2,735 bytes added
, 00:01, 9 April 2020
Irrigation (Samskrit: सेचनविधिः) has played a vital role in the agricultural history of India from ancient times. Water which is one of the essential requirements for the growth of crops. Atharvaveda (7.18.2) mentions in the Vrsti suktam (वृष्टिसूक्तम्) thus<blockquote>आपश्चिदस्मै घृतमित्क्षरन्ति यत्र सोमः सदमित्तत्र भद्रम् ॥२॥ (Atha. Veda. 7.18.2)</blockquote>Meaning: Wherever soma and other medicinal plants are worshipped, there the wintery frost and summer heat does not cause trouble (to people) and it rains appropriately leading to abundance (of crops or prosperity).
Our ancient texts have described various facilities for watering fields and plants both at micro and macro levels like watering after transplanting the plant and water supply on a larger scale with irrigational facilities.
According to Shatapatha Brahmana, water and trees depend upon each other and enrich themselves along with the mankind. It is an interesting fact waters are preserved for the bountiful growth of plants and trees, and those trees prevent water bodies from breaching their banks in the reservoirs; thus showing their interdependability.<ref>Dr. Dhananjay Vasudeo Dvivedi, (2017) [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331889740_Concept_of_Irrigation_as_Depicted_in_Sanskrit_Texts Concept of Irrigation as Depicted in Sanskrit Texts] in Samskrta Vimarsah 2017 (Vol 12)</ref>
== Water Resources ==
Yajurveda alludes to a comprehensive list of water resources namely rivers, lakes, ponds, stagnant water, wells, seas, steams, big streams, canals and so on. Yajurveda, in the Rudra sukta mantras describes the presence of Rudra in many kinds of water bodies as follows
नमः काट्याय च नीप्याय च नमः कुल्याय च सरस्याय च नमो नादेयाय च वैशन्ताय च ॥ (Yaju. Veda
शीभ्याय च - water stream
ऊर्म्याय (सूर्म्याय) - large water bodies like rivers which have waves
अवस्वन्याय - lakes having still water (without sound)
नादेयाय - rivers
द्वीप्याय - water surrounding land mass completely (deltas or islands)
काट्याय - small water steams
नीप्याय - waterfalls and their flow
कूप्याय - wells
तीर्थ्याय - water in tirthas
कूल्याय - banks of rivers
सरस्याय - large lakes
कुल्याय - canals
हृदय्याय - deep water bodies (seas and oceans)
== References ==