Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c15.135

c15.135

Pāṇini again knows of the small coin called *Māsha* [V. 1, 34]. Kauṭilya takes *Māsha* as 1|16 of *Kārshāpaṇa*, and as a copper coin [II. 19]. It would be too small in size in silver, though even some specimens of the silver *Māsha* have been found at some places like Taxila. Therefore, as a copper coin, it admitted of smaller denominations known as 1|2 *Māshaka*, 1 *Kākaṇi*=1|4 *Māsha* and 1|2 *Kākaṇi*=1|8 *Māsha*. *Kākaṇi* and *Ardhakākaṇi* are known to Kātyāyana [Varttika on V. 1, 33] and also to Patañjali.