Page Text
________________
TESHUB OR RESHUB : THE ARHAT
V. G. Nair
According to literary evidence available from the Jain and Buddhist scriptures, the Vaiśyās during the time of Lord Mahavira had extensive traderelations not only with many parts of India but also with many foreign countries. These seths were mostly Jains.
Trade and commerce had been the traditional profession of Jains hailing from Gujrāt, Rājasthan, Saurastra, Mewad and other parts of Northern and central India from hoary antiquity to this day. In the same way, southern India consisting of the Andhras, Kalingas, Cheras pandyās and Cholas carried on overseas trade with many foreign countries.
The Tamils were great founders of Kingdoms in Malāyā, Burmā and Indo-china. Dr. Mazumdar has declared the. Greater India beyond the seas is the creation of south Indians. In Africā, Burmā, Malāyā, Ceylon, zanzibār, Ugandā, Mauratius and many other lands of South East Asia, the achivements of Indian labourers, religious missionaries, architects and artisans are unparralelled in the history of mankind.
In the 6th century BC, there were some notable commercial ates in Magadha, Kāsi, Kosala, and south India. They were
ated for their extensive overseas trade and fabulous wealth. Trading vessels of Rome, Greece, China, Japan, Indonesia, Korea, Egypt and Far Eastern countries arrived at the seaports of Kerala, Tamilnadu Āndhra, Bengal, Kalinga and Mahārastra bringing valuable merchandise from Assian and European countries in exchange for Indian products like pearls, pepper, precious stones, ivory, silk, spices, timber, muslin coottn frabrics, indigo and aromatics.
All these were precious commodities and novelties in Rome, Greece and many Asian countries. The pearls of South India fetched fabulous price in Rome where aristocratic ladies found them indispensable for making ornaments.
The income to India from Rome alone amounted to millions of gold coins almost every year. According to the Natural History of pliny, Julius Caesar presented Servilia, the mother of Brutus, with a
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
| SR No. | 524568 |
| Book Title | Tulsi Prajna 1991 10 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Parmeshwar Solanki |
| Publisher | Jain Vishva Bharati |
| Publication Year | 1991 |
| Total Pages | 118 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Classification | Magazine, India_Tulsi Prajna, & India |
| File Size | 6 MB |