India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c9.s6.27

c9.s6.27

It is worth noting that the *Jātakas* invariably refer to the name of the current coin as *kahāpaṇa*. The *Ashṭādhyāyī* uses both names, *kārshāpaṇa* (V. 1. 29) and *paṇa* (V. 1. 34); whereas the *Arthaśāstra* uses hundreds of times only the shorter form *paṇa*. It is possible that some kind of chronological sequence is indicated here. Kātyāyana records one more name for *kārshāpaṇa*, viz. *prati*, an article purchased for one *kārshāpaṇa* being called *pratika* (*kārshāpaṇād vā pratiś-cha*, V. 1. 25; II. 347). *Prati*, a much later name for *kārshāpaṇa*, is also mentioned in the Sabhāparva (*pratikaṁ cha śataṁ vṛiddhyā dadāsy-ṛiṇam anugraham*, 5.68, *i.e.* a relief loan at 1 p. c. interest), and also in the Nasik Cave Ins. of Ushavadāta recording 1 *pratika* interest on 2000 and ¾ *paḍika* on 1000 *kahāpaṇas* (*Ep. Ind.* VIII. 82). [See also *J.N.S.I.*, VII. 32].