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160 The Vaisyas : Members of this class referred themselves as of vaisa caste [???]. They are also referred to as Vaniyas and made their livelihood by shopkeeping 2. Some times for trading, they moved in carvans and are referred to as satthavahas? of a a The ibbhas, who were the respectable castes' referred to in canonical literature of the Jainast, referred to in the Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa as indulging in caravan discharging the duty of Setthi-ship in the cities. also belonged to this class?. 6 trade 5 or These The gahavatis who earned their livelihood by 8 9 caravan trade and agriculture also probably belonged to 1. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 197. 2. Ibid., 210, 368. 3. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 233, 296. 4. Jain, J.C., op. cit,p.139. 5. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 145. 6. Ibid., 139, 154. 7. Contestants coming to marry Gamdhavvadatta who was the daughter of an ibbha (ibbakanna), were from the Brahmana, the Ksatriya and the Vaisya class, Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 126-27. 8. Ibid,; 59. 9. Ibid., 86, 283.

161 this class¹. It seems that the members of this class were sometimes in charge of the administration of villages². The members of the Vaisya class were also probably associated with usury, which enabled them to indulge in monetary frauds³. The religious duty of this class was to attend to the Brahmanas+ and Samanas. The vaniyas of Rayagiha are described as being engaged in honouring guests (atithi) the mahanas and the samanas? 1. Sarthavaha Carudatta is addressed as gahavati by the musicians. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 133. Trade and agriculture were the chief means of livelihood for Vaisyae according to the Smrti writers. MDS, 1.90. Mehta also points out that they were from the Ksatriyas and Brahmanas. Mehta, Op.cit. P.256. 53. 3. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 86. 2. Jamkhedkar, A.P., Op.cit., P.53. 4. Arahamti diya savvasakkarassa, says Vinadatta, Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 209. So also another satthavaha by name Vijaya when asked for accommodation by a brahmin, says that he would make arrangements for that and would serve (sussusa) him according to his mite; Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 210, 5. Ibid., 2.

162 From the study of the Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa it becomes clear that the main bulk of the followers of Jainism was formed by this class, especially by the setthis and the satthavahas. It is not possible to make any remark about the condition of this class during the period contemporary to Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, as they are very casually referred to in the Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa 2.