History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.285.2

v4.c62.285.2

When the paṇa of copper was equal to 20 māṣas (and 100 guñjās), the copper coin would have been almost of the weight of the modern copper half anna coin. The table given by Nār. (pari. 58-60) is: 4 kākiṇīs = māṣa, 20 māṣas = kārṣāpaṇa (which is the same as Aṇḍikā), 4 kārṣāpaṇas = dhānaka, 12 dhānakas = suvarṇa (also called dīnāra). The table given by Bṛ. (as quoted in Sm. C. II p. 99 and V. R. p. 667) is the same. Bṛ. as quoted by Aparārka p. 832 and V. R. p. 111 employs the word 'nāṇaka' for coin, which word also occurs in the Mṛcchakaṭika and in Yāj. II. 240-241. The Amarakośa states that niṣka and dīnāra are synonyms and also gives other meanings of niṣka. Śabara on Jai. IV. 3.39 gives the striking example 'no one would spend a kārṣāpaṇa for finding out a kākiṇī that he had lost'. The Arthaśāstra II. 12 p. 84 states that the superintendent of the mint should manufacture copper paṇas, half paṇas, kākiṇīs and half kākiṇīs. The Viṣṇu Dh. S. V. 96 refers to a golden māṣaka. Under the Guptas golden coins are mentioned as dīnāras ; vide ' Gupta Inscriptions ' p. 29 at p. 31 where there is a gift of 25 dīnāras in the Gupta year 93 and pp. 38, 41, 261 ( where it is stated that one *bhikṣu* was to be fed every day throughout the year from the permanent endowment of 12 dīnāras ). From the Baigram plate dated Gupta saṁvat 128 it appears that one dīnāra was equal to 16 rūpakas ( silver coins) in E. I. vol. XXI. p. 80. A Mathurā Ins.