Economics of Kautiliya Shukra and Brihaspati.pmd

words, 'Fifteen days and nights make a fortnight. That in which the
moon waxes is bright (fortnight). That in which the moon wanes is
the dark. Two fortnights make a month. Thirty days and nights make
a works month. A half day less makes a lunar month. Twenty seven
(days and nights) make a month of constellations. Since in every month
of a day is less than 30, therefore in twelve months the number of
days are less than 360'. (Kautiliya Arthashastra-2, 2.20.43-50)
Modern accounting system was intorduced by the western
philosophers. But the description of accounting in Kautiliya Arthashastra
abd Shukran-niti provides the information of a well defined system of
accounting done by oriental statesmen. Not only the accountomg but
also a well defined filing and index system is explained in Kautiliya
Arthashastra. The resopnsibility of government accounting was on
The Superintendent of Accounts. According to Kautilya,' The
Superintendent of Accounts shall have the accountant’s office
constructed with its door facing either the north or the east, with seats
(for clerks) kept apart and with shelves of account-books well arranged'.
Cost of production can be estimated with the help of
expenditures and quantity of the goods produced. This is how
accountancy is converted into the cost accounting. Modern techniques
of cost accounting have progressed. However, it can be asserted that
rudiments of accountancy and the conversions of accounting entries
into unit cost was known to the merchants as well as the teachers of
ancient times.
Possible expenditure and income accounting is presented in
the table 6.3 and 6.4.
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Table 6.3. Possible Expenditure Account
Details Sravana Asadha Total
1 2 ... 15 1 ... 30 1 ... 30 354
Place
Time of
accounting
Date and time
of receipt
Accounting
officer
Value when
received at
counter
Occasion
Commodity
paid
Paid by
Ordered by
Received
from store
Who paid
from counter
Received by
Note- 1= First day of bright fortnight, 1 = First day of dark fortnight,
15= Full moon day, 30= Blue moon day
Source: Rangrajan, 1992 : 277
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