List the taxes collected by the rajas of the mahajanpadas.
Answers
The classical writers mentioned that 1/4th of the produce was paid in tax by the peasants. They also suggest that a tribute was paid by them. Land tax was the main items of revenue. It was called Bhaga. According to the text, it was levied at the rate of 1/6th of the produce. But it is possible that in the modern period it was quite high and levied at the rate of 1/4 of the produce.
The peseants paid a tax called Pindakara paid by husbandsmen, which was assessed on groups of villages. This was also customary in nature.
The exact nature of Hiranya is also not known, but it was probably a tax paid in cash because Hiranya literally means gold dot Bali, the traditionally known levy from the vedic times continued under the mahajanapada period.
One such measure was the levy of Pranaya which literally mint a gift of affection. This is a tax first mentioned by Panini but elaborated upon for the first time in the Arthashastra.