The Mauryan Polity c8.s3.t4.1

c8.s3.t4.1

The other category of income to the state comprising of those items arising from the State-owned properties like forests,⁴ wastelands including the public pasturage,⁵ land and ocean mines,⁶ treasure finds, the mintage,⁷ unclaimed properties, forced labour (*viṣṭi*), and fines of different descriptions for transgression and trespass of law. Added to these were the incomes collected by the excise department (*surādhyakṣa*),⁸ the department of gambling (*dyūta*)⁹ which was centralised lest the evil should spread widely, from the institution of prostitutes (*veśya*),¹ the department of slaughter-house,² and other miscellaneous taxes collected from religious and charitable endowments, heads of cattle, building sites (*vāstuka*), spoils of war, tributes, voluntary contributions and other several minor dues like *utsaṅga*, *pārśva*, for which there was no absolute and fixed rate.³ In cases of emergency extraordinary taxes and enhanced exactions (*praṇaya*) were collected.⁴ The resources of the rich were primarily but carefully tapped.⁵ Normally the State kept in stock half of the grain collections, to meet unforeseen circumstances⁶ like the setting of famine.