Indian Agriculture before Maharshi Parashara

Dr. Dillip Kumar Kar

The first basic need of the human being is food. The importance of food from plants and animals had been realized by the farmers. The most important crops grown at early stage are : Rice, Wheat, Corn, Sugarcane and Sugar beets, Dairy products like milk, cheese, poultry products such as chicken, eggs, Olives etc. Non food crops such as rubber, fiber plants, tobacco, and cotton were gradually introduced. The Vedic literature bears ample testimony to the Agricultural basis of the life of the people of those times. Pusan was a pastoral deity. He was supposed to be the protector of the Animals and to lead them to the proper place when they strayed away. The Îgveda testifies to the people’s knowledge of some system of irrigation. The rainfall is an important source of water, particularly for cultivation. Before tilling the land the knowledge of rainfall is quite necessary. The Îgveda (4.33.07) clearly highlights the importance of irrigation and changes of Agricultural productivity whereas the Atharvaveda refers to different sources of water.

The Sources of Water for Cultivation

In Îgveda the following rivers are praised for their service of beings by offering their milk like water as a mother cries for her son.

        +Í—Ì t¥ÌÌ Í²ÌŒÌÌâ ̨ͨÌÙ͘ÌzÉ ˜ÌÌtÌœúÌâ ¥Ì̬ÌÌ +­ÌÊэtÌ Ì™Ì²Ìâ¥Ì ŒÌâÌ¥Ì: *

        œúÌ`Ìâ¥Ì ™ÌÙŒ¥ÌÌ Ì™ÌÍ²Ì t¥Ì͘ÌtÌÆ Í²ÌZÌÌæ ™ÌzùÌ ²Ì̘ÌOÌëÉ Ìë¥ÌtÌÌ̍͘ÌKÌÍ²Ì **

        <˜ÌÉ ˜Ìâ OÌWâó ™Ì˜ÌٍÌ⠲̜ú²¥ÌÍtÌ ¨ÌÙtÌÙ͇ù ²tÌÌâ˜ÌÉ ²ÌZÌtÌÌ Ìû­s™ÌÌ *

        +ͲÌFíòšÌ ˜ÌûˆßùŒÌâ Í¥Ìt̲tÌ™ÌÌ%%`Ì×FòÕ™Ìâ ¨ÌßsÌÙ»Ì ²ÌÙ­ÌÌâ˜Ì™ÌÌ ** (R.V. - 10.75.4,5)

                1.     Gañgá               2.     Yamuná

                3.     Sarasvatè           4.     Ùutudrè

                5.     Paruúïè             6.     Marudvødhá

                7.     Asiknè              8.     Vitastá

                9.     Arjikèyá            10.   Ùuúomá   

        +Ì ™ÌtÌÆ ²ÌÌFÉò ™Ì¨Ì²ÌÌâ ¥Į̥̀Ì̍ÌÌ: ²Ìœú²¥ÌtÌÕ ²ÌÌyÌÕ Í²ÌŒÌÙ˜ÌÌtÌÌ *

        ™ÌÌ: ²ÌÙ­¥Ì™ÌtÌ ²ÌÙzÙùQÌÌ: ²ÌÙŒÌÌœúÌ +ÍÌ ²¥ÌâÌ Ì™Ì²ÌÌ ÌՏ™Ì̍ÌÌ: **

May the seventh stream Sarasvatè, the mother of the Sindhu and those rivers that flow Copious and fertilizing, bestowing abundance of food and nourishing the people by their waters, come at once together. (Rgveda - 7.36.6)

tÌVe²tÌÙœúՏ̘̄ÙùtÌÉ Ìٝû ¥ÌÌœÉú Ìٝût˜ÌÌÌ *

t¥Ì®õÌ ÌÌâ¨ÌÌ™Ì Í¥Ì ­™ÌtÌÙ œúÌ™Ì⠍ÌÌ—ÌÌ ÌÌâ +²˜Ì™ÌÙ: ** (R.V - 1.142.10)

Rain Water also one of the main source of Vedic period. The following Øca invokes thus; "Send for our nourishment and prosperity the quick falling wonderful abundant water in the center of the clouds, effecting of itself much good".

