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Arthashastra

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आकर अध्यक्षः शुल्ब धातु शास्त्र रस पाक मणि रागज्ञस् तज्ज्ञ सखो वा तज् जात कर्म कर उपकरण सम्पन्नः किट्ट मूष अङ्गार भस्म लिङ्गं वा आकरं भूत पूर्वम् अभुत पूर्वं वा भूमि प्रस्तर रस धातुम् अत्यर्थ वर्ण गौरवम् उग्र गन्ध रसं परीक्षेत ॥

POSSESSED of the knowledge of the science dealing with copper and other minerals (Sulbádhátusástra), experienced in the art of distillation and condensation of mercury (rasapáka) and of testing gems, aided by experts in mineralogy and equipped with mining labourers and necessary instruments, the superintendent of mines shall examine mines which, on account of their containing mineral excrement (kitta), crucibles, charcoal, and ashes, may appear to have been once exploited or which may be newly discovered on plains or mountain-slopes possessing mineral ores, the richness of which can be ascertained by weight, depth of colour, piercing smell, and taste.

english translation

पर्वतानाम् अभिज्ञात उद्देशानां बिल गुह उपत्यक आलयन गूढ खातेष्व् अन्तः प्रस्यन्दिनो जम्बू चूत ताल फल पक्व हरिद्रा भेद गुड(गूड?) हरि ताल मनः शिला क्षौद्र हिङ्गुलुक पुण्डरीक शुक मयूर पत्त्र वर्णाः सवर्ण उदक ओषधि पर्यन्ताश् चिक्कणा विशदा भारिकाश् च रसाः काञ्चनिकाः ॥

Liquids which ooze out from pits, eaves, slopes, or deep excavations of well-known mountains; which have the colour of the fruit of rose-apple (jambu), of mango, and of fanpalm; which are as yellow as ripe turmeric, sulphurate of arsenic (haritála), honeycomb, and vermilion; which are as resplendent as the petals of a lotus, or the feathers of a parrot or a peacock; which are adjacent to (any mass of) water or shrubs of similar colour.

english translation

अप्सु निष्ठ्यूतास् तैलवद् विसर्पिणः षङ्क मल ग्राहिणश् च ताम्र रूप्ययोः शताद् उपरि वेद्धारः ॥

and which are greasy (chikkana), transparent (visada), and very heavy are ores of gold (kánchanika). Likewise liquids which, when dropped on water, spread like oil to which dirt and filth adhere, and which amalgamate themselves more than cent per cent (satádupari veddhárah) with copper or silver.

english translation

तत् प्रतिरूपकम् उग्र गन्ध रसं शिला जतु विद्यात् ॥

Of similar appearance as the above (tatpratirúpakam), but of piercing smell and taste is Bitumen.

english translation

पीतकास् ताम्रकास् ताम्र पीतका वा भूमि प्रस्तर धातवो भिन्ना नील राजीवन्तो मुद्ग माष कृसर वर्णा वा दधि बिन्दु पिण्ड चित्रा हरिद्रा हरीतकी पद्म पत्त्र शैवल यकृत् प्लीह अनवद्य वर्णा भिन्नाश् चुञ्चु वालुक आलेखा बिन्दु स्वस्तिकवन्तः सुगुलिका अर्चिष्मन्तस् ताप्यमाना न भिद्यन्ते बहु फेन धूमाश् च सुवर्ण धातवः प्रतीवाप अर्थास् ताम्र रूप्य वेधनाः ॥

Those ores which are obtained from plains or slopes of mountains; which are either yellow or as red as copper or reddish yellow; which are disjoined and marked with blue lines; which have the colour of black beans (masha, Phraseolus Radiatus), green beans (mudga, Phraseolus Mungo), and sesamum; which are marked with spots like a drop of curd and resplendent as turmeric, yellow myrobalan, petals of a lotus, acquatic plant, the liver or the spleen; which possess a sandy layer within them and are marked with figures of a circle or a svastika; which contain globular masses (sagulika); and which, when roasted do not split, but emit much foam and smoke are the ores of gold (suvarnadhátavah), and are used to form amalgams with copper or silver (pratívápárthasté stámrarúpyavedharáh).

english translation