Public Administration in Ancient India c18.55

c18.55

(turpentine), the juice of saraja (vatica robusta), and lākshā (lac) combined with dungs of an ass, camel, sheep and goat are inflammable (agnidhāraṇa, i.e. such as keep fire). The mixture of the powder of priyāla (chironjia sapida), the charcoal of valguja (canyza, serratula, anthelmintea), madhū-chchhishta (wax), and the dung of a horse, ass, camel, and cow is an inflammable powder to be hurled against the enemy. The powder of all the metals as red as fire, or the mixture of the powder of kumbh (gemelia arborea), sīsa (lead), trapu (zinc), mixed with the charcoal powder of the flowers of pāribhadraka (deodar), palāśa (butea frondosa), and hair and with oil, wax, and turpentine, is also an inflammable powder.” Arthasāstra, Bk. XIII. ch. 4 (Shama Shastri’s trans.).