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
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).
Word by Word
समरागलेखम्a uniformly coloured written mark/line
समरागलेखम्:
TypeNoun
Rootलेख
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; सम-राग-लेख (समः रागः यस्य सः लेखः)
अनिम्नोन्नतेon a surface that is neither hollowed nor raised (i.e., even)
अनिम्नोन्नते:
TypeAdjective
Rootनिम्न/उन्नत
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी; अ-निम्न-उन्नत = न निम्नं न उन्नतं (neither depressed nor raised)
देशेin/at a place; on a surface/spot
देशे:
TypeNoun
Rootदेश
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी
निकषितम्rubbed/tested (by rubbing)
निकषितम्:
TypeParticiple
Rootकष् (कषति)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; नि-√कष् + क्त = rubbed/scraped/tested on a touchstone
परिमृदितम्thoroughly rubbed/smoothed
परिमृदितम्:
TypeParticiple
Rootमृद् (मृद्नाति/मर्दति)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; परि-√मृद् = thoroughly rubbed/smoothed
परिलीढम्licked over
परिलीढम्:
TypeParticiple
Rootलिह् (लेढि)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; परि-√लिह् = licked over/licked all around
नखान्तरात्from the space under the fingernail
नखान्तरात्:
TypeNoun
Rootनख + अन्तर
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, पञ्चमी; नखस्य अन्तरम् = space under/within the nail
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)
गैरिकेणwith red ochre
गैरिकेण:
TypeNoun
Rootगैरिक
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया
अवचूर्णितम्powdered over / dusted
अवचूर्णितम्:
TypeParticiple
Rootचूर्ण् (चूर्णयति)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; अव-√चूर्ण् = powdered over/sprinkled with powder
उपधिम्fraud/deception; (here) a forged/adulterated trick/defect
उपधिम्:
TypeNoun
Rootउपधि
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया
विद्यात्one should recognize/know
विद्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (वेद/विन्दति)
Formलोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √विद् = should know/should recognize
Entities Mentioned
N
nikaṣaU
upadhiG
gairikaFAQs
To control the test environment: uneven surfaces can distort the streak and create false positives/negatives in adjudicating fraud.
It operationalizes enforcement: officers can justify seizure/penalty using observable criteria rather than discretionary opinion.