Sutra 16

Devanagari script

ततः शुल्बकाकण्युत्तरापसारिता आचतुःसीमान्तादिति षोडश वर्णकाः ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१६ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ śulbakākaṇyuttarāpasāritā ācatuḥsīmāntāditi ṣoḍaśa varṇakāḥ

Translation

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.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter; from that point
• Type: Pronoun (Adverbial use)
• Root: तद्
• Form: ablative singular (neuter) of demonstrative pronoun तद्; used adverbially = 'thereafter/from that point'

• शुल्बकाकण्युत्तरापसारिता: (the line/measure) shifted/offset by (the units) śulba, kākaṇī, and uttara
• Type: Participle (Adjectival)
• Root: अप-सृ (सृ)
• Form: feminine nominative singular; past passive participle in -ता (apāsāritā = 'having been moved/shifted away'); compound qualifies an implied feminine noun (e.g., रेखा/सीमा/मापरेखा)

• आ: towards; completely (as verbal prefix)
• Type: Particle/Preverb
• Root: आ (upasarga)
• Form: preverb/particle used with verb; here with √चि in perfect/dual

• चतुःसीमान्तात्: from the end/corner of the four boundaries
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: सीमा + अन्त
• Form: ablative singular; from चतुर् + सीमा-अन्त = 'end of four boundaries'; sandhi: चतुर् + सीमा → चतुःसीमा; अन्तात् = ablative of अन्त

• इति: thus; as stated
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: quotative/marker of citation; closes the stated rule/phrase

• षोडश: sixteen
• Type: Numeral
• Root: षोडश
• Form: indeclinable/nominal numeral used attributively

• वर्णकाः: varṇakas; (here) sixteen units/categories
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्णक
• Form: masculine nominative plural

Entities Mentioned

• śulbaka
• kākaṇī
• varṇaka

More Details

FAQs

What is the administrative purpose of defining multiple ‘varṇaka’ grades?

To create enforceable quality categories for inspection, pricing, taxation, and prosecution of adulteration in gold transactions.

Why are monetary/weight benchmarks like kākaṇī invoked?

They function as standardized reference points so state officers and merchants can align valuation and detect manipulation.