________________
316
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA
[Ch. V.
In the history of coinage in ancient India it is found that various kinds of metals, such as, gold, silver, copper, lead, potin, etc., were used to make coins according to different standards of weight and value.
Here the text does not throw any light upon the standard of weight and value of the gold coin (suvarna). But it may be guessed on the evidences of the Kuşāņa and Gupta coins that the weight of one Suvarna coin was one hundred and twenty-three grains and had a value equal to that of the Roman gold coin Dinarious'. Banking and Loans
The Bhs throws some light upon the banking system as existing and working in the economic field during its period.
The term 'Dhana'l denotes wealth which is defined in terms of gold currency, e.g. "Suvannakodio”, but a new classical word (8āvayejja, svāpateya)' unknown to the Brāhmaṇas and the Aranyakas occurs here to signify property.
This word corresponds to the Pali word "Sāpateyya' and Pāṇini's Svapatau' to which he has attached a legal definition as "Svapatau sādhu'' – that is, the property in which the owner (svapati) has a valid title (sādhutā).
The Bhs classifies the wealthy people by attributing to them the distinguishing title 'add he's which corresponds to the Pali word 'addho', while the Asokan Edicts mention 'ibüha'' (Skt. ibhya) as a rich man who appears to belong to the same category of the addhas (well-to-do persons) of the Bhs. Banking
It has already been mentioned that there is a pointed reference to the private banking system organized and run by the Sramanopāsakas of Tungikā, as it is clear from the fact that
1 BKS, 3, 1, 134 ; 11, 9, 417.
? 16, 11, 11, 430. & Ib, 3, 1, 134; 11, 9, 417. 4 Pānini, IV, 4, 104. Vide, India as known to Pānini' by Dr.
V. S. Agrawala, p. 274. * 10, 3, 1, 134.
Asokan Rock Edict-5th M.V.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