¨ÌÉ ÌÌâ +̏ÌÌ⠌̍̍™ÌÌ: ¨Ì˜ÌÙ ²Ìt¥ÌÌ܏™ÌÌ: * ¨ÌÉ ÌÌâ LÌ͍ÌÍw̘ÌÌ +̏Ì: ¨Ì˜ÌÙ ™ÌÌ: FÙò˜—Ì +Ì—ÌßtÌÌ: ̥ͨÌÌ Ì: ²ÌtÌÙ ¥ÌÌÏ­ÌFòÕ: **

áaÆ No Ëpo Dhanany¡Å áamu Santvan£py¡Å . áaÆ No Khanitrim¡ ËpaÅ áamu Y¡Å Kumbha Ëbh¤t¡Å áiv¡ NaÅ Santu V¡rÀik¢Å ..  Atharvaveda (1.6.4).

i.                    ŒÌÌ™ÌÌ +̏ÌÌâ  (Dhanany¡ Ëpo) - Water in the barren land,

ii.                 +Ì܏™ÌÌ  (An£py¡) - That in the Ponds,

iii.               LÌ͍ÌÍw̘ÌÌ (Khanitrim¡) - That produced by digging well,

iv.               +Ì—ÌßtÌÌ (Ëbh¤t¡) - That brought in a Pitcher,

v.                  ¥ÌÌÏ­ÌFòÕ:  (V¡rÀik¢)  - The rain water,

Manure

+É ÊxÉ©ÉÖSÉ& ¶ÉEÞònäùEòÉä +{ÉɦɮúiÉ *  Ë NimrucaÅ áak¤deko Ap¡bharat . (Îgveda 1.161.10)

The above verson of the Îgveda mentions that the Îbhus were noted as separating cow-dung, evidently as source of manure used for fertilizing the lands.

Insecticides/Pesticides  

The following verses of Atharvaveda refer to +VɶÉÞRÂóMÉÒ (Aja¿¤´g¢), EòEÇò¶ÉÞRÂóMÉÒ (Karka¿¤´g¢), EòEÇò]õ¶ÉÞRÂóMÉÒ (Karka¶a¿¤´g¢),  ¨ÉävÉɶÉÞRÂóMÉÒ (Medh¡¿¤´g¢),  and  +®úÉ]õEòÒ  (Ar¡¶ak¢) as pesticides. The powder of any one of these herbs is smeared on the root or is mixed with water and poured at the root of the plant; the plant grows well because the insects and pests are destroyed. Neem cake, Tulsi are referred as good pesticides and insecticides and are used as such.

<xpùºªÉ ªÉÉ ¨É½þÒ où¹ÉiÉ ÊGò¨Éä̴ɷɺªÉ iɽÇþÊhÉ *

iɪÉÉ Ê{ÉxÉι¨É ºÉÆ ÊGò¨ÉÒxÉ où¹ÉnùÉ Jɱ´ÉÉÄ <´É **

où¹]õ¨Éoù¹]õ¨ÉiÉÞ½þ¨ÉlÉÉä EÖò°ü¯û¨ÉiÉÞ½þ¨É *

+±MÉhbÚ÷xiºÉ´ÉÉxÉ Uô±ÉÖxÉÉxÉ ÊGò¨ÉÒxÉ ´ÉSɺÉÉ Vɨ¦ÉªÉɨÉ漃 **

ªÉä ÊGò¨ÉªÉ& {É´ÉÇiÉä¹ÉÖ ´ÉxÉä¹´ÉÉä¹ÉvÉÒ¹ÉÖ {ɶÉÖ¹´É{º´ÉxiÉ& *

ªÉä +º¨ÉÉEÆò iÉx´É¨ÉÉÊ´ÉʴɶÉÖ& ºÉ´ÉÈ iÉrùÎx¨É VÉÊxÉ¨É ÊGò¨ÉÒhÉɨÉ **

Indrasya Y¡ Mah¢ D¤Àat Krimervi¿vasya Tarha¸i .

Tay¡ PinaÀmi SaÆ Krim¢n D¤Àad¡ Khalv¡Ä Iva ..

D¤À¶amad¤À¶amat¤hamatho Kur£rumat¤ham .

Alga¸·£ntsav¡n Chalun¡n Krim¢n Vacas¡ Jambhay¡masi ..

Ye KrimayaÅ ParvateÀu VaneÀvoÀadh¢Àu Pa¿uÀvapsvantaÅ .

