Ferries and Tolls | Vasista Dharmasutra

Many towns and cities across the world consist of a ferry service to get people across rivers and other inland water bodies. One might wonder how the prices are calculated. Well, back in the days, Vasista, in his Dharmasutra, lays out the ground rules for operating a ferry service.

Accordingly, the toll is fixed based on the length of travel. A further classification is based on the length an arrow travels across the river. If it lands in the middle, then the toll is 8 Masas. If it lands beyond the half-way mark, then the toll will be a quarter Karsapana. During those times when there isn’t much water, then the toll is only 1 Masa.

Many of the subjects are to be charged no fees for using the ferry service. They include:

• Scholars

• Officials of the King

• Poor

• Wandering Ascetics

• Children and the Old

• Youngsters

• New mothers and young women

And should someone be caught trying to swim his way through, the penalty will be a hundred times that of the toll!

If you are wondering what the currencies like Masa and Karsapana mean, here is a ready reckoner:

• Among the earliest silver specimens are those in the shape of small bent bar, the largest of which, the Satamana, weighted 180 grains (11.66 grams).

• The basic silver punch marked coin was Karsapana or Pana, of 57.8 grains (3.76 grams):

• Masa or Masika weighted one-sixteenth of this (3.6 grains or 0.25 grams) Punchmarked copper coins:

• A masa of 9 grains (0.58 grams) and a Karshapana of 144 grains (9.33 grams),

• Quarter-masas in copper or Kakini (2.25 grains or 0.13 grams) Nisaka and Hiranyapinda and Pala were Gold lum-sum

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