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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.t12: Workers in Metals

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.t12

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Workers in Metals

c9.t12.1

The smiths (kammāra) had a flourishing trade. They supplied agriculture with ploughshares, spades and other implements. Iron sticks, chains and various instruments are mentioned.¹⁵⁸ Domestic vessels such as pots, pans and bowls were prepared from iron (aya), tin (taua), copper (tamba), zinc (jasada) and lead (sīsaga).¹⁵⁹

c9.t12.2

¹⁵⁸ See Supra.

c9.t12.3

¹⁵⁹ Oā. Sū, 38. p. 173. The com. adds. kācavalantiga (?), vītaloha, kaṃsaloha, hārapuṭaka and rītika.

c9.t12.4

Among other vessels we had plates (*thāla*), small plates (*pāi*), cistern (*thāsaga*, *tāsā* in Hindi), cups (*mallaga*), spoons (*kaivīya*), *avaeja* (*tāpikāhasta*, com.?), frying pans (*avapakka*), and bowls (*karoḍā*, *katorī* in Hindī).¹⁶⁰ Among cooking utensils mention is made of various pans or kettle-pans such as *tavaya*, (round iron plate), *kavallī* (*khapaḍā* in Hindī), *kanduya* (saucepan), etc.¹⁶¹ *Caṇḍālaga* (cylindrical cistern, *kanḍāl* in Hindī) is mentioned as a copper vessel.¹⁶²

c9.t12.5

¹⁶⁰ See marriage gifts mentioned in the Com. on the *Nāyā* 1, p. 42a

c9.t12.6

¹⁶¹ *Vivā.* 3, p. 22, *Bhag.* 11. 9.

c9.t12.7

¹⁶² *Sūya* 4 2 13

c9.t12.8

Iron was converted into steel and various tools and weapons, and coats of mail, already referred to, were prepared on a large scale. Then knives (*pippalaga*), needles (*sūi* *ānya*), nail-cutters (*nakkhaccani*) and surgical boxes (*satthakosa*) were also¹⁶³ fashioned.

c9.t12.9

¹⁶³ *Bih* *Bhā.* 1 2893f

c9.t12.10

Smith shops (*kammārasālā* *aggikamma*)¹⁶⁴ are mentioned. There was one such shop in Vesālī.¹⁶⁵ Smith’s shops were also known as *samara*¹⁶⁶ or *āesa*.¹⁶⁷ Iron furnaces (*ayakottha*) are referred to which were filled with ore and a man handled it with tongs (*saṃḍasī*), then it was taken and put on the anvil (*aṃhikaraṇī*).¹⁶⁸ Iron was malleted, cut, torn, filed and was moulded by black-smiths.¹⁶⁹

c9.t12.11

¹⁶⁴ *Vya.* *Bhā* 10 484

c9.t12.12

¹⁶⁵ *Ava.* *cū*, p 292.

c9.t12.13

¹⁶⁶ *Uttarā* *Sū*, 1. 26

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¹⁶⁷ *Ācā.* II, 2. 303

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¹⁶⁸ *Bhag* 16 1

c9.t12.16

¹⁶⁹ *Uttarā.* *Sū*, 19 67.

c9.t12.17

Bronziers (*kamsakāra*) are included among the nine *kārus*.¹⁷⁰ Copper plates were often used for inscribing messages.¹⁷¹

c9.t12.18

¹⁷⁰ *Jambu* 3, p 193a.

c9.t12.19

¹⁷¹ *Ava* *Ṭī*., (*Hari*), p 683.

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