४य अ१५ । ] বৈশ্বের উৎপত্তি ও বৃত্তিনির্ণয় '8సి অবসর পাইলেন। পরে নানা বৈশ্বজাতির উৎপত্তি হইলে বৈশুগণ কারু ও শিল্পাদি কাৰ্য্য হইতেও অবসর লইলেন। শিল্পকাৰ্য্যের ভার সূত্ৰধার, তস্তুবায়, স্বর্ণকার, কৰ্ম্মকার, কুস্তকার প্রভৃতির উপর অর্পিত হইল। ঐ সময়ে বৈশুগণ কেবল ‘বণিক্' নামেই পরিচিত হইয়াছিল, রামায়ণের ফলশ্রুতি হইতেও আমরা স্পষ্ট জানিতে পারি ? * • “Before the creation of the four orders, the Vaisyas, representing the Vis or the Arian populace had all secular offices as their proper duties. They had charge of pasturage and agriculture and all the arts of life—and so far as “money" was understood or introduced, they were also Bankers. On the institution of the Sudra caste, the Vaisyas were relieved of all meaner and servile work which required manual labour; and on the multiplication of the mixed classes, they were again relieved of much of the mechanical arts, which were distributed among carpenters, weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, potters, braziers, &c. The Vaisyas then followed the pure occupa. tion of Bankers and Merchants, and began to be called “Baniks,’ their occupation of Bankers and Merchants, and began to be called “Baniks." their occupation being named “bānijya” or commerce. They became in fact the commercial class of the Arian commonwealth. And this must have been as early as the days of Vālmiki himself. At the end of the first chapter of the Ramayana, the poet says—“A twice-born man (Brahman ) reading of the acts of Rama bacomes an orator—one of Kshatriya birth, a King —the “Banik’ ( meaning the third order) succeeds in his merchandise— and the Sudra on hearing them (for he was not allowed to read ) becomes great.” Here the Waisya is distinctively called Banik” “ - Rev. K. M. Banarji’s Lecture in Bengal Social Science Association. • পঠন দ্বিজে ৰাগ্যভৰমীয়াৎ তাৎক্ষত্তিরে ভূমিপতিভনীয়াং। बनिश्रजन६ गभाक्गक्शैौब्रा९ जनक भूरजांशन मश्वमैौबां९ ॥” ( כ• לוי ואןfsזאי וידtiיtה)
