Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 12 Sutra 8 - Arthashastra | French | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 8

Devanagari script

तेषामशुद्धा मूढगर्भा वा तीक्ष्णमूत्रक्षरभाविता राजवृक्षवटपीलुगोपित्तरोचनामहिषखरकरभमूत्रलेण्डपिण्डबद्धास्तत्प्रतीवापास्तदवलेपा वा विशुद्धाः स्रवन्ति ॥ कZ_०२.१२.०८ ॥

Transliteration

teṣāmaśuddhā mūḍhagarbhā vā tīkṣṇamūtrakṣarabhāvitā rājavṛkṣavaṭapīlugopittarocanāmahiṣakharakarabhamūtraleṇḍapiṇḍabaddhāstatpratīvāpāstadavalepā vā viśuddhāḥ sravanti

Translation

Les minerais/métaux impurs, ou ceux dont le « noyau est obtus/obstrué » (mūḍhagarbha), lorsqu’ils sont traités avec une urine forte et des agents alcalins, puis agglomérés en boulettes avec (des additifs tels que) rājavṛkṣa, vaṭa, pīlu, bile de vache, rocanā, ainsi que l’urine et la bouse de buffle, d’âne et de chameau—que ce soit comme ajout de fondant (pratīvāpa) ou comme enduit de surface (avalepa)—s’écoulent sous une forme purifiée.

Word by Word

तेषाम्of those (i.e., among those)

अशुद्धाःimpure

मूढगर्भाःhaving a defective/undeveloped core (improperly formed)

वाor

तीक्ष्णमूत्रक्षरभाविताःprocessed/impregnated with pungent urine-alkali (caustic)

राजवृक्षवटपीलुगोपित्तरोचनामहिषखरकरभमूत्रलेण्डपिण्डबद्धाःbound into pellets with a lump/bolus made of: rājavṛkṣa, vaṭa, pīlu, cow’s bile, rocanā, and the urine and dung of buffalo, donkey, and camel

तत्प्रतीवापाःtheir additive admixtures / secondary sprinklings

तदवलेपाःtheir coatings / smears (pastes)

वाor

विशुद्धाःpurified

स्रवन्तिthey flow/ooze

Entities Mentioned

kṣāra (alkali)

mūtra (urine)

pratīvāpa (flux/addition)

avalepa (coating)

rājavṛkṣa

vaṭa

pīlu

go-pitta (cow bile)

rocanā

mahiṣa (buffalo)

khara (donkey)

karabha (camel)

FAQs

Why does the text list many organic substances (urine, dung, bile, plant materials)?

As practical workshop inputs: they function as fluxes, reducing/cleaning agents, binders, or coatings that help separate slag/impurities so the metal ‘flows out’ cleanly.

What is the administrative logic behind specifying additives?

It standardizes state workshop recipes to ensure predictable output and to audit whether foremen follow prescribed methods (reducing waste and pilferage).