Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 14 Sutra 23 - Arthashastra | Malay | Vedapath

Kautilya

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Sutra 23

Devanagari script

मूकमूषा पूतिकिट्टः करटुकमुखं नाली संदंशो जोङ्गनी सुवर्चिकालवणं तदेव सुवर्णमित्यपसारणमार्गाः ॥ कZ_०२.१४.२३ ॥

Transliteration

mūkamūṣā pūtikiṭṭaḥ karaṭukamukhaṃ nālī saṃdaṃśo joṅganī suvarcikālavaṇaṃ tadeva suvarṇam ity apasāraṇamārgāḥ

Translation

“Krukibel bisu”, sanga busuk, alat bermulut muncung (saluran keluar tersembunyi), tiub, penyepit, alat seakan sifon, dan garam “suvarcikā”—inilah jalan/kaedah yang dengannya (emas) dikeluarkan secara haram sementara masih diwakili sebagai “emas itu juga.”

Word by Word

मूकमूषाa ‘mute’/sealed crucible (a kind of crucible used in metallurgical operations)

पूतिकिट्टःfoul slag/dross (impure scum from metal)

करटुकमुखम्the mouth/opening of the karatuka (a named apparatus/implement)

नालीa tube/pipe (conduit)

संदंशःtongs/pincers

जोङ्गनीjoṅganī (a named implement used in removal/processing)

सुवर्चिकालवणम्suvarchikā-salt (a specific salt/alkaline substance used in metallurgy)

तत्that

एवindeed/only

सुवर्णम्gold

इतिthus/‘as’ (quotative)

अपसारणमार्गाःmethods/procedures of removal (i.e., ways of eliminating impurities)

Entities Mentioned

crucible

slag/dross

tube/pipe

tongs/forceps

salt/chemical additive

FAQs

What is Kautilya listing in this sutra?

A catalog of practical tools/chemical aids used to secretly draw off precious metal during refining/handling while outwardly claiming the output is unchanged.

What administrative intent does this serve?

To equip supervisors with a checklist of red-flags and inspection targets in state workshops (mint/refinery), reducing leakage of revenue-grade metals.