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8TH CENTURY DOCUMENTS ON MEANS OF EARNING MONEY
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money. While going on their round thieves worshipped Kharpat, Mahakala, Katyayani etc.12 While going to a foreign country, merchants worshipped the seagod—Puiuna samudda davam (105.32) and remembered other favourable deities–Sumarijjanti ittha devae (67.2). Sagardatta had worshipped Indra, Dharnendra, Dhanak and Dhanpal for earning money by means of mining.13.
7. Sea Voyage (Sayar-Taranam)
In ancient India there were two chief trades-local trade and foreign trade. For foreign trade one had to go beyond the seas. So sea-faring was considered essential for earning money. Sea voyage was particularly profitable because goods of one's own country could be sold in other countries at high rates and gold could be brought from beyond the seas into one's country.14 In Kuvalayamalakaha there are many references to seavoyage (67.30, 89.8, 105.31 etc.), which have been detailed by Dr. Buddha Prakash in his article.15 Though one could earn handsome profits by going across the seas one also faced many difficulties such as risking one's life. 16
8. Digging of the Rohanparvata
(Rohanammi Khananam)
It was believed that Rohanparvata is situated in the aboys of inferna and was made of gold. People go there and bring gold by digging and thus become rich. There are two references in kuvalayamala where a description has been given about the Rohan Khanan, Sagardatta, on leaving home because of insults, thinks over the means of earning money sitting in a garden of Jaishrinagri. Whether he should go beyond the sea infested by
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