शतादुपरि वेद्धारः ॥ कZ_०२.१२.०३ ॥
Transliteration
apsu niṣṭhyūtās tailavad visarpiṇaḥ ṣaṅkamalagrāhiṇaś ca tāmrarūpyayoḥ śatād upari veddhāraḥ
Translation
When spat into water, if it spreads like oil and takes on a conch- or lotus-like pattern, it is a piercing/assaying substance yielding copper or silver in excess of a hundred (units).
Word by Word
अप्सुin waters; in water (locations)
अप्सु:
TypeNoun
Rootअप्
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन; (अप्-शब्दः)
निष्ठ्यूताःspat out; discharged (as spittle)
निष्ठ्यूताः:
TypeParticiple
Rootनि-√ष्ठिव्
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; (निष्ठ्यूत = थूकित/उत्सृष्ट-लार)
तैलवत्like oil; oily in manner
तैलवत्:
TypeIndeclinable (particle)
Rootतैल
Formअव्यय; -वत् प्रत्ययान्त (उपमा)
विसर्पिणःspreading; creeping; diffusing
विसर्पिणः:
TypeParticiple
Rootवि-√सृप्
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्राय); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; (विसर्पिन् = विसर्पणशील)
षङ्कमल-ग्राहिणःthose that seize/collect ‘ṣaṅkamala’ (a water-plant/organism)
षङ्कमल-ग्राहिणः:
TypeNoun (agentive)
Root√ग्रह्
Formसमास: षङ्कमल + ग्राहिन्; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; (ग्राहिन् = ग्राहक/ग्रहणशील)
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय
ताम्र-रूप्ययोःof copper and silver
ताम्र-रूप्ययोः:
TypeNoun
Rootताम्र, रूप्य
Formद्वन्द्वसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार/द्वन्द्व); षष्ठी/सप्तमी-द्विवचन रूप; here: षष्ठी-द्विवचन (genitive dual) ‘of copper and silver’
शतात्from a hundred; beyond one hundred (as a base measure)
शतात्:
TypeNoun/Number
Rootशत
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; (ablative)
उपरिabove; over; beyond
उपरि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउपरि
Formअव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/क्रियाविशेषण)
वेध्धारःpiercers; testers/assayers (lit. those who pierce)
वेध्धारः:
TypeNoun (agent)
Root√व्यध्
Formकर्तृवाचक-नाम (धातुजन्य); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; (वेध्धार = वेधनकर्तारः)
Entities Mentioned
C
copperS
silverA
assay substance (veddhāra)FAQs
Because it is low-cost, repeatable, and deployable in remote sites—supporting quick screening before committing state labour, guards, and smelting capacity.