Minerals and Metals in Sanskrit literature
by Sulekha Biswas | 1990 | 69,848 words
This essay studies the presence of Minerals and Metals in Sanskrit literature over three millennia, from the Rigveda to Rasaratna-Samuccaya. It establishes that ancient Indians were knowledgeable about various minerals and metallurgy prior to the Harappan era, with literary references starting in the Rgveda. The thesis further examines the evolutio...
6. Ornamental and Barter Metals
Silver and gold were the principal metals in the Vedic era for producing ornaments and the uses as the medium of financial transactions. In the previous chapter we have provided numerious examples of the use of hiranya or gold in the age of the Rgveda.
III-10 This yellow metal was known as harita in the Atharva Veda (Atharvaveda. 5.28.1, 5 and 9), Harisipra in Rigveda 10.96.4., probably means yellow (golden) tiara. We have mentioned different kinds of golden ornaments used in the Rgvedic era. We need not repeat those names; the items continued to be used in the post-Rgvedic period. In S.Bra 5.4.1.12-13 rukma or gold plate is mentioned to contain sometimes a hundred holes (satavitana), sometimes nine holes (navavitana) Sacrificers often gave as dakshina, a golden plate with eight indent tions (Apastamba Sutra, 9, 18, 16-19, 14). Other forms of gold offering were: gold chips or shavings, hiranya sakala (Shatapatha Brahama 6.1.2.30, 7.5.2.8-9), hiranya istaka or gold-brick (Shatapatha Brahama6.1.2.30). The s. Bra 12.8.3.11 mentions gold and silver plates placed beneath the feet of the sacrificer at the consecration during the Sautramani sacrifice. The Asval.SS. (10.3) and Sankh. S.S. (15.27) state that a hotr priest should sit on a golden cushion (hiranyakasipu) yakasipu) , cushion in which gold threads are woven, during the Rajasuya. sacrifice. of fire': Atharvaveda.19.26.1-3 mentioned the bright metal gold 'born out agneh prajatam suvarnam --- . hiranyam amrtam- suryena hiranyatejasa vibhasasi Gold was obtained after melting the impure metal taken out from the mines (Shatapatha Brahama6.1.3.5, Pam. Vi. Bra. 17.6.4) There is mention 0: nisa + tap nis +tap heating and melting in Jai.Bra.1.10 and
III-11 Jai.Bra.Up. 3.34.6. Golden ornaments, mentioned in the previous chapter, were also modelled in silver. Silver or rajata was scarcely mentioned in the Rgvedaj probably it was not easily available around the Sarasvati valley. Eventually we find many references of silver, occasionally substituting gold in rukshma and niska. Silver was used in making ornaments like rukma (Shatapatha Brahama 12.8.3.11), preparing vessels or patra (Tai.Bra. 2.2.9.7; 3.9.6.5), and molding coins or niska (Pam. Vi. Bra. 17.1.14). Satamana was clearly a golden (sometimes silver) piece. used as medium of exchange of commodities (S.Bra, 12.7.2.13;12.9.1.4). rajatam hiranyam daksina nanarupataya satamanam bhavati satayurvaih purusah (s.Bra 13.4.2.10). V.S. Agrawala (1953:471) observed that the Satamana was mentioned only in the later date kandas (12-14) of Satapatha Brahmana associated with the name of Yajnavalkya, and therefore most possibly the coin was introduced in the later phase of the Brahmana era (C. eighth to fifth century B.C.). S.Bra 5.5.5.16 subtly explains the function of Satamana: 'with gold they do nothing, and yet it is an object of respect'. Sayana explains that gold was not used for actual consumption, but only indirectly as a medium of exchange (Sacred Books of the East, volume 41, reprint 1963, p.141). In the same passage, 5. Bra. refers to trini satamanani hiranyani daksina S. - an offering of three golden satamanas. These pieces were circular in shape pravrttau (Shatapatha Brahama5.4.3.24 and 26)
III-12 According to the Vedic Index, mana in Vedic literature. was a measure of light equivalent to the Krishnala or raktika (2.152). Thus, the weight of satamana taken literally would be one hundred Krishnala, raktika or rattis. Krishna Yajurveda recommends (2.3.2.1) prajapatyam satakrsnalam Satamana seems to have decimal as well as binary fractions. A quarter was knom as pada: srrmgayoh dasa dasa pada ' abaddhah (B.Up. 3.1.1). In Krishna Yajurveda 3.4.1.4(also in Ka.Sam.71.1 and 13.10) astapruda golden coin has been mentioned: astapruda hiranyam daksina astapadi This golden coin had eight circular indentations. One-eighth of this money was known as sana in the age of Mahabharata (Aranyakaparva 134:14) : astayu sanah satamanam vahanti | This means that astapruda was another name of satamana. It may be noted that binary series of weights was found in the Harappan town of Chanhu-daro. The coins sana and Karshapana became popular long. after the age of Samhita or Brahmana literature. Manusamhita mentioned that sana and other coins could be made of not only gold or silver, but also copper or black metal (iron or lead) We have already referred to the bronze (Atharvaveda.10.10.5) and lead (Shatapatha Brahama 12.7.2.10-12) pieces being used as media of exchange Atharvaveda. 5.28.1 mentions in one breath dirghayutvaya satasaradaya harite trini rajate trini ayasi trini 'Three pieces (coins) each of gold, silver and ayas (bronze?) for worship to gain long life'.