Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 6

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

Page 252

The Vanik and the Vanijja in Early Ancient India
mentions the erection of a copying stone by the Vanijini Siddhi who is described as the daughter of Candra of Vijayapura. S. C. Bhattacharya rightly says that the absence of any reference to her husband, in sharp contrast to the specific mention of her father's name and residence makes it more likely that the donor was a female merchant rather than the wife of a merchant.1 Reference to the donor's husband is not made in two other similar inscriptions as well."
In the Angavijja the dealers in fruits and roots are termed as Vanijja. The Vanijaka was also used for traders. A Kanheri cave inscription of the Satavahana period records the building of a chaitya by some merchants (vanijaka) for Buddhist teachers. Vanija is also a term for the traders in the Aśtadhyayi. The meat seller is also termed as mamsavanijja.6
The another general term for the traders was also Vaniya, such as, phala-vaniya, mula-vaniya.? A goldsmith (hairanyaka) was the son of a merchant (vaniya).8 A manikara's (jeweller's) daughter was married to the son of a dealer in iron (lohavaniya),
Thus, on the basis of the above mentioned facts, it may be concluded that the words t'anik, Vanijja, Vaniya or the Panis were meant for the traders in general.
1. Bhattacharya, S. C., Some as pects of Indian Society, p. 142. 2. Luder's List No. 30, 1292; Sharma, R. S., Sudras in Ancient India,
p. 177.
3. Luder's List No. XXVIII; XXIX; 1285; 1292; Avadanasataka,
LXXXVII, p. 103. 4. Luder's List No. 1230. 5. Astadhyayi, IV. 4, 13; India as known to Panini, p. 238. 6. Angavijja, Chap. XXVIII. 7. Kal pasitra, 122, SBE, Vol. XXI; Jain Sutras, Pt. I, p. 292. 8. Angavijja, Chap. XXVIII. 9. Luder's List No. 29, 92, 1239.