________________
WEALTH AND PROSPERITY OF KALINGA
361
riches of both Anga and Magadha. These are some very clear instances of obtaining war-booty on the part of Khāravela. And he carried out many more operations. There is hence nothing strange if he collected immense wealth during his various campaigns.
· Foreign trade was, also, a good source of income. We know from various sources about Kalinga coming into commercial contact with the Far Eastern countries. It is, however, not certain whether trade had already begun in the period under review, for there is little evidence at hand on this point. Economic Condition of the People
The Hāthigumphā inscription does not make any mention of the economic condition of the people during the period of the ruler in whose name it stands. It was certainly not the purpose of the composer of the inscription to do so, for it was meant to deal with the life and historicity of the ruler. Yet, there is much in it which gives a glinipse of the economic condition of the people.
The fact that the State treasury was always full, may indicate that the people regularly paid their shares of revenues and various taxes imposed by the State from time to time. It may, hence, b: inferred that the people produced enough and were not wanting in necessities of life. Secondly, among the group of caves at the Khandagiri-Udayagiri, some were got excavated and donated by people who were not officials and hence came from the public. This also gives an indication to the fact that the economic condition of the people was not bad. But the wealth and luxury of those days was not counterbalanced as in most modern countries by a host of paupers, it may be supposed.
1. Original: “Migudham cha rijinimi buhusatimitam pāde vandā. payati......anga-magadha vasuri cha nayati."-Line 12,
46
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
