Book Title: Epigraphia Indica Vol 30
Author(s): Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Previous | Next

Page 243
________________ 178 EPIGRAPHIA INDICA [VOL. XXX 65. Vara-yātrāyāṁ sulk-ādi (ti) yatrikē rūpakāḥ dvādasa ; paṭṭaka-dhārmikē rūpakaḥ sa-pādaḥ ru 11. If the procession of a bridegroom had to cross the boundary of the kingdom or district to reach the house of the bride, it had to pay the crossing fare of 12 silver coins; but, if it was legalised by means of a paṭṭaka or pass-port, the fare was only 1 silver coins. If vara-yātrā is taken in the sense of a public procession, pattakadharmika may refer to an authorised religious procession. 66. Madya-vahanakasy-ādānē rūpakāḥ pañcha ru 5; dharmike rupakaḥ sa-pādaḥ ru 11. If a vehicle or boat full of wine had to cross the border, it was taxed at five silver coins, although the tax was reduced to 14 silver coins if the wine was meant for a religious purpose. 67. Khalla-[bha]rakasya rupakaḥ sa-pādaḥ saha dhārmikēņa rū 11. The tax for a khalla (literally 'leather'; cf. Bengali-Hindi-Gujarati khal) measure was only 1 silver coins even if the material was required for a religious purpose. Khalla seems to mean here a leather vessel for carrying a liquid like wine which is mentioned in No. 66. 68. Kelāyāḥ samkachitakasya cha ato-rdh-ādānam. For a loop (cf. No. 57 above) holding kelä, the tax was half of 1t silver coins prescribed in No. 67 above. The meaning of kēlā is uncertain, although kēlā in Hindi stands for Sanskrit kadali. Can kēlā in our record stand for a Prakrit form midway between kila and khela for Sanskrit krida in the sense of kridanaka? It may also mean a vessel for carrying wine, which was smaller than khalla. 69. Pada-ghatasya vimsopakaḥ pañcha saha dharmikepa. The tax for a pada-ghata was five vimsopakas, i.e. silver coin, and it was not reduced even when the thing was meant for a religious cause. The word pada-ghata possibly indicates a jar holding a quarter measure of wine. 70. Katu-madye sidhu-chaturtha-trayaṁ 3. Three chaturthas or quarter measures (ef. Nos. 45 and 47 above) of the liquor called sidhu were regarded as the tax for very strong liquors. 71. Chhimpaka-Kolika-Padakārāṇāṁ yath-ānurūpa-karmaṇaḥ janapada-mūlyād=rājakulē=rdhādānam. The Chhimpakas, Kolikas and Padakaras, who appear to have been followers of particular professions, possibly had to pay as tax half the money that would be the price of the things produced by them according to the rate prevalent in the land. Kolika may be the same as Sanskrit kaukika or a weaver and Padakara may possibly be a shoe-maker. Chhimpaka is Prakrit chhimpaya (Gujarati chhipo) meaning 'a dyer of clothes'. If Padakara is the same as Hindi paukar he was a retailer hawking his goods on foot. 72. Lõhakara-rathakāra-näpita-kumbhakāra-prabhṛitīnām vārikēņa vishtiḥ karaniya. The blacksmiths, carpenters, barbers, potters and others could be recruited for forced labour under the supervision of the värikas or officers. In presenting my suggestions in regard to the interpretation of the achāras quoted in the inscription under discussion, I request scholars to take note of the interesting words and senses occurring in them but not recognised in the Sanskrit köshas and to try to interpret the passages in order to improve upon the interpretations offered above. There are only two geographical names in the inscription, viz., Lōhață or Lōhāṭakagrāma and Darpapura. There is reason to believe, as will be evident from the discussions above, that both the places were situated in the present Gujarat-Kathiawar region. Unfortunately I can identify neither of them satisfactorily. It is difficult to say if Darpapura may be identified with modern Dabhoi (medieval Darbhavati), about 38 miles north-east of Bharoch, and Lōhață with modern Rohar on the Gulf of Cutch, which is the chief sea-port of the Anjar District. In regard to the second suggestion, it may, however, be pointed out that, as indicated by some of the achūras of. Nos. 53-56, 61, etc.), Löhätä was probably a port.

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490