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Dhananjay Vasudeo Dwivedi
SAMBODHI
According to the Vrksāyurveda, Arid and marshy land is not good. Ordinary land is good as all kinds of trees grow on it without fail -
न जाङ्गला न चानूपा भूमिः साधारणा शुभा । तस्यां सर्वेऽपि तरवः प्ररोहन्ति न संशयः ॥1
Panasa, Lakuca, Tali, Vamsa, Jambira, Jambu, Tilaka, Vata, Kadamba, Amrātaka, Kharjura, Kadali, Tinisa, Mrdvi, Ketaki, Narikela, etc. grow on a marshy land
पनसलकचतालीवंशजम्बीरजम्बतिलकवटकदम्बामातखर्जरपगाः । कदलितिनिशमृद्वीकेतकीनालकेनीप्रभृतय इति चान्ये प्रायशोनूपजाः स्युः ॥2
Sobhāñjana, Šriphala, Saptaparņa, sephālikā, Asoka, šamī, Karīra, Karkandhu, Kesara, Nimba, and Asoka grow well on an arid land
शोभाञ्जनश्रीफलसप्तपर्णाः शेफालिकाशमीकरीराः । कर्कन्धुकेसरनिश्वशोकावृद्धिं लभन्ते जाड्लायाम् ॥23
Bījapūraka, