History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.553

v4.c63.553

Nārada IV. 98 defines '*kusīda*' in a rather obscure verse as 'the receiving of money paid in consequence of the original (amount advanced) and the profit (agreed to be paid) thereon and those are called *kusīdin* who maintain themselves by this occupation'. Bṛhaspati (S. B. E. 33 p. 320 verse 2) derives⁶⁷⁸ *kusīda* as 'that is called kusīda, which is taken fourfold or (even) eightfold without any qualm (by a person) from a wretched man who is sinking (or distressed)'. Nār. IV. 110 defines *vārdhuṣa* as the interest (in kind) on grain,678a but Āp. Dh. S. I. 6. 18. 22 and Baud. Dh. S. employ the word '*vārdhuṣika*' and Āp. Dh. S. I. 9. 27. 10 has a verse in which the word *vṛddhi* occurs. Vas. (II. 41-42 = Baud. Dh. S. I. 5. 93-94) quotes two verses: 'a vārdhuṣika (usurer) is one who taking cheap grain lends it on condition of receiving a quantity of grain of high price and is condemned among the *brahmavādins* (students of the veda). Brāhmaṇa murder and usury were weighed in a balance; the murderer of a brāhmaṇa rose to the top while the usurer trembled'. Here usury of the type of the one described in Vas. II. 41 (and not all lending of money at interest) is condemned as a great sin. Gaut. XII. 26, Vas. II. 50, Kauṭ. III. 11, Manu VIII. 140–141 and others declare it righteous (dharmyā) moneylending when an 80th part is stipulated as the interest per month.⁶⁷⁹