Arthashastra

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अग्नेर् ज्वाला धूम नीलता शब्द स्फोटनं च विष युक्तस्य, वयसां विपत्तिश् च ॥

When the flame and the smoke turn blue and crackle, and when birds (that eat the oblation) die, presence of poison (in the dish) shall be inferred.

english translation

agner jvAlA dhUma nIlatA zabda sphoTanaM ca viSa yuktasya, vayasAM vipattiz ca ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

अन्नस्य ऊष्मा मयूर ग्रीव आभः शैत्यम् आशु क्लिष्टस्य इव वैवर्ण्यं स उदकत्वम् अक्लिन्नत्वं च ॥ व्यञ्जनानाम् आशु शुष्कत्वं च क्वाथ ध्याम फेन पटल विच्छिन्न भावो गन्ध स्पर्श रस वधश् च द्रवेषु हीन अतिरिक्तच् छाया दर्शनं फेन पटल सीमन्त ऊर्ध्व राजी दर्शनं च रसस्य मध्ये नीला राजी, पयसस् ताम्रा, मद्य तोययोः काली, दध्नः श्यामा, मधुनः श्वेता, द्रव्याणाम् आर्द्राणाम् आशु प्रम्लानत्वम् उत्पक्व भावः क्वाथ नील श्यावता च शुष्काणाम् आशु शातनं वैवर्ण्यं च, कठिनानां मृदुत्वं मृदूनां च कठिनत्वम्, तद् अभ्याशे क्षुद्र सत्त्व वधश् च, आस्तरण प्रवरणानां ध्याम मण्डलता तन्तुरोम पक्ष्म शातनं च, लोह मणिमयानां पङ्कम लोपदेहता स्नेह राग गौरव प्रभाव वर्ण स्पर्शवधश् च इति विषयुक्तस्य लिङ्गानि ॥

When the vapour arising from cooked rice possesses the colour of the neck of a peacock, and appears chill as if suddenly cooled, when vegetables possess an unnatural colour, and are watery and hardened, and appear to have suddenly turned dry, being possessed of broken layers of blackish foam, and being devoid of smell, touch and taste natural to them; when utensils reflect light either more or less than usual, and are covered with a layer of foam at their edges; when any liquid preparation possesses streaks on its surface; when milk bears a bluish streak in the centre of its surface; when liquor and water possess reddish streaks; when curd is marked with black and dark streaks, and honey with white streaks; when watery things appear parched as if overcooked and look blue and swollen; when dry things have shrinked and changed in their colour; when hard things appear soft, and soft things hard; when minute animalculæ die in the vicinity of the dishes; when carpets and curtains possess blackish circular spots, with their threads and hair fallen off; when metallic vessels set with gems appear tarnished as though by roasting, and have lost their polish, colour, shine, and softness of touch, presence of poison shall be inferred.

english translation

annasya USmA mayUra grIva AbhaH zaityam Azu kliSTasya iva vaivarNyaM sa udakatvam aklinnatvaM ca ॥ vyaJjanAnAm Azu zuSkatvaM ca kvAtha dhyAma phena paTala vicchinna bhAvo gandha sparza rasa vadhaz ca draveSu hIna atiriktac chAyA darzanaM phena paTala sImanta Urdhva rAjI darzanaM ca rasasya madhye nIlA rAjI, payasas tAmrA, madya toyayoH kAlI, dadhnaH zyAmA, madhunaH zvetA, dravyANAm ArdrANAm Azu pramlAnatvam utpakva bhAvaH kvAtha nIla zyAvatA ca zuSkANAm Azu zAtanaM vaivarNyaM ca, kaThinAnAM mRdutvaM mRdUnAM ca kaThinatvam, tad abhyAze kSudra sattva vadhaz ca, AstaraNa pravaraNAnAM dhyAma maNDalatA tanturoma pakSma zAtanaM ca, loha maNimayAnAM paGkama lopadehatA sneha rAga gaurava prabhAva varNa sparzavadhaz ca iti viSayuktasya liGgAni ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

विष प्रदस्य तु शुष्क श्याव वक्त्रता वाक् सङ्गः स्वेदो विजृम्भणं च अतिमात्रं वेपथुः प्रस्खलनं वाक्य विप्रेक्षणम् आवेगः कर्मणि स्व भूमौ च अनवस्थानम् इति ॥

As to the person who has administered poison, the marks are parched and dry mouth; hesitation in speaking; heavy perspiration; yawning; too much bodily tremour; frequent tumbling; evasion of speech; carelessness in work; and unwillingness to keep to the place assigned to him.

english translation

viSa pradasya tu zuSka zyAva vaktratA vAk saGgaH svedo vijRmbhaNaM ca atimAtraM vepathuH praskhalanaM vAkya viprekSaNam AvegaH karmaNi sva bhUmau ca anavasthAnam iti ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

तस्माद् अस्य जाङ्गुलीविदो भिषजश् च आसन्नाः स्युः ॥

Hence physicians and experts capable of detecting poison shall ever attend upon the king.

english translation

tasmAd asya jAGgulIvido bhiSajaz ca AsannAH syuH ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

भिषग् भैषज्य अगाराद् आस्वाद विशुद्धम् औषधं गृहीत्वा पाचक पेषकाभ्याम् आत्मना च प्रतिस्वाद्य राज्ञे प्रयच्छेत् ॥

Having taken out from the store-room of medicines that medicine the purity of which has been proved by experiment, and having himself together with the decoctioner and the purveyor (páchaka and póshaka) tasted it, the physician shall hand over the medicine to the king.

english translation

bhiSag bhaiSajya agArAd AsvAda vizuddham auSadhaM gRhItvA pAcaka peSakAbhyAm AtmanA ca pratisvAdya rAjJe prayacchet ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript