Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 18
Devanagari script
तुलाविषममपसारणं विस्रावणं पेटकः पिङ्कश्चेति हरणोपायाः ॥ कZ_०२.१४.१८ ॥
Transliteration
tulāviṣamamapasāraṇaṃ visrāvaṇaṃ peṭakaḥ piṅkaśceti haraṇopāyāḥ
Translation
Los medios de sustracción incluyen: el desequilibrio/manipulación de la balanza, el desvío/retiro (de parte de la mercancía), la fuga/drenaje, el truco de la «caja» (peṭaka) y el truco «piṅka»; estos son métodos de llevarse (lo ajeno).
Word by Word
तुलाa balance (weighing scale)
तुला:
TypeNoun
Rootतुला
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (नाम; ‘तुला’ = weighing balance)
विषमम्unequal(ly), made uneven
विषमम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootविषम
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘अपसारणम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
अपसारणम्removal/withdrawing (as a method of fraud)
अपसारणम्:
TypeNoun (action noun)
Rootअप-सृ (सृ)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; धातु-निर्मितं भाव/क्रियानाम (अपसारण = removing/withdrawing)
विस्रावणम्causing to leak/drain off
विस्रावणम्:
TypeNoun (action noun)
Rootवि-स्रु (स्रु)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; भाव/क्रियानाम
पेटकःa ‘peṭaka’ (a theft device/container)
पेटकः:
TypeNoun
Rootपेटक
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन
पिङ्कःa ‘piṅka’ (a specific theft trick/device)
पिङ्कः:
TypeNoun
Rootपिङ्क
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय
इतिthus (indicating enumeration)
इति:
TypeParticle
Rootइति
Formउद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक अव्यय; सूची-समापन
हरणोपायाःmethods of theft
हरणोपायाः:
TypeNoun
Rootउपाय (with हरण)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; समासः: हरणस्य उपायाः
Entities Mentioned
T
traders/operators using scalesI
inspectors (implied)FAQs
It standardizes what inspectors look for and reduces discretion-based enforcement by giving concrete red flags.