DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52452#0071
1,6.
DEBTS.
43
6. Three deceased (ancestors) must be worshipped,
three must be reverenced before the rest. These
6. Three deceased ancestors, i.e. the father, grandfather, and
great-grandfather, may claim the discharge of their terrestrial and
celestial liabilities from the fourth in descent. This rule is illustrated
by the history of an action which was brought before a court in
Patna. A merchant of the Brahman caste, by the name of Aridhara,
had lent the whole of his wealth, consisting of 10,000 drammas
(drachmas), which he had gained through great labour, to a trader,
by the name of Devadhara, on condition that interest amounting to
two per cent, per mensem of the principal stock should be paid to
him. The interest was duly paid to Aridhara at the end of the
first month. In the second month, however, Devadhara met his
death through an accident. His son died of an attack of cholera.
Devadhara’s great-grandson alone was left. His name was Mahi-
dhara. As he was addicted to licentious courses, the management
of the estate was undertaken by his sons and maternal uncles.
They got into the hands of a cunning Brahman called Smarta-
durdhara, who advised them not to pay a single rupee to Aridhara,
as he was able to prove from the law-books that he had no claim to
the money. The uncles of Mahidhara, much pleased with this piece
of advice, promised to give i,ooo drammas to the Brahman if they
need not pay the money to Aridhara. Thus, when at the close of
the second month, the uncles and guardians of Devadhara’s great-
grandson, Mahidhara, were asked by Aridhara to pay 200 drammas,
being the amount of interest due on the sum lent to Devadhara,
they refused payment. They said : ‘ We do not owe you the prin-
cipal, much less any amount of interest. The Brahman Smarta-
durdhara has pointed out to us that the obligation to pay stops with
the fourth in descent.’ Aridhara was struck dumb with grief and
terror on hearing this announcement made to him. When he had
regained his senses, he repaired to the court of justice, attended by
his family, friends, and servants, and impeached Mahidhara, together
with his uncles, for their dishonesty. Both parties took sureties.
The uncles of Mahidhara engaged Smartadurdhara to plead for
them. After pretending his clients to be connected with his family
by a friendship of long standing, he went on to refer to a text of
Narada (above, par. 4), as proving that the obligation to pay the
debts of ancestors stops with the fourth in descent. All his argu-
ments, however, were refuted, and held out to derision by a learned
DEBTS.
43
6. Three deceased (ancestors) must be worshipped,
three must be reverenced before the rest. These
6. Three deceased ancestors, i.e. the father, grandfather, and
great-grandfather, may claim the discharge of their terrestrial and
celestial liabilities from the fourth in descent. This rule is illustrated
by the history of an action which was brought before a court in
Patna. A merchant of the Brahman caste, by the name of Aridhara,
had lent the whole of his wealth, consisting of 10,000 drammas
(drachmas), which he had gained through great labour, to a trader,
by the name of Devadhara, on condition that interest amounting to
two per cent, per mensem of the principal stock should be paid to
him. The interest was duly paid to Aridhara at the end of the
first month. In the second month, however, Devadhara met his
death through an accident. His son died of an attack of cholera.
Devadhara’s great-grandson alone was left. His name was Mahi-
dhara. As he was addicted to licentious courses, the management
of the estate was undertaken by his sons and maternal uncles.
They got into the hands of a cunning Brahman called Smarta-
durdhara, who advised them not to pay a single rupee to Aridhara,
as he was able to prove from the law-books that he had no claim to
the money. The uncles of Mahidhara, much pleased with this piece
of advice, promised to give i,ooo drammas to the Brahman if they
need not pay the money to Aridhara. Thus, when at the close of
the second month, the uncles and guardians of Devadhara’s great-
grandson, Mahidhara, were asked by Aridhara to pay 200 drammas,
being the amount of interest due on the sum lent to Devadhara,
they refused payment. They said : ‘ We do not owe you the prin-
cipal, much less any amount of interest. The Brahman Smarta-
durdhara has pointed out to us that the obligation to pay stops with
the fourth in descent.’ Aridhara was struck dumb with grief and
terror on hearing this announcement made to him. When he had
regained his senses, he repaired to the court of justice, attended by
his family, friends, and servants, and impeached Mahidhara, together
with his uncles, for their dishonesty. Both parties took sureties.
The uncles of Mahidhara engaged Smartadurdhara to plead for
them. After pretending his clients to be connected with his family
by a friendship of long standing, he went on to refer to a text of
Narada (above, par. 4), as proving that the obligation to pay the
debts of ancestors stops with the fourth in descent. All his argu-
ments, however, were refuted, and held out to derision by a learned