Indian Antiquary Vol 47

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 254

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(SEPTRIBER, 1918
cattle-rearing, and trade, money-lending being omitted. In addition to this difference, there is another between Manu's law-code and the Kausiliya, viz. that the former makes the serving of the three higher castes the only occupation of the Sadras, while the latter adds to it vártta and kârukusilavakarma (professions of artisans and bards).30 The separate mention of vârtta and káru-karma may suggest that the various arts and crafts did not fall within the limits of vartta in its primary sense. This seems to be confirmed by the VishnuPurana which appears to make a distinction between "vårttopaya" and "karmaja hastasiddhi " 31 the latter expression referring to arts and crafts involving manual labour and dexterity. But as a branch of learning, its scope was much widened. We shall return to this point shortly. Vârttà as a branch of learning is posterior to the allotment of particular
occupations to the Vainya oaste. The raising of vartta to the status of a branch of learning so important as to be classed with its three other principal branches, viz., Anvikshiki, Trayi and Dandaniti, is as old as the Ramayana, though of course its attainment of the literary status must have been posterior to the allotment of agriculture, stock-rearing, trade, and money-lending to the third caste, the Vaisyas. Previous to the emergence of varttd as a Sastra requiring systematic study, the occupations and trade must have developed haphazardly; but subsequent to its conversion into a type of learning, agriculture, cattle-rearing, trade, and money-lending may be inferred to have received a careful attention and perhaps a conscious direction. The questions put by Rama to Bharata in the Ramayana 8 and by Nárada to Yudhishthira in the Mahabharata 33 regarding the people engaged in agriculture and other occupations and the application of vartta, point to the same inference. A few texts in while h Vârttâ is mentioned as a branch of learning.
The seope of Vârtta. Some of the Sanskrit texts in which vartta is impliedly or expressly mentioned as a branch of learning are given below. 34 The topics that came within its scope were naturally those means of subsistence that were embraced by variid in its primary sense, viz, agriculture, cattle-rearing, trade, and money-lending. Its soope was not, however, limited to these four subjects but became much wider. Such a widening of scope is not uncommon ; for the secondary sense of a word is not often shackled by the
80 Kaufixtya, Bk. I, vidya-samuddata1, p. 8. Cf. Kamanda kiya, ch. 2, lk. 21.
31 Vishnu-Purana, pt. I, ch.6, 6lk. 20, verso 2.-VArtt-opdyam tataschakrur= hastasiddhiticha karmajam.
* Ramayana, Ayodhy-kAnda, ch. 100, slks. 68, 47. * Mahabharata, Sabha Parva, ch. 6, 6lks. 78-79.
* Ramayana Ayodhya-kanda, ch. 190, 6lk. 68 (odrtid implied) : Mahabharata, Vana-Parva, ch. 150 elke. 30, 31; Santi-Parpa, ch. 18, 6lk. 33, and ch, 59, lk. 33; Harivana, ch. 40, élk. 39 (vdrtta implied) with commentary ; Man, VIL, 43; Yajaapallya, I, 311; Kauf alya, Bk. I, vidya-samuddesan, pp. 6, 7; Agni-Purdua, ch. 226,6lks. 21, 22 (same ms Manu, loc. cit. ); ch. 237, elk. 5; ch, 238, 6lk. 9 (same as Kautilya, Bk. I, p. 7, lines 1 & 2): Vayu Purana, ch, 61, 6lk. 167; MatsyaPurana, oh. 215, alk. 63 (same m Manus, los cit.); ch. 146 : Alk. 38; Bhagavata Purana, Skanda III, ch. 12, lk. 44; Vishnu-Purana, pt. I, ch. 9, lk. 119; pt. II, ch. 4, elk. 84 ; pt. V, ch. 10, 6lks, 26-30; Brahmanda-Purana, ch. I, elk. 107; ch, B4, lks. 26, 32 ; ch. 68, 6lk. 36; Brahmal'urana cb. 20, 6lk. 85 ; oh, 179, lk. 40; ch. 187, 6lks. 43-46 ; Def.Purana. oh. 37, 6lks. 60, 61 Siva-Purana (Vayaviya-Samhita), pt. I ch. I, élk. 22.