Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c40.118

c40.118

§ 259. The Paura, according to the Artha-Sāstra (p. 89), had gold coins minted at the royal mint.¹ This might have been a constitutional function as exercising check on the royal minting of improper coins or it might have been a purely economic function. Very likely it was the latter. The Pura or capital had the Association of the City Merchants which was called the Naigama.² This name was exclusively employed to the Guild of the City Merchants. It is wrong to take it, as it has been done up to this time, as a general term for Guild Merchants.