Kuvalayamala Part 2

SR No.: 002778
Original Sutra Author: Udyotansuri
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1970
Total Pages: 368
Language: Sanskrit, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 12 MB

Page 157

118
KUVALAYAMĀLĀ
seems to have been resounding with its fame during the 8th century, about 150 years after the visit of Yuan Chuang who found it in flourishing condition. The Kuvalayamālā describes Taksila with its deep mote (parikhā) and high city-walls and as a centre of Jainism where the Samavasarana of the first Tīrthamkara was being held.
Page 65.13 f.: This is a brilliant description of a Sārthavaha taking his caravan, or a trading expedition, from Taksila to Surpāraka which was the biggest sea-port. Here there are two motifs well-known from Gupta time, firstly, relating to the ardent desire (11.5 f.) of a young son of a rich merchant to earn wealth by his own diligence. His father at first dissuades him from undertaking the journey saying that there was wealth enough in his house to last for several generations, but, in the end, allows the young man to travel to foreign country for earning wealth. The second motif is the description of the caravan consisting of an army of horses and wheeled vehicles for transport of merchandise. In Surpäraka he sold away the excellent horses of the northern breed which he had brought with him and earned large profits thereby. At Surpāraka there was the merchant Bhaddaseṭṭhi whose wealth lasted for several generations, and there was also a guild of local merchants. It was their custom to hold a reception in honour of merchants from outside and to learn from them the country of their origin, the destination, field of trade, the nature, value and volume of commodity in which he is interested and all such matters relating to his business. It was the ancient and traditional custom of the great emporium city of Surpāraka which was also a flourishing sea-port for oceanic commerce with the western world. He was offered essence, betel leaf and perfume as a mark of honour.
An interesting record is preserved here (65.27 f.) of the conference of the merchants relating to the conditions of their trade. The topic was the countries visited and the goods brought on return journey. One said: 'I went to Kosala with a troop of horses. The king of the country gave one she-elephant-calf equal in value to my horses.' Another said: 'I went to Uttarapatha with a load of betel nuts, and I bought horses out of the earned money profits.' Another said: 'I went with pearls to the eastern country (probably Assam) and brought fly-whisks.' Another said: 'I went to Dvaravatī and brought conchshells from there.' Another said: 'I went to the coast of Barabaricum (a region along the sea-coast of Sindh) taking fabrics with me and brought superior pearls (probably of Persian gulf) and ivory (of African origin)." Another said: 'I went to Suvarṇa-dvipa (Sumatra) taking flowers of the Palaśa tree (Butea frondosa) and brought gold from there (contemporary with the Sailendra emperor of Sumatra and Java).' Another said: 'I went to China (Indo-China) and Mahācīna (great Chinese mainland) taking buffaloes and the naval dear and brought from there two kinds of fabrics named gangāpaṭṭa and netrapaṭṭa. This information is important; and Gangapaṭṭa seems to have been a special kind of silk manufactured for export to India which was here famous under the name of cīnāmsuka. It seems to have been white silk known in India as gamgājul. The other fabric known as Netrapaṭṭa is a colour-silk mentioned for the first time in the Raghuvamsa of Kālidāsa (7.39). Bāņa mentions Netra about 150 years