Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.t23: Hired Labourers
Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.t23
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Hired Labourers
c9.t23.1
The hirelings or the wage-earners (*bhayaga*) laboured for others in return for some payment, whether in kind or in money. The position of the hired workers was not happy like those of slaves, but still they enjoyed a certain freedom which the slaves could not enjoy.
c9.t23.2
Four kinds of wage-earners are mentioned :—(1) who were given their daily wages (*divasabhayaga*) either in kind or in money, (ii) who were specifically engaged on a journey (*jattabhayaga*), who were employed on contract system of the whole lot (*uccattabhayaga*), who were employed on daily contract basis stipulating that, if they did the contracted work, they would be paid the stipulated sum (*kabbālabhayaga*).²⁰
c9.t23.3
²⁰ Thā 4 271
c9.t23.4
Then the *koḍumbiyapuris* or the general family servants²¹ are mentioned; they were the servants of the family and carried out the instructions of their masters. Other servants did the work of removing ashes, cowdung and rubbish; they cleaned and sprinkled the place, offered water for washing feet and for bathing and did all external duties (*bāhuvapesana*). Others did the duty of thrashing, pounding, grinding, husking, cooking, serving and distributing food.²² A valet (*ceta*) worked as a footman to the king.²³
c9.t23.5
²¹ Cf Nārada (V 24)
c9.t23.6
²² Nāyā, 7, p 88
c9.t23.7
²³ Ovā Sū 9
c9.t23.8
III
Linked texts (1)
- Nāradasmṛti — Nārada, Sanskrit