Sutra 33

Devanagari script

तासां मोरटापलाशपत्तूरमेषशृङ्गीकरञ्जक्षीरवृक्षकषायभावितं दग्धकटशर्कराचूर्णं लोघ्रचित्रकविलङ्गपाठामुस्ताकलिङ्गयवदारुहरिद्रेन्दीवरशतपुष्पापामार्गसप्तपर्णनिम्बास्फोतकल्कार्धयुक्तमन्तर्नखो मुष्टिः कुम्भीं राजपेयां प्रसादयति ॥ कZ_०२.२५.३३ ॥

Transliteration

tāsāṃ moraṭā-palāśa-pattūra-meṣaśṛṅgī-karañja-kṣīravṛkṣa-kaṣāya-bhāvitaṃ dagdha-kaṭaśarkarā-cūrṇaṃ loghra-citraka-vilaṅga-pāṭhā-mustā-kaliṅga-yava-dāru-haridrā-indīvara-śatapuṣpā-apāmārga-saptaparṇa-nimba-āsphota-kalkārdha-yuktam antarnakho muṣṭiḥ kumbhīṃ rājapeyāṃ prasādayati

Translation

Of these liquors, a fistful (muṣṭi) of burnt kaṭaśarkarā powder—impregnated with the decoction of moraṭā, palāśa, pattūra, meṣaśṛṅgī, karañja, and kṣīravṛkṣa, and mixed with half a portion of paste of lodhra, citraka, vilaṅga, pāṭhā, mustā, kaliṅga-yava, dāru, haridrā, indīvara, śatapuṣpā, apāmārga, saptaparṇa, nimba, and āsphota—clarifies a jar (kumbhī) of rājapeyā.

Word by Word

तासाम्of those (women)

मोरटापलाशपत्तूरमेषशृङ्गीकरञ्जक्षीरवृक्षकषायभावितम्(powder) impregnated/processed with the decoction of morata, palāśa, pattūra, meṣaśṛṅgī, karañja, and the milky-tree (latex-bearing tree)

दग्धकटशर्कराचूर्णम्powder of burnt kaṭa-śarkarā (burnt gravel/sugar-like mineral; ash/powder)

लोघ्रचित्रकविलङ्गपाठामुस्ताकलिङ्गयवदारुहरिद्रेन्दीवरशतपुष्पापामार्गसप्तपर्णनिम्बास्फोतकल्कार्धयुक्तम्mixed with half (a measure) of paste (kalka) of lodhra, citraka, vilaṅga, pāṭhā, mustā, kaliṅga-yava, dāru, haridrā, indīvara, śatapuṣpā, apāmārga, saptaparṇa, nimba, and asphoṭa

अन्तर्नखःwith the nails turned inward (a fist with nails inside)

मुष्टिःa fistful (a handful measure)

कुम्भीम्a pot/jar

राजपेयाम्royal gruel/drink (rājapeyā)

प्रसादयतिpurifies/clarifies; makes wholesome/settles (it)

Entities Mentioned

rājapeyā

kumbhī

muṣṭi

kaṭaśarkarā

moraṭā

palāśa

karañja

nimba

āsphota

FAQs

What does this long ‘clarifying’ recipe reveal about statecraft in Arthashastra?

Kauṭilya treats excise goods like regulated manufactures: he specifies corrective procedures to salvage batches, protect revenue, and maintain public-facing quality standards.