The
science of commerce is called Vaanijyam commerce in Sanskrit. The word “Commerce” means - an interchange of
goods., merchandise of property of any kind between countries or communities,
mercantile pursuits, trade, traffic, mutual dealings in common life etc., The record of transactions in business or trade in a regular manner is called trade .
The
main purpose is to make profits and make the rulers rich. A person who does business or trade is called a trader or merchant. Merchants were named after the nature of their business
and the amount of capital they invested in it, like – Vanik = Trader, KrayaVikraya
= Seller & Purchaser, Vaastika = Seller of Goods, Samsthaanika=member of
commercial guild.
Navigation for the trade
There
are references in the hymns of the Rgveda to the trade with distinct lands for
profit:
वेदा यो वीनां
पदमन्तरिक्षेम पतताम्। वेद ना वः समुद्रियः।
वेद वातस्य
वर्तनिमुरोर्ऋष्वस्य बृहतः। वेदा ये अध्यासते॥
This above hymn indicates
that ocean navigation was known to the Indians of those days.
Organisation of
Trade and Business
YajnaValkya describes thus:
समवायेन वणिजां
लाभार्थं कर्म कुर्वताम्। लाभालाभौ यथाद्रव्यं यथा वा संविदा कृतौ॥
The sharing of profits in
partnership in accordance with the amount of capital investment by different
partners keeping in view the agreement of the partnership concerned.
Article of
Trade
YajnaValkyaSmriti (II-245&246) tells that
भेषज-स्नेह-लवण-गन्ध-धान्य-गुडादिषु।
मृत्- चर्म-मणि-सूत्र-अयःकाष्ठ-वल्कल-वासताम्॥
The chief articles of
trade, Medicinal herbs, ghee, salt, a fragrant root, grains, jiggery,
asafoetida, black pepper, skin of the animals, crystal, ruby and other precious
gems, silver, iron, sandalwood, cotton, silk and so on.
Price Fixation
स्वदेशपण्ये तु
शतं वणिग्गृह्णीत पञ्चकम्। दशकं पारदेशे तु यः सद्यः क्रयविक्रयी॥
YajnaValkya has explained that 5% percent of profit for local goods and 10%
of profit for foreign goods. Here the
word Sadyah indicates that if the sale takes place immediately then alone this
condition would prevail. If the sale is
effected (takes place) after some time, the profit can be increased
accordingly.
Fairdealings in Transactions
NaradaSmriti (VIII-9) says that
क्रीत्वा
मूल्येन यः पण्यं दुःक्रीतं मन्यते क्रयी।
विक्रेतुः प्रतिदेयं तत्तस्मिन्नेवाह्न्यविक्षतम्॥
द्वितीयेऽह्नि
ददत्क्रेता मूल्यात् त्रिंशांशमावहेत्। द्विगुणं तु तृतीयेऽह्नि परतः क्रेतुरेव
तत्॥
If the object is to be
returned, it should be done the same day.
If it is returned the second day, then the purchaser should give 1/30th
part of the commodity. After the third
day it could not be returned.
(This blog post is a part of Blogchatter's #BlogchatterA2Z)
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