Ye Asm¡kaÆ Tanvam¡vivi¿uÅ SarvaÆ Taddhanmi Janima Krim¢¸¡m .. (A.V. – 2.31.1,2,5)

Ê´É·É°ü{ÉÆ SÉiÉÖ®úIÉÆ ÊGò謃 ºÉÉ®úRÂóMɨÉVÉÖÇxɨÉ *

¶ÉÞhÉɨªÉºªÉ {ÉÞι]õ®úÊ{É ´ÉÞSUôÉ欃 ªÉÎSUô®ú& **

+ÊjÉ´ÉiÉ ´É& ÊGò¨ÉªÉÉä ½þÎx¨É Eòh´É´ÉVVɨÉnùÎMxÉ´ÉiÉ *

+MɺiªÉºªÉ ¥ÉÀhÉÉ ºÉÆ Ê{Éxɹ¨ªÉ½Æþ ÊGò¨ÉÒxÉ **

Vi¿var£paÆ CaturakÀaÆ KrimiÆ S¡ra´gamarjunam .

ᤸ¡myasya P¤À¶irapi V¤cch¡mi YacchiraÅ ..

Atrivat VaÅ Krimayo Hanmi Ka¸vavajjamadagnivat .

Agastyasya Brahma¸¡ SaÆ PinaÀmyahaÆ Krim¢n .. (A.V. – 2.32.2.3)

BªÉ¦ÉMÉzÉÉä¹ÉvÉÒxÉÉÆ ´ÉÒ¯ûvÉÉÆ ´ÉÒªÉÉÇ´ÉiÉÒ *

+VɶÉÞRÂóMªÉ®úÉ]õEòÒ iÉÒIhɶÉÞRÂóMÉÒ ´ªÉÞ¹ÉiÉÖ **

EyabhagannoÀadh¢n¡Æ V¢rudh¡Æ V¢ry¡vat¢ .

Aja¿¤´gyar¡¶ak¢ T¢kÀ¸a¿¤´g¢ Vy¤Àatu .. (A.V. – 4.37.6)

i´ÉªÉÉ ´ÉªÉ¨É{ºÉ®úºÉÉä MÉxvÉ´ÉÉȶSÉÉiɪÉɨɽäþ *

+VɶÉÞRÂóªÉVÉ ®úIÉ& ºÉ´ÉÉÇxÉ MÉxvÉäxÉ xÉÉ¶ÉªÉ **

Tvay¡ Vayamapsaraso Gandharv¡Ä¿c¡tay¡mahe .

Aja¿¤´yaja RakÀaÅ Sarv¡n Gandhena N¡¿aya .. (A.V. – 4.37.2)

DevJeev$³eb Meer<e&C³e&ceLees Hee<ìx³eb ef$eÀceerved ~

DeJemkeÀJeb J³eOJejb ef$eÀceerved Je®emee pecYe³eeceefme ~~ (A.V. - 2.31.4)

All the diseases causing organisms which exist in the intestines, head and ribs, and others which are created by the bad habits are removed by me using the medicine Vaca.

³es ef$eÀce³eë HeJe&les<eg Jeves<Je<eOeer<eg HeMeg<JeHmJevleë ~

³es DemceekebÀ levJeceeefJeefJeMegë meJe¥ le×eqvce peefvece ef$eÀceerCeeced ~~ (A.V. - 2.31.5)

All the diseases causing organisms which are found in hills, forest, plants, animals and water etc. and those who have entered our bodies are totally killed by me at birth.

Deeql$eJeod Jeë ef$eÀce³ees neqvce keÀCJeJeppeceoeqiveJeled ~

Deieml³em³e ye´ïeCee meb efHeve<c³enb ef$eÀceerved ~~ (A.V. - 2.32.3)

The knowledge and method given by Maharúi Atri. Jamadagni and Agastya are used to kill all disease causing organisms.

Crop Rotation

Crop Rotation was one of the main and important methods to improve the fertility of the land. The Taittiriya Samhita is the first treatise that mentions about the crop rotation system. The farmers had introduced a sequence of dual crop rotation system. Êuù& ºÉÆ´ÉiºÉ®úºªÉ ºÉºªÉÆ {ÉSªÉiÉä * - DviÅ SaÆvatsarasya SasyaÆ Pacyat® . (T.S. – 5.1.7.3) It is significant to state that even now in certain states of our country many crops are simultaneously sown. Sowing was generally done during the rainy season that is in the month of ár¡va¸a.

As per Taittiriya Samhita Barley should be sown in summer, herbal plants in rainy season, green fodder in Autumn and Urad and Til in winter season.

ªÉ´É OÉÒ¹¨ÉɪÉÉä¹ÉvÉÒ´ÉǹÉÉǦªÉÉä ¥ÉÒ½þÒ\¶É®únäù ¨ÉɹÉÊiɱÉÉè ½äþ¨ÉxiÉʶÉʶɮúɦªÉɨÉ *

Yava Gr¢Àm¡yoÀadh¢rvarÀ¡bhyo Br¢h¢µ¿arade M¡Àatilau Hemanta¿i¿ir¡bhy¡m . (T.S. – 7.2.10.2)

The Agnipur¡¸a describes the following six steps in Agricultural operations.

1.                  GoÀ¶hay¡tr¡ - Construction of sheds for farm Animals, arranging of fodder and other suitable food for them, Domestication of farm animals and care.

2.                  K¤Àikarm¡cara¸a – Digging, Leveling, preparing grounds for sowing of seeds, all other activities conne3cted with irrigation and drainage of land including proper manuring.

3.                  B¢j¡v¡pa – It involves selection of best seeds matching with the soil conditions, weather conditions, Preservation and pre-treatment of seeds before sowing, including sowing activities.

4.                  Dh¡ny¡cceda – Proper sprouting of seeds, growth of plants in the initial stages, care of crops with adequate water, sunlight and also preservation from attacks by insects, worms etc.

5.                  Dh¡nyaprave¿a – Proper formation of Dh¡nya (agro foods) in the sprouting of plants, and its due care.

6.                  Dh¡nyaniÀkrama¸a – Cutting and removal of Dh¡nya (agro foods) after its complete harvest. This step includes threshing, reaping and binding of crops as applicable transportation to godowns and further care.

A comparison with the Recent time Agriculture

Sr. No.	Ancient Times	Recent Times
1	Small and individual farm lands.	Large, mechanized co-operatives were developed, farmland with outputs of crops an d dairy products of very large volumes are being developed.
2	The crops were self-fertilizing.	Hybrid variety of crops for larger yield.
3	Seeds were automatically available to the farmers in the field.	Seeds are to be purchased from as the hybrid crops do not give seeds.
4	Rotation of crops was followed.	Rotation of crops was followed.
5.	The vegetation grown was dependent on the type of soil.	More cash crops are grown.
6	Natural manures were used.	Chemical fertilizers are used as manures. These in turn destroy the soil.
7	Pre sowing treatment was followed.	Pre sowing treatment was followed.
8	Preservation for further use of seeds and stems was follows.	Preservation for further use of seeds and stems was follows.
9	Seeds were freely available.	Seeds are to be purchased. Quality seeds, if not available to farmers, may result in huge losses to them.
10	Farm animals were protected. Dairy products developed.	Farm animals are being killed for meeting the culinary requirements of non vegetarian population. This has resulted in sharp reduction of dairy products and other items like wool, leather, rubber etc. the cost of which have gone up.
11	Farmers were independent.	Farmers are dependent upon the support price from the Government.

Although the Vedic Cultivation was essentially individualistic but at certain places we find references of state farms also. Generally it was the duty of the rulers to look the Agriculture of the country and to provide the peasants all kinds of facilities. The Mahabharata describes that the king should give loans in the form of cash, seeds and implements etc. to the farmers. It appears that during the last three or four thousand years there has not been much basic change has occurred in the field of Agriculture. After the Vedic Period, MaharÀi Par¡¿ara systematized the things. In his K¤Àipar¡¿ara he narrated the things in proper manner. The contents of K¤Àipar¡¿ara is as follows. It eulogizes agriculture as the source of strength and peace. Planetary influence on Agriculture and rainfall has been described. Clouds are stated to be of four kinds, Viz. Ëvarta, SaÆvarta, PuÀkara and Dro¸a. The work also contains an interesting method of forecasting the time and character of rainfall throughout the following year by observing the course of wind in the month of PauÀa. The omens of immediate rain and for the commencement of the harvest have also mentioned. The author holds that agriculture without supervision is fruitless. The owner must himself supervise the operation. No proxy in this matter is allowed. Rules are also made for the proper maintenance of the bulls which are regarded as indispensable for the purpose. Among the other rules, the important are to keep the cow-shed clean and its fumigation. The animals should be allowed to move about freely in the morning and evening. Keeping of washings of fish, carding of cotton, tying of goats are some practices which are strictly prohibited inside a cow-shed. The post-harvest operations are Mardana or the separation method of grains from its stalks, M¡pana or the weighing and Sth¡pana or storing the grains.