Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c39.s5.11

v2.c39.s5.11

According to the Vedic Index, māna in Vedic literature was a measure of weight equivalent to the kṛṣṇala or raktikā (2.152). Thus, the weight of śatamāna taken literally would be one hundred kṛṣṇala, raktikā or rattis. Krsna Yajurveda recommends (2.3.2.1) prājāpatyām śatakṛṣṇalām. Śatamāna seems to have decimal as well as binary fractions. A quarter was known as pāda: śṛṅgayoh daśa daśa padaḥ abaddhāḥ (B.Up., 3.1.1). In Krsna Yajurveda, 3.4.1.4 (also in Kā. Sam, 11.1 and 13.10) aṣṭāprūḍa hiraṇyam dakṣiṇā aṣṭāpadī. This golden coin had eight circular indentations. One-eighth of this money was known as śāna in the age of Mahābhārata (Āraṇyakaparva 134:14) : aṣṭāyu śānāḥ śatamānam vahanti. This means that aṣṭāprūḍa was another name of śatamāna. It may be noted that binary series of weights was found in the Harappan town of Chanhu-Daro. The Brāhmaṇa literature became popular long after the age of Saṃhitā or Brāhmaṇa literature.