South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

65. Vara-yātrāyāṁ śulk-āḍi (ti) yatrikē rūpakāḥ dvādaśa ; paṭṭaka-dhārmikē rūpakaḥ sa-pādaḥ rū 1¼. If the procession of a bridegroom had to cross the boundary of the kingdom or district to reach the house of the bride, it had to pay the crossing fare of 12 silver coins ; but, if it was legalised by means of a paṭṭaka or pass-port, the fare was only 1¼ silver coins. If vara-yātrā is taken in the sense of a public procession, paṭṭakadhārmika may refer to an authorised religious procession.

66. Madya-vahanakasy=ādānē rūpakāḥ pañcha rū 5 ; dhārmikē rūpakaḥ sa-pādaḥ rū 1¼. If a vehicle or boat full of wine had to cross the border, it was taxed at five silver coins, although the tax was reduced to 1¼ silver coins if the wine meant for a religlous purpose.

67. Khalla-[bha]rakasya rūpakaḥ sa-pādaḥ saha dhārmikēṇa rū 1¼. The tax for a khalla (literally ‘leather’ ; cf. Bengali-Hindi-Gujarati khāl) measure was only 1¼ silver coins even if the material was required for a religious purpose. Khalla seems to mean here a leather vessel for carrying a liquid like wine which is mentioned in No. 66.

68. Kēlāyāḥ saṁkāchitakasya cha atō=rdh=ādānam. For a loop (cf. No. 57 above) holding kēlā, the tax was half of 1¼ silver coins prescribed in No. 67 above. The meaning of kēlā is uncertain, although kēlā in Hindi stands for Sanskrit kadalī. Can kēlā in our record stand for a Prakrit form midway between kīlā and khelā for Sanskrit krīḍā in the sense of krīḍanaka ? It may also mean a vessel for carrying wine, which was smaller than khalla.

69. Pāda-ghaṭasya viṁśōpakāḥ pañcha saha dhārmikēṇa. The tax for a pāda-ghaṭa was five viṁśōpakas, i.e. ¼ silver coin, and it was not reduced even when the thing was meant for a religious cause. The word pāda-ghaṭa possibly indicates a jar holding a quarter measure of wine.

70. Kaṭu-madyē śīdhu-chāturtha-trayaṁ 3. Three chāturthas or quarter measures (cf. Nos. 45 and 47 above) of the liquor called śīdhu were regarded as the tax for very strong liquors.

71. Chhimpaka-Kōlika-Padakārāṇāṁ yath-ānurūpa-karmaṇaḥ janapada-mūlyād=rājakulē=rdh-ādānam. The Chhimpakas, Kōlikas and Padakāras, who appear to have been followers of particular professions, possibly had to pay as tax half the money that would be the price of the things produced by them according to the rate prevalent in the land. Kōlika may be the same as Sanskrit kaulika or a weaver and Padakāra may possibly be a shoe-maker. Chhimpaka is Prakrit chhimpaya (Gujarati chhipo) meaning ‘a dyer of clothes’. If Padakāra is the same as Hindi paukār he was a retailer hawing his goods on foot.

72. Lōhakāra-rathakāra-nāpita-kumbhakāra-prabhṛitīnāṁ vārikēṇa vishṭiḥ karaṇīyā. The blacksmiths, carpenters, barbers, potters and others could be recruited for forced labour under the supervision of the vārikas or officers.

In presenting my suggestions in regard to the interpretation of the āchāras quoted in the inscription under discussion, I request scholars to take note of the interesting words and senses occurring in them but not recognised in the Sanskrit kōshas and to try to interpret the passages in order to improve upon the interpretations offered above.

There are two geographical names in the inscription, viz., Lōhāṭā or Lōhāṭaka-grāma and Darpapura. There is reason to believe, as will be evident from the discussions above, that both the places were situated in the present Gujarat-Kathiawar region. Unfortunately I can identify neither of them satisfactorily. It is difficult to say if Darpapura may be identified with modern Dabhoi (medieval Darbhavatī), about 38 miles north-east of Bharoch, and Lōhāṭā with modern Rohar on the Gulf of Cutch, which is the chief sea-port of the Anjar District. In regard to the second suggestion, it may, however, be pointed out that, as indicated by some of the āchāras of. Nos. 53-56, 61, etc.), Lōhāṭā was probably a port.