Sutra 17

Devanagari script

इक्षुरसगुडमधुफाणितजाम्बवपनसानामन्यतमो मेषशृङ्गीपिप्पलीक्वाथाभिषुतो मासिकः षाण्मासिकः सांवत्सरिको वा चिद्भिटोर्वारुकेक्षुकाण्डाम्रफलामलकावसुतः शुद्धो वा शुक्तवर्गः ॥ कZ_०२.१५.१७ ॥

Transliteration

ikṣurasaguḍamadhuphāṇitajāmbavapanasānām anyatamo meṣaśṛṅgīpippalīkvāthābhiṣuto māsikaḥ ṣāṇmāsikaḥ sāṃvatsariko vā cidbhiṭorvārukekṣukāṇḍāmraphalāmalakāvasutaḥ śuddho vā śuktavargaḥ

Translation

The “sour/fermented” group (śukta-varga) comprises: fermented liquor prepared from any of sugarcane juice, jaggery, honey, molasses, jambu, or jackfruit; infused with decoctions of meṣaśṛṅgī and pippalī; matured for one month, six months, or one year; as well as vinegar/sour ferment derived from cidbhiṭa, vāruka, sugarcane stalk, mango fruit, āmalaka, or from pure fermentation.

Word by Word

इक्षुरसsugarcane juice

गुडjaggery

मधुhoney

फाणितmolasses/treacle (thick sugarcane syrup)

जाम्बवjamun (Syzygium cumini) product/juice

पनसानाम्jackfruit (of jackfruit)

अन्यतमःany one (of these)

मेषशृङ्गीmeshaśṛṅgī (a medicinal plant)

पिप्पलीlong pepper

क्वाथdecoction

अभिषुतःpressed out / extracted

मासिकःone-month (aged/fermented)

षाण्मासिकःsix-month (aged/fermented)

सांवत्सरिकःone-year (aged/fermented)

वाor

चिद्भिटोःcidbhiṭu (a named ferment/drink ingredient; textually uncertain)

वारुकvāruka (a melon/gourd-type fruit)

इक्षुकाण्डsugarcane stalk

आम्रफलmango fruit

आमलकamla (Indian gooseberry)

अवसुतःdrained/exuded/extracted

शुद्धःpure/clean

वाor

शुक्तवर्गःthe class/group of sour ferments (vinegar-type)

Entities Mentioned

state storehouse officials

provisions/ferments

medicinal additives (meṣaśṛṅgī, pippalī)

FAQs

Why does Kauṭilya list ingredients and maturation periods for śukta?

To standardize procurement, storage, and inspection: the state can classify items, price them, and verify quality by defined inputs and aging duration.