Early History of Orissa

SR No.: 006922
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Amarchand Mittal
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society
Publication Year: 1957
Total Pages: 506
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

Page 131

106
AN EARLY HISTORY OF ORISSA
place, Kalinga finds a reference as one of the countries which produced the best type of elephants. Kautilya mentions that a touch-stone meant for testing the purity of gold, silver etc., should be soft and of shining splendour, and the touch-stone of the Kalinga country, with the colour of green beans, is the best.” He further states that the root Kālingaka is poisonous, just as snakes and worms kept in pots are the group of poison. Commentator tells us that Kālingaka was a product of the country of Kalinga and was like barley in shape. The Arthaśāstra goes on to record the production of the best type of cotton fabric (Karpasika) which was imported from Madura, Aparāiita, Kalinga, Kāśi, Vanga, Vatsa and Mahisa.This feature of Kalinga is borne out by Tamil word “kalingam' for cotton cloth, which probably had the original significance of cotton cloth of a particular kind and later on extended as a general name for all cotton stuff. The Indravānaka hill in the Kalinga country was famous for yielding the best type of diamonds.
1. “Kalināñga gajā freshthā prāchyāścbedikarūs jāḥ
Daśārņāschäparāntascha dvīpānām madhyamā matāḥ Saurāshtrikāḥ pāñchanadāsteshām pratyavarāḥ smatāḥ Sarvesbām karmaņā vīrys javastejaścha vardhate"
(Kautilya, Bk II, Ch. II).
2. "Sakesgraḥ snigdho mridurbhājishņuscha nikasharägah Sreshtha Kalingakastāyīpāshāno vā mugdavarno nikashaḥ śreshthah"
(Kauțilya, Bk II, Ch. XII). 3, "Kālakūtavatsanāmabālāhalameshasbțingamustākushpamabāvish.
avellitakagaurārdrabālakarmākatabaimavatakālingakadāradakānkolas ārakoshtrakādivi vishāņi sarpāḥ kītāscha ta ova kumbhogatāḥ visbavargah"
(Kautilya, Bk II, Ch. XVII) 4. Qtd. Barnett--CHI, Vol. I, p. 601. 5. JBORS, III, 1922, p. 3. B, R. K. Mookerji, CGMT, 1952, p. 210.