Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

SR No.: 001609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 566
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Story, Literature, & Culture
File Size: 16 MB

Page 139

120
YAŠASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
the mart (penthästhāna) was furnished with tents containing many compartments and large stores of merchandise, with stalls for cattle nearby. Water, fodder and fire-wood were easily available, and the establishment covered an area of about four miles. It was closely guarded by troops, and protected by moats, gates, walls and ramparts, and had avenues with arrangements for water-supply, eating houses, assembly halls, and warehouses for different classes of commodities. Gamblers, whoremongers, jesters and dancing masters were excluded from the precincts of the mart. Here merchants from many countries were allowed to carry on their business, the rates of toll and rent being extremely moderate. The mart maintained by Śrībhūti seems to be entirely a private organisation, but in Nītivākyāmrta 19. 21 Somadeva speaks of pinthā (sic) as a state organisation, and observes that a mart * maintained with justice' is a source of endless profits to the king. The commentary on the latter work explains pintha as sulkasthāna, and quotes a verse from Sukra to the effect that toll should not be realised at excessive rates, and whatever is stolen by thieves from the mart should be restored to the merchants by the king from his own treasury. The pintha is described in Nītivākyämrta as panyaputabhedini, explained in the commentary as containing diverse places for storing commodities," and it seems to have had an elaborate organisation, to judge from the description in Yasastilaka. The granting of proper facilities and protection to merchants was the chief aim of these emporiums, which were also an important source of revenue to the state.
References to the fine arts are few and far between in our work. An interesting statuary group is presented in the description of the Pavilion of mechanical showers in Book III. The account of the Jaina temple in Book V is chiefly remarkable for its paintings, of which two categories are mentioned. Firstly, there are portraits of wellknown figures of Jaina legend and mythology, viz. Bāhubali the warrior saint, Pradyumna whose austerities
1 'स किल श्रीभूतिविश्वासरसनिर्विघ्नतया परोपकारनिघ्नतया च विभक्तानेकापवरकरचनाशालिनीभिर्महाभाण्डवाहिनीभिर्गो
शालोपशल्याभिः कुल्याभिः समन्वितम्, अतिसुलभजलयवसेन्धनप्रचारम्, भण्डनारम्भोद्भटभरीरपेटकपक्षरक्षासारम् , गोरुतप्रमाणं वप्रप्राकारप्रतोलिपरिखापरिसूत्रितत्राणं प्रपासत्रसभासनाथवीथिनिवेशनं पण्यपुटभेदनं विदूरित कितवविटविदूषकपीठमर्दावस्थानं पेण्ठास्थानं विनिर्माप्य नानादिग्देशोपसर्पणयुजां वणिजां प्रशान्तशुल्कभाटकभागहारव्यवहारमचीकरत् ।
p. 345. 2 Tant quagefrit fast trai rag'. 3 तथा च शुक्रः-ग्राह्यं नैवाधिकं शुल्कं चौरैर्यच्चाहृतं भवेत् । पिण्ठायां मूभुजा देयं वणिजां तत् स्वकोशतः॥ 4 'पण्यानि वणिगजनानां कुंकुमहिंगुवत्रादीनि क्रयाणकानि तेषां पुटाः स्थानानि भिद्यन्ते यस्यां सा पण्यपुटभेदिनी।' 5 See Chap. II. 6 galantata faragot' p. 246. 7 Parceria algaffeat.