The essentials
Indian texts across many centuries contain detailed knowledge about farming. The Rigveda refers to ploughing, furrows (sita), ploughs (langala, sira), barley (yava) and rain, and has hymns addressed to the Lord of the Field (Kshetrapati). Later Vedic texts mention more crops, such as rice and several pulses.
Kautilya's Arthashastra describes an officer called the sitadhyaksha (superintendent of agriculture) who managed state farms, kept seeds ready, and studied rainfall. The Krishi-Parashara, attributed to the sage Parashara, is a manual on weather forecasting, cattle care, ploughs, seeds and sowing. Varahamihira's Brihat Samhita (6th century CE) discusses rainfall prediction and has a section on the care of trees. Surapala's Vrikshayurveda (around the 10th–11th century) is a treatise on plant life, covering seeds, watering, manures and plant diseases.
Tamil Sangam literature divides land into five tinai (landscapes): kurinji (hills), mullai (forest/pasture), marutam (cultivated plains), neytal (coast) and palai (dry land). Marutam is the land of rice fields.
Key points
- Rigveda: ploughing, furrow, field, barley; agriculture already important.
- Arthashastra: sitadhyaksha; state interest in farming, irrigation and revenue.
- Krishi-Parashara: rain forecasting, cattle, implements, seed storage.
- Brihat Samhita: Varahamihira; rainfall, trees and omens.
- Vrikshayurveda (Surapala): "science of plant life"; kunapajala manure.
- Sangam tinai: marutam = agricultural plains.
Exam tips
- Match text with author: Arthashastra–Kautilya, Brihat Samhita–Varahamihira, Vrikshayurveda–Surapala.
- Remember the meaning of key words: krishi (farming), kshetra (field), sita (furrow).
Common mistakes
- Confusing Vrikshayurveda (plants) with Ayurveda (human medicine).
- Assuming the Krishi-Parashara is a Vedic text; it is a much later manual.