Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c13.305

c13.305

The law of treasure-trove is based on considerations of varṇa. According to the lawgivers, if the brāhmaṇa finds treasure, he may take the whole of it.⁶ Viṣṇu adds that in such a case the kṣatriya should make over ¼ to the king and the brāhmaṇa each, and retain the remaining half; a vaiśya should give ¼ to the king, ¼ to the brāhmaṇa and should retain ¼ for himself; a śūdra should divide the find into twelve parts, give five parts each to the king and the brāhmaṇa, and should retain ⅙ for himself.⁷ Although the śūdra's share in the treasure-trove is the smallest, it is double the share of the labourer as provided by Kauṭilya.⁸ How far the laws regarding treasure-trove worked is difficult to say. A Jain text refers to a king who confiscated the treasure-trove discovered by a merchant but honoured a brāhmaṇa who discovered a similar treasure-trove.⁹