Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 187

162
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
go abroad
[Ch. IV from their own city to carry on inland trade, having taken sufficient food, drink and other provisions for journey and their merchandise of various saleable articles, loaded in multitudes of bullock-carts, with the object of gaining much wealth by trade and commerce.1
There is also another indirect evidence to show that a merchant travelled to different countries for external trade and returned home after full sixteen years with abundant wealth of all kinds, such as, gem, jewel, gold and precious stone etc."
The very name 'Vaniyagama," the home town of Sudarśana Sresthi carries the idea with it that it was a commercial centre where the mercantile class lived and carried on a voluminous trade throughout the state of its own and abroad.
The references to Kārttikadatta', the president of an economic guild of eight thousand merchants of the town of Hastinapura, the wealthy and influential merchant, Sankha of Sravasti, the well-to-do Sravakas of the town of Tungika, who increased their wealth by banking business throw sufficient light upon the commercial activities of this mercantile class at different centres of trade and industry in ancient India during the period of Lord Mahāvīra.
Besides these, the BhS, provides a list of the following trades and professions carried on by both the merchants and other tradesmen belonging to the class of Gāhāvais for earning their livelihood, viz. making of bow and arrow', business in utensils, silk and cotton cloths, gold, bellmetal, pearl, conch, precious stone, coral etc.10, transport business (Bhāḍikamma), ivory business (Daṁtavāṇijja), lac-business (Lakkha-vānījja) traffic in hair (wool etc., Kesavanijja), wine business (Rasa-vānijja), poisonbusiness (Visa-vanijja), crushing work with machinery (Jantapilanakamma, such as sugarcane-crushing), running of brothel
1 BhS, 15, 1, 547.
8 Ib, 11, 11, 424; 18, 10, 647.
51b, 12, 1, 437.
7 Ib, 5, 6, 205.
9 Ib, 11, 11, 430.
2 Ib, 12, 6, 456. 47b, 18, 2, 618. 6 Ib, 2, 5, 107. 8 Ib, 5, 6, 206. 10 Ib, 8, 5, 328.