Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 13 Sutra 18 - Arthashastra | French | Vedapath

Kautilya

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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

Si la trace paraît uniformément colorée, mais—testée sur un point ni en relief ni creux—elle se barbouille, se tire/s’efface, ou peut être grattée jusque dans la rainure de l’ongle, ou présente un poudroiement semblable à l’ocre, il faut y reconnaître une adultération (upadhi).

Word by Word

समरागलेखम्a uniformly coloured written mark/line

अनिम्नोन्नतेon a surface that is neither hollowed nor raised (i.e., even)

देशेin/at a place; on a surface/spot

निकषितम्rubbed/tested (by rubbing)

परिमृदितम्thoroughly rubbed/smoothed

परिलीढम्licked over

नखान्तरात्from the space under the fingernail

वाor

गैरिकेणwith red ochre

अवचूर्णितम्powdered over / dusted

उपधिम्fraud/deception; (here) a forged/adulterated trick/defect

विद्यात्one should recognize/know

Entities Mentioned

nikaṣa

upadhi

gairika

FAQs

Why specify testing on a surface that is neither raised nor hollow?

To control the test environment: uneven surfaces can distort the streak and create false positives/negatives in adjudicating fraud.

What is the governance logic behind listing multiple physical indicators?

It operationalizes enforcement: officers can justify seizure/penalty using observable criteria rather than discretionary opinion.