Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c5.t1.34

c5.t1.34

The nature of the work is not always specified. We read of a poor *gahapati* who supports himself and his mother by working for hire (*bhatim katvā*).⁴ In another instance, a young man, similarly, worked as a hired labourer.⁵ Not only men, but women also, old and young, used to get their living by working for hire.⁶ Of the specified labourer, we have mention of the workers on the farms. Every big land-owner, like the one in the *Sālikedāra Jātaka*,⁷ kept a number of day-labourers in his service. These farm-workers laboured from morning till evening.⁸ Some other workers used to live by carrying water (*udakabhatim katvā*).⁹ Similarly there must have been labourers in the service of every rich tradesman or manufacturer. The *bhatakas* of the *Sālikedāra Jātaka* were held responsible for any damage caused by their neglect.¹⁰