Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 6

Author(s): L C Jain
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

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Vaishali Institnte Research Bulletin No. 6
to the words Vanik and Vaisya in a single sentencel stating that both of them mentioned above lived together in trading centres.
It may be mentioned that the word Pani denoting traders has been referred to in the Rigvedao and they are described to have been rich and enterprising merchant class. They used to build ships also. They were engaged in ship building. Macdonell and Keith hold that they were perhaps the first openers of the sea route for international commerce and they became the ancestors of the later Vanik and Vaisya, 3 A. C. Das says that in the later Sanskrit lexicons the vanık comes to be identified with the Panik or traders who were no other than the Panis of the Rigveda. The Nirukta states that the word Panis gradually becaine vanik.5
The term Vanijja also appears to be a general term for merchants or traders dealing in the products of agriculture and industry.8 Panini applied Vanijja for traders without reference to caste e. g. Madravanija (one who trades with the Madra country),? Kashmir vanija and Gandhara vanija. Besides, merchants were named after the nature of their business or such as, Asva vanija, the articles they dealt in. Its comprehensive character is also evident by the reference of lanijagrama in the Kal pa Sitra. This word denotes the village of the vaniks of all kinds. Women engaged in trade and commerce or the wives of the traders were also called Vanijini. Records of denations by Vanijini is found in contemporary epigraphs. 9 One of the inscriptions10 from Amaravati
1. Arth., 2.4.11; 2.4.9. 2. RV, 1.56.2; 1. 116.5. 3. Macdonell, A. A. and Keith, A. B., Vedic Index, Vol. II; Nirukta,
VI. 26 (Panivarnigbhavali). Das, A. C., Rigvedic India, 2nd, Ed., Calcutta, 1927. (Vaishyastu
vjaraharta vitvatik; Paniko vanika). 5. Nirukta, VI. 26 (Panivarnigbhavati). 6. RV.1.33.3; I. 112.11; AV, III.15.5 (Krayavikrayadi Lakshanevanija
Karmani); Vajasaneyi Samhita, XXX 17; Tait. Br., III. 4. 7. Agarwala, V.S, India as known to Panini; Prasad, P. C., Foreign
Trade and Commerce in Ancient India, p. 13. 8. Kaipasūtra, 122, SBE, Vol. XXI, Jain Sutras, Pt. I, p. 264. 9. Luder's List No. 1285. 10. Ibid. No. 1292.