Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 14 Sutra 25 - Arthashastra | French | Vedapath

Kautilya

Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 25

Devanagari script

पश्चाद्बन्धने आचितकपत्त्रपरीक्षायां वा रूप्यरूपेण परिवर्तनं विस्रावणम् पिण्डवालुकानां लोहपिण्डवालुकाभिर्वा ॥ कZ_०२.१४.२५ ॥

Transliteration

paścād bandhane ācitakapattraparīkṣāyāṃ vā rūpyarūpeṇa parivartanaṃ visrāvaṇam piṇḍavālukānāṃ lohapiṇḍavālukābhir vā

Translation

Ensuite—au stade du scellement/ligature, ou lors de l’inspection de feuilles métalliques superposées—il y a substitution en donnant l’apparence de l’argent; et il y a écoulement/fuite en remplaçant les boulettes de sable par des boulettes de fer (ou des mottes de sable ferrugineux).

Word by Word

पश्चात्afterwards; thereafter

बन्धनेin confinement; in custody

आचितकपत्त्रपरीक्षायाम्in the examination using coated leaves (a particular assay/test)

वाor

रूप्यwith silver; by means of silver

अरूपेणwith non-silver; with an inferior/other metal

परिवर्तनम्exchange; substitution

विस्रावणम्draining; causing to flow out

पिण्डवालुकानाम्of lumps and sand (granules)

लोहपिण्डवालुकाभिःby/with iron lumps and sand (granules)

वाor

Entities Mentioned

silver appearance

metal leaf stacks

sand pellets

iron pellets

FAQs

What is the governance risk highlighted here?

Fraud can occur not only in melting but also during sealing and even during ‘inspection’ itself—i.e., at handoff points and audit rituals.

What control principle does Kautilya anticipate?

Segregation of duties and secure sealing protocols, because fraud clusters at transitions (binding, verification, packaging).