Bharatiya Pragna - Dr. Th Chowdary

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the main focus of Kashyapa was the Krishna- ishment and fertilizers; diseases of plants and
Godavari deltas and the adjacent northern re- plant protection; laying out of gardens and orgionschards;
creation of agricultural/horticultural won-
Vrikshayurveda (The Science of Plant Life) ders; use of plant species as indicators of crop
by Surapala (c. 1000 AD)
and animal production; and description of sa-
Vrikshayurveda of Surapala (c. 1000 cred plants.
AD), an ancient Sanskrit text on the science of The place of horticulture in ecology both
plant life was a mere name until few years ago. at the home garden scale and at the field scale
The names of both the text and the author were was well understood, as is evident from refer-
preserved by tradition. The actual text, however, ences such as in verse 9: “A person is honored
was unavailable. The AAHF procured a manu- in Heaven for as many thousand years as the
script of Vrikshayurveda of Surapala from the days he resides in a house where tulasi is
Bodleian Library, Oxford, UK.
grown”; or in verse 10: “And if one properly
The text is an independent, full-fledged grows bilva (bel), which pleases Lord Siva, in
work on the subject of Vrikshayurveda. The fol- his family (courtyard), the goddess of riches relowing
observations proved beyond doubt that sides permanently (in his house) and this (riches)
such a branch of learning existed in ancient In- is passed on to his sons and grandsons.” Apdia.
There are frequent references to this sciparently the place of trees in environmental mainence
in ancient Indian literature such as tenance and food chain was well understood.
Atharvaveda, Brhatsamhita of Varahamihira, and The saints and philosophers of the time extolled
Sarngadharapaddhati of Sarangadhara. the people to ‘grow more trees’— a slogan that
The tridhatu theory of Ayurveda is applied
to trees, bushes and other perennials.
we seem to have rediscovered during the past
few decades.
Vrikshayurveda, which means “The Science of From the types of soils, plant species,
Plant Life”, mainly deals with various species of kinds of plant protection materials, I believe that
trees and their healthy growth and productivity.
The text mentions about 170 species of plants,
including herbs, shrubs, and trees. There are 325
systematically arranged verses, beginning with a
salutation to Lord Ganesha, followed by glorification
of trees, and composition on tree planting
and production. Various chapters deal with the
raising of orchards, agri-horticulture, and tree
planting near houses. Special references are made
on procuring, preserving, and treatment of seeds
and planting materials; preparation of pits for
planting; selection of land (soil); methods of irrigation
and ways to locate groundwater; nour-
Surapala was referring to the Bihar-Orissa region.
November & December 2008 Bharatiya Pragna