Arthashastra

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मुण्डो वा जटिलो वा स्थानिक व्यञ्जनः प्रभूत जटिल अन्ते वासी वस्त शोणित दिग्धां वेणु शलाकां सुवर्ण चूर्णेन अवलिप्य वल्मीके निदध्याद् उपजिह्विक अनुसरण अर्थम्, स्वर्ण नालिकां वा ॥

An ascetic, with shaved head or braided hair, and followed by a number of disciples with shaved heads or braided hair, and pretending to be aware of whatever is contained in the interior of the earth, may put in the interior of an ant-hill either a bamboo stick wound round with a piece of cloth drenched in blood and painted with gold dust, or a hollow golden tube into which a snake can enter and remain.

english translation

muNDo vA jaTilo vA sthAnika vyaJjanaH prabhUta jaTila ante vAsI vasta zoNita digdhAM veNu zalAkAM suvarNa cUrNena avalipya valmIke nidadhyAd upajihvika anusaraNa artham, svarNa nAlikAM vA ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

ततः सत्त्री राज्ञः कथयेत् "असौ सिद्धः पुष्पितं निधिं जानाति" इति ॥

One of the disciples may tell the king: "This ascetic can discover blooming treasure trove."

english translation

tataH sattrI rAjJaH kathayet "asau siddhaH puSpitaM nidhiM jAnAti" iti ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

स राज्ञा पृष्ठः "तथा" इति ब्रूयात्, तच् च अभिज्ञानं दर्शयेत्, भूयो वा हिरण्यम् अन्तर् आधाय ॥

When he asks the ascetic (as to the veracity of the statement), the latter should acknowledge it, and produce a confirmatory evidence (by pulling out the bamboo stick).

english translation

sa rAjJA pRSThaH "tathA" iti brUyAt, tac ca abhijJAnaM darzayet, bhUyo vA hiraNyam antar AdhAya ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

ब्रूयाच् च एनं "नाग रक्षितो अयं निधिः प्रणिपात साध्यः" इति ॥

or having kept some more gold in the interior of the ant-hill, the ascetic may tell the king: "This treasure trove is guarded by a snake and can possibly be taken out by performing necessary sacrifice.

english translation

brUyAc ca enaM "nAga rakSito ayaM nidhiH praNipAta sAdhyaH" iti ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

प्रतिपन्नं ब्रूयात् "सप्त रात्रम्" इति समानम् ॥

When the king agrees to do so, he may be requested to come and remain. . . (as before).

english translation

pratipannaM brUyAt "sapta rAtram" iti samAnam ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript