The Rashtrakutas and their Times c18.s2.11

c18.s2.11

The modern system of public debt was practically unknown in ancient times and the states were, therefore, compelled to levy extra taxation in case of emergency, in order to tide over the difficulty. This procedure is countenanced by the Mahābhārata(82), Arthaśāstra(83) and S'ukranīti(84) and may have very probably existed in our period too, since Somadeva, a contemporary Deccanese writer, permits the state to tax even the temples, Brahmanas and the wealth collected for sacrifice on such occasions.(85) Emergency taxation does not figure in the copper plates because the donees were not invested with the powers of levying it.