History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.282.2

v4.c62.282.2

13) promises that those names of copper, silver and gold coins which are well-known among the people (of its day) for purposes of trade will be described by him. Acc. to Manu VIII. 134 and 136, Viṣṇu Dh. S. IV. 6-10, and Yāj. I. 363-365 five kṛṣṇalas are equal to a māṣa, 16 māṣas are equal to a suvarṇa, 4 suvarṇas (or five acc. to some) are equal to a pala, a karṣa is equal to 1/4 of a pala and a piece of copper one-fourth of a pala in weight is called a paṇa, which is the same as kārṣāpaṇa¹⁶¹ (equal to 80 *raktikās* or guñjā berries). A pala was equal to 320 raktikās. Kauṭ. II. 19 says practically the same thing. In Kauṭ. V. 3 the salaries range from 48000 to 60 paṇas from the highest functionaries to the lowest servants. They must all be taken to be for the same period in every case and in the same metal, since Kauṭ. expressly states no different periods and no difference in metal. Ordinarily the words paṇa and kārṣāpaṇa (as stated by Manu VIII. 136 and the Mit. on Yāj. I. 365 and the Śukranīti IV. 1. 116) refer to copper pieces (used as coins) and bearing a stamp. Another table given by Manu VIII. 135-136, Viṣṇu Dh. S. VI. 11-12, Yāj. I. 364 is: 2 raktikās¹⁶² or kṛṣṇalas = one (silver) māṣa, 16 māṣas = one silver purāṇa or dharaṇa ; 10 dharaṇas = one (silver) śatamāna. This table was used for silver coins. Thus a dharaṇa would be 1/10th of a *pala* as stated in the Bṛhatsaṁhitā ( 10. 13 paladaśabhāgo dharaṇam).