The Rashtrakutas and their Times c14.35

c14.35

With reference to the objection raised by Rice against the view that these figures cannot be possibly interpreted as the number of the villages comprised in the divisions concerned, it may be pointed out that it may be a valid objection only with reference to large numbers like those associated with Banavasi or Gangawadi and not with reference to smaller figures associated with *vishayas* and *bhuktis* in the inscriptions hailing from Gujarat, Maharashtra and northern Karnatak. India is a fairly vast country and the usage may have quite conceivably differed province by province and century by century. Whatever may be the difficulties that may be presented by the figures associated with the divisions in other provinces, there can be no doubt that the theory, that they represent the number of villages, not only does not encounter any difficulties in the provinces just mentioned, but is actually supported by the wording of several documents. Compare, for example, the following expressions :—