Read the following lines from the Arthashastra. "An annual salary of 60 paṇas could be substituted by an adhaka of grain per day, enough for four meals…" (One adhaka is equal to about 3 kg) What does this indicate about the value of one pana?

This passage from the Arthaśhāstra indicates that the value of one pana can be understood by comparing it with the amount of grain (in this case, adhaka) that could substitute for it.

• One pana’s Value: The passage suggests that an annual salary of 60 panas could be substituted by an adhaka of grain per day, which is about 3 kg of grain for four meals. If we break it down, this means that 60 panas is roughly equivalent to an annual supply of around 1,095 kg of grain (since 365 days are considered in a year).
• Comparison: The value of one pana is calculated by dividing the total grain supply by the number of panas. In this case, 1 pana is equivalent to about 18 kg of grain per year or the amount of grain needed for a few meals every day.

· Understanding the Value: This indicates that a pana was seen as a valuable unit of currency during ancient times, enough to sustain a person’s basic needs such as food for an entire year.