Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

Page 339

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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SOTRA
[Ch. V
The reference to the word "Mānummāna'l used in this canonical work in connection with the royal amnesty declared by Bala, the king of Hastinapura on the occasion of the birth of his son, Mahābala, clearly suggests that the state took some steps to increase the standard of the measures and weights in order to give an economic relief to the people and an impetus to trade and commerce.
The term Mānummāna' as occurring here denotes both the cubic and gravitational measures. It was thought by the king to increase the standard of weights and measures, as it is clearly evidenced by the fact of the mention of kūďatulā and kudamäna (false weight and false measure)' in course of the holy teachings of Lord Mahāvīra on the binding of the āyuskarma of lower animals.
The references to false weights and measures as found in this canonical work are also made to in the Uvāsagadasão in connection with the taking of vow of Ananda, a wealthy householder of Vānijyagrāma that "he must know and avoid the following five typical offences against the law of abstention from gross taking of things not given, viz. receipt of stolen property, employment of theives, smuggling into a forbidden country, false weights and measures and dealing with adulterate wares".
Patañjali" explains that the term "Unmāna' denotes a measure of weight, while the other ones māņa', 'Parimāņa' and 'Pramāņa' stand for that of volume or capacity and a lineal measure or dimension respectively.
Urddhvamānam-kilonmānam Parimāņam tu sarvatah, Āyāmas tu Pramāṇam syāt samkhyā bāhyā tu sarvatah".
1 BhS, 11, 11, 429; mana-signifies both dimension (side, length,
height in space and time and weight also, while ummāna
only stands for measure and weight. 9 16, 8, 9, 351. 3 Uvāsagadasão, 1, 47, (Translated by Hoernle), pp. 23-24. - Patañjali's Bhāsya, V. 1. 19; II. 343. 6 16, Bhāsya, V.1. 19; II. 343. Vide 'India as known to Pānini'
by Dr. V. S. Agrawala, Ch. IV-Section-8, p. 258.