Adhyaya 13

Sutra 1

सुवर्णाध्यक्षः सुवर्णरजतकर्मान्तानामसम्बन्धावेशनचतुःशालामेकद्वारामक्षशालां कारयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.०१ ॥

The Superintendent of Gold shall establish a mint/assay workshop for gold and silver operations—arranged as separate, non-communicating work areas (a four-court/workshop complex) with a single gate of entry/exit.

Sutra 2

विशिखामध्ये सौवर्णिकं शिल्पवन्तमभिजातं प्रात्ययिकं च स्थापयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.०२ ॥

At the central work-station, he shall appoint a goldsmith who is technically skilled, of reputable standing, and trustworthy (bonded/credentialed).

Sutra 3

जाम्बूनदं शातकुम्भं हाटकं वैणवं शृङ्गशुक्तिजं जातरूपं रसविद्धमाकरोद्गतं च सुवर्णम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.०३ ॥

Gold is classified as: jāmbūnada, śātakumbha, hāṭaka, vaiṇava, that obtained from horn and shell (śṛṅga-śuktija), naturally occurring gold (jātarūpa), gold refined/treated by chemical processes (rasa-viddha), and gold produced from mines (ākaro-dgata).

Sutra 4

किञ्जल्कवर्णं मृदु स्निग्धमनादि भ्राजिष्णु च श्रेष्ठम् रक्तपीतकं मध्यमम् रक्तमवरम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.०४ ॥

Gold that is pollen-colored, soft, smooth/oily in lustre, free from flaws, and brilliant is of the best grade; reddish-yellow is of medium grade; reddish is of inferior grade.

Sutra 5

श्रेष्ठानां पाण्डु श्वेतं चाप्राप्तकम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.०५ ॥

For the best grade, pale or whitish coloration is unacceptable (it indicates deficiency/impurity).

Sutra 6

तद् येनाप्राप्तकं तच्चतुर्गुणेन सीसेन शोधयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.०६ ॥

That (metal/ore) which is ‘not properly obtained’ (i.e., fails to yield correctly) should be refined by using lead in fourfold proportion.

Sutra 7

सीसान्वयेन भिद्यमानं शुष्कपटलैर्ध्मापयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.०७ ॥

If it cracks due to admixture/association with lead, it should be blown/heated with dry coverings (dry layers) to restore proper working.

Sutra 8

रूक्षत्वाद्भिद्यमानं तैलगोमये निषेचयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.०८ ॥

If it cracks due to dryness/brittleness, it should be quenched/treated with oil and cow-dung.

Sutra 9

आकरोद्गतं सीसान्वयेन भिद्यमानं पाकपत्त्राणि कृत्वा गण्डिकासु कुट्टयेत्कदलीवज्रकन्दकल्के वा निषेचयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.०९ ॥

Ore coming from the mine that cracks because of lead-mixture should be made into thin roasting-plates, then pounded into pellets/lumps; or it should be treated (quenched) in a paste of banana (kadalī) and vajrakanda.

Sutra 10

तुत्थोद्गतं गौडिकं काम्बुकं चाक्रवालिकं च रूप्यम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१० ॥

Silver is (of kinds such as) that arising from tuttha, the gauḍika type, the kāmbuka type, and the ākravālika type.

Sutra 11

श्वेतं स्निग्धं मृदु च श्रेष्ठम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.११ ॥

The best (silver) is white, lustrous/unctuous, and soft (malleable).

Sutra 12

विपर्यये स्फोटनं च दुष्टम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१२ ॥

Conversely (if these qualities are reversed), and if it blisters/pops, it is defective.

Sutra 13

तत्सीसचतुर्भागेन शोधयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१३ ॥

It should be refined using lead equal to one-fourth (of its quantity).

Sutra 14

उद्गतचूलिकमच्छं भ्राजिष्णु दधिवर्णं च शुद्धम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१४ ॥

Purified (silver) shows an emerged crest/bead, is clear, shining, and has the color of curd (milk-white).

Sutra 15

शुद्धस्यैको हारिद्रस्य सुवर्णो वर्णकः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१५ ॥

For the purified (metal), a single (standard) ‘hāridra’ coloring is used; gold is the color-reference/finishing agent.

Sutra 16

ततः शुल्बकाकण्युत्तरापसारिता आचतुःसीमान्तादिति षोडश वर्णकाः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१६ ॥

Thereafter are the gradations called: ‘from the copper-standard up to the kākaṇī-standard’, and ‘from (that) onward up to the four-boundary limit’—thus, sixteen colour/assay grades (varṇaka-s) are recognized.

Sutra 17

सुवर्णं पूर्वं निकष्य पश्चाद्वर्णिकां निकषयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१७ ॥

First rub the gold on the touchstone; afterwards rub the reference colour-standard (varṇikā) on it (for comparison).

Sutra 18

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

If the streak appears uniformly coloured, yet—when tested on a spot that is neither raised nor hollow—it becomes smeared, dragged off, can be scraped into the nail-groove, or shows an ochre-like powdering, one should recognize it as adulteration (upadhi).

Sutra 19

जातिहिङ्गुलुकेन पुष्पकासीसेन वा गोमूत्रभावितेन दिग्धेनाग्रहस्तेन संस्पृष्टं सुवर्णं श्वेतीभवति ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१९ ॥

Gold, when touched with the forehand/fingertips smeared with purified cinnabar (hiṅguluka) or with ‘flower’ vitriol (puṣpa-kāsīsa), prepared/activated with cow’s urine, turns whitish (indicating improper composition/treatment).

Sutra 20

सकेसरः स्निग्धो मृदुर्भाजिष्णुश्च निकषरागः श्रेष्ठः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.२० ॥

The best touchstone colour/streak is one that is pollen-like (rich), glossy, soft, and lustrous.

Sutra 21

कालिङ्गकस्तापीपाषाणो वा मुद्गवर्णो निकषः श्रेष्ठः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.२१ ॥

A Kāliṅga-type stone or a Tāpi-stone—mung-bean coloured—is the best touchstone.

Sutra 22

समरागी विक्रयक्रयहितः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.२२ ॥

A uniformly coloured streak is suitable for both selling and buying transactions.

Sutra 23

हस्तिच्छविकः सहरितः प्रतिरागी विक्रयहितः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.२३ ॥

A streak of ‘elephant-hide’ hue, slightly greenish, with a counter-tint (pratirāga), is suitable for selling.

Sutra 24

स्थिरः परुषो विषमवर्णश्चाप्रतिरागी क्रयहितः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.२४ ॥

A streak that is stable, rough, uneven in colour, and lacking counter-tint is suitable for buying (i.e., warrants purchase-side caution/discount).

Sutra 25

छेदश्चिक्कणः समवर्णः श्लक्ष्णो मृदुर्भाजिष्णुश्च श्रेष्ठः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.२५ ॥

The best specimen is one whose cut surface is smooth and glossy, of uniform colour, fine-textured, soft, and lustrous.

Sutra 26

तापो बहिरन्तश्च समः किञ्जल्कवर्णः कुरण्डकपुष्पवर्णो वा श्रेष्ठः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.२६ ॥

Gold is best when the heating/assay effect is uniform on the outside and inside, and when its colour is like pollen (golden-yellow) or like the kuraṇḍaka flower.

Sutra 27

श्यावो नीलश्चाप्राप्तकः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.२७ ॥

If it is dark-brown or bluish, it is unacceptable (not to be received).

Sutra 28

तुलाप्रतिमानं पौतवाध्यक्षे वक्ष्यामः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.२८ ॥

The standard balances and counter-weights will be explained under the Superintendent of Weights and Measures (Pautavādhyakṣa).

Sutra 29

तेनोपदेशेन रूप्यसुवर्णं दद्यादाददीत च ॥ कZ_०२.१३.२९ ॥

In accordance with that instruction (standard), one should issue and also receive silver and gold.

Sutra 30

अक्षशालामनायुक्तो नोपगच्छेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.३० ॥

No one who is not officially appointed/authorized shall enter the gaming house.

Sutra 31

अभिगच्छन्नुच्छेद्यः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.३१ ॥

One who attempts to enter (despite the prohibition) is to be expelled/removed (suppressed).

Sutra 32

आयुक्तो वा सरूप्यसुवर्णस्तेनैव जीयेत ॥ कZ_०२.१३.३२ ॥

Or an appointed (authorized) person, carrying silver and gold, may play and be made to lose only with that very stake.

Sutra 33

विचितवस्त्रहस्तगुह्याः काञ्चनपृषतत्वष्टृतपनीयकारवो ध्मायकचरकपांसुधावकाः प्रविशेयुर्निष्कसेयुश्च ॥ कZ_०२.१३.३३ ॥

Gold-workers—those who handle speckled gold, goldsmiths, makers of tapana (refined gold), furnace-blowers, rollers/drawers, dust-washers—shall enter and exit only after being searched (their clothing, hands, and concealed places).

Sutra 34

सर्वं चैषामुपकरणमनिष्ठिताश्च प्रयोगास्तत्रैवावतिष्ठेरन् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.३४ ॥

All their tools/equipment, and any unfinished work-processes, shall remain there itself (on-site).

Sutra 35

गृहीतं सुवर्णं धृतं च प्रयोगं करणमध्ये दद्यात् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.३५ ॥

The gold received, and the work-product/operation retained (recorded/held), shall be deposited in the office (among the records/administrative custody).

Sutra 36

सायं प्रातश्च लक्षितं कर्तृकारयितृमुद्राभ्यां निदध्यात् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.३६ ॥

In the evening and again in the morning, he should deposit (the work/material) after marking it with the seals of both the maker and the commissioning authority.

Sutra 37

क्षेपणो गुणः क्षुद्रकमिति कर्माणि ॥ कZ_०२.१३.३७ ॥

The (defective/deceptive) operations are termed: “kṣepaṇa”, “guṇa”, and “kṣudraka”.

Sutra 38

क्षेपणः काचार्पणादीनि ॥ कZ_०२.१३.३८ ॥

“Kṣepaṇa” consists of practices such as the insertion/addition of glass (and similar substitutions).

Sutra 39

गुणः सूत्रवानादीनि ॥ कZ_०२.१३.३९ ॥

“Guṇa” includes practices such as (work done) with thread/wire and similar techniques.

Sutra 40

घनं सुषिरं पृषतादियुक्तं क्षुद्रकमिति ॥ कZ_०२.१३.४० ॥

Work that is solid, or hollow, or fitted with speckled/patch-like additions (and the like) is termed “kṣudraka” (inferior/cheapened work).

Sutra 41

अर्पयेत्काचकर्मणः पञ्चभागं काञ्चनं दशभागं कटुमानम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.४१ ॥

For glass-work, he should allot: five parts of gold, and ten parts of the “kaṭu” measure (as the prescribed additive proportion).

Sutra 42

ताम्रपादयुक्तं रूप्यं रूप्यपादयुक्तं वा सुवर्णं संस्कृतकम् तस्माद् रक्षेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.४२ ॥

Silver fitted with copper feet, or gold fitted with silver feet, is a “worked/treated” (composite) item; therefore it should be safeguarded (carefully controlled against fraud).

Sutra 43

पृषतकाचकर्मणः त्रयो हि भागाः परिभाण्डं द्वौ वास्तुकं चत्वारो वा वास्तुकं त्रयः परिभाण्डम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.४३ ॥

For speckled/patch-work glass production: (one standard is) three parts for “paribhāṇḍa” and two parts for “vāstuka”; alternatively, four parts for “vāstuka” and three parts for “paribhāṇḍa”.

Sutra 44

त्वष्टृकर्मणः शुल्बभाण्डं समसुवर्णेन सम्यूहयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.४४ ॥

In the smith’s work, a copper vessel should be compounded/finished using an equal measure of gold (as the prescribed standard).

Sutra 45

रूप्यभाण्डं घनं सुषिरं वा सुवर्णार्धेनावलेपयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.४५ ॥

A silver vessel—whether solid or hollow—should be overlaid (gilded) using half (a measure) of gold.

Sutra 46

चतुर्भागसुवर्णं वा वालुकाहिङ्गुलुकस्य रसेन चूर्णेन वा वासयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.४६ ॥

He should steep/impregnate one-fourth part of gold with the juice (extract) or the powder of vālukā-hiṅgula (a cinnabar-like mineral preparation).

Sutra 47

तपनीयं ज्येष्ठं सुवर्णं सुरागं समसीसातिक्रान्तं पाकपत्त्रपक्वं सैन्धविकयोज्ज्वालितं नीलपीतश्वेतहरितशुकपत्त्रवर्णानां प्रकृतिर्भवति ॥ कZ_०२.१३.४७ ॥

‘Tapanīya’, the superior (jyeṣṭha) gold—well-coloured, processed beyond (the stage involving) equal lead, matured by heating in thin layers (pākapattrapakva), and fired with a saindhavika additive—yields the natural basis for colours such as blue, yellow, white, green, and the hue of parrot-feather.

Sutra 48

तीक्ष्णं चास्य मयूरग्रीवाभं श्वेतभङ्गं चिमिचिमायितं पीतचूर्णितं काकणिकः सुवर्णरागः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.४८ ॥

This ‘gold-colour’ (suvarṇarāga) preparation is sharp/strong; it shows a peacock-neck sheen, breaks with a whitish fracture, crackles/sparkles (cimicimāyita), and when powdered appears yellow; it is of the kākaṇika grade/type.

Sutra 49

तारमुपशुद्धं वा अस्थितुत्थे चतुः समसीसे चतुः शुष्कतुत्थे चतुः कपाले त्रिर्गोमये द्विरेवं सप्तदशतुत्थातिक्रान्तं सैन्धविकयोज्ज्वालितम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.४९ ॥

Silver (tāra), or partially purified silver, should be processed: four (times/parts) with bone-tuttha, four with equal lead, four with dry tuttha; (then fired) in a crucible/pot (kapāla) three times, in cow-dung fuel twice—thus, after surpassing seventeen tuttha-treatments, it is fired with a saindhavika additive.

Sutra 50

एतस्मात्काकण्युत्तरमाद्विमाषादिति सुवर्णे देयम् पश्चाद् रागयोगः श्वेततारं भवति ॥ कZ_०२.१३.५० ॥

From this (preparation), the amount to be given for gold is: from one kākaṇī upwards, up to two māṣas. Thereafter, by applying the colouring-mixture (rāga-yoga), the silver becomes white/bright.

Sutra 51

त्रयोऽंशास्तपनीयस्य द्वात्रिंशद्भागश्वेततारमूर्च्छिताः तत् श्वेतलोहितकं भवति ॥ कZ_०२.१३.५१ ॥

Three parts of refined gold (tapanīya), combined (mūrcchita) with thirty-two parts of white silver, produce a pale red-white alloy/metal (śveta-lohitaka).

Sutra 52

ताम्रं पीतकं करोति ॥ कZ_०२.१३.५२ ॥

(This treatment) makes copper (tāmra) yellowish (pītaka).

Sutra 53

तपनीयमुज्ज्वाल्य रागत्रिभागं दद्यात्पीतरागं भवति ॥ कZ_०२.१३.५३ ॥

After firing refined gold (tapanīya), one should add three parts of the colouring mixture (rāga); it becomes yellow-lustred (pītarāga).

Sutra 54

श्वेततारभागौ द्वावेकस्तपनीयस्य मुद्गवर्णं करोति ॥ कZ_०२.१३.५४ ॥

Two parts of white silver (śveta-tāra) with one part of refined gold (tapanīya) make a ‘mudga-colour’ (a greenish gram-like hue).

Sutra 55

कालायसस्यार्धभागाभ्यक्तं कृष्णं भवति ॥ कZ_०२.१३.५५ ॥

When coated/treated with half a part of black iron (kālāyasa), it becomes black.

Sutra 56

प्रतिलेपिना रसेन द्विगुणाभ्यक्तं तपनीयं शुकपत्त्रवर्णं भवति ॥ कZ_०२.१३.५६ ॥

When fine gold (tapanīya) is coated twice with a plating/overlaying solution, it takes on the color of a parrot’s leaf (a bright greenish-gold sheen), serving as a test/marker of proper quality.

Sutra 57

तस्यारम्भे रागविशेषेषु प्रतिवर्णिकां गृह्णीयात् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.५७ ॥

At the outset, for each specific coloring/solution (rāga-viśeṣa), one should take a corresponding color-standard (prativarṇikā) as a reference.

Sutra 58

तीक्ष्णताम्रसंस्कारं च बुध्येत ॥ कZ_०२.१३.५८ ॥

One should also recognize (diagnose) the processing/treatment involving sharp/caustic agents and copper (tāmra-saṃskāra), i.e., signs of copper-based alteration.

Sutra 59

तस्माद्वज्रमणिमुक्ताप्रवालरूपाणामपनेयिमानं च रूप्यसुवर्णभाण्डबन्धप्रमाणानि च ॥ कZ_०२.१३.५९ ॥

Therefore, (the authority should fix) the ‘deductible/removable measure’ (apaneyimāna) for forms of diamond, gems, pearls, and coral, and also the standards for the bindings/settings and measures of silver and gold vessels.

Sutra 60

सुप्रमृष्टमसम्पीतं विभक्तं धारणे सुखम् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.६०च्द् ॥

It is well-polished, not excessively compacted/over-fused, properly separated/defined (in form), and comfortable/easy to handle or wear.

Sutra 61

मनोनेत्राभिरामं च तपनीयगुणाः स्मृताः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.६१च्द् ॥

These are remembered as the qualities of refined gold: it should delight both mind and eye.