The Rashtrakutas and their Times c20.185

c20.185

The theory of charity being the most effective means of securing religious merit was no doubt in ascendency in our age, but it may be added that Brahmanas alone did not benefit by it. Part of the money spent on temples was utilised for poor relief as already shown. Part of it went to maintain schools and colleges as will be shown in Chap. XVI. It will be also shown there that the brahmadeya grants also served the same purpose to a great extent. Part of the charity of the age was definitely and avowedly diverted for the purpose of public works. The Smritis of our period ¹⁴⁵ lay down that men acquire the merit of iṣṭāpūrta by providing funds for public works like tanks, wells, gardens, temples, hospitals, poor houses, schools etc., and there are numerous records belonging to our period which show that the teachings of these Smritis did not fall on deaf ears. A tank at Nargund in Dharwar district was constructed and maintained by the donation of a private individual, and by the voluntary contributions which the inhabitants had agreed to pay for its maintenance on occasions like marriage, upanayana ¹⁴⁶ etc. The College at Salotgi was also maintained by a princely gift of a local potentate and voluntary contributions of its citizens. ¹⁴⁷ When the hall of this College needed overhauling, it was rebuilt also by a private individual.