Sutra 17

Devanagari script

सुवर्णं पूर्वं निकष्य पश्चाद्वर्णिकां निकषयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१३.१७ ॥

Transliteration

suvarṇaṃ pūrvaṃ nikaṣya paścād varṇikāṃ nikaṣayet

Translation

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

Word by Word

• सुवर्णम्: gold
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (कर्म)

• पूर्वम्: first; beforehand
• Type: Adverb
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (काल/क्रम)

• निकष्य: having tested (by rubbing on a touchstone)
• Type: Verb (absolutive)
• Root: नि√कष्
• Form: क्त्वान्त (ल्यप्) अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having rubbed/tested (on a touchstone)’

• पश्चात्: afterwards; then
• Type: Adverb
• Root: पश्चात्
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (अनन्तर/क्रम)

• वर्णिकाम्: the colour-streak/assay mark (on the touchstone)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्णिका
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (कर्म)

• निकषयेत्: should test/assay (by rubbing)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√कष्
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense in usage: ‘should cause to be rubbed/tested’ / ‘should rub/test’

Entities Mentioned

• suvarṇa
• nikaṣa
• varṇikā

More Details

FAQs

Why is the gold rubbed first and the reference rubbed second?

It fixes the unknown sample’s streak first, then immediately compares it to a known standard under the same surface conditions—reducing dispute and manipulation.