Indian Antiquary Vol 51

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

Page 148

140
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JULY, 1922
the extraction of gold from the earth was known and washing for gold is also recorded. Gold is the object of the wishes of the Vedic singer and golden treasures are mentioned as given by patrons along with cows and horses. It was also put to a variety of industrial uses." Such widespread use of gold undoubtedly paved the way for a gold currency.
A gold currency,' to quote again Dr. Macdonell (Ibid., p. 504) was evidently beginning to be known, in so far as definite weights of gold are mentioned. Thus a weight astaprud occurs in the Sanhitās and the golden satamāna "weights of a hundred " kronalas is found in the same texts. In several passages Moreover hiranya and hiranyāni may mean pieces of gold. Geldner is inclined to think that a gold unit is alluded to in the Rigveda.
Silver is rarely mentioned ; but find references here and there in the Atharva-veda, to ornaments (rukma) dishes (patra) and coins (niska) made of silver (Vedic Index, Vol. II, p. 197). Next to gold and silver, the word ayas is often referred to ; and since in the Atharva-veda syamam ayas and lohitam ayas (black metal, red metal) are both mentioned, we may infer that smiths worked in copper too, & conclusion strengthened by the fact that copper vessels alone were allowed to be used for holding consecrated water in all ceremonial. It is unlikely that coins were manufactured out of the "holy "metal.
In time, there are some passages in the Rig-veda which would indicate the existence of current money for the purposes of buying and selling. We have instances of Rishis acknowl. edging the gift of a hundred pieces of gold and there can be no doubt, pieces of gold of a certain fixed value were used as money, as indicated in these passages. Mr. P. T. Srinivas Aiyangar (Age of the Mantras, p. 41) finds a reference in the Rig-veda to the golden mana, an old semitic measure or coin. At the same time it must be frankly admitted that there is no distinct allusion to coined money in the Rig-veda. The word nishka is often used in a dubious sense. In some passages it means money, in others it means a golden ornament for the neck. The two interpretations, as an eminent writer points out, are not necessarily contradictory, for in India pieces of gold have habitually been used as ornaments for the neck since times immemorial (Dutt, Civilisation of Ancient India, Vol. I, p. 39).
Next, comes the epic period (1400–800 B.C.). The question what coin was then in use is, as Mr. C. V. Vaidya remarks (Epic India, pp. 222, 223), very difficult to decide. "The rupee was certainly not in use," says Mr. C. V. Vaidya (ibid.)" as it is not mentioned in any ancient work but the silver karshapana must have been in existence, as mentioned in the Buddhist works. The word however does not occur so far as we remember either in the Mahabhārata or Rāmāyana. The word used is Nishka which was clearly a gold coin. The value of the nishka seems to have been considerable for in one place it is said that the Brahmans were glad when they were given a nishka each in gift cried, "you have got a nishka, you have got a nishka ! "
This evidence is further strengthened by the fact that in the epic period the wealth of rich men is said to have chiefly consisted in gold and silver. Gold was considered a proper gift at sacrifice, the gift of silver being strictly prohibited. The reason is sufficiently grotesque, as the reasons generally given are: When the gods claimed back the goods deposited with Agni, he wept and the tears he shed became silver; and hence if silver is given as dakshinā there will be weeping in the house ! The reason scarcely veils the cupidity of the priests ; but at the same time it evidences the fillip given by the Brahmans to the circulation of a gold currency.
In the Buddhistic period (B.O. 800-320) we come to a well-marked stage in the evolution of Indian coinage before the Christian era. According to Mr. V. A. Smith (Imp. Gazetteer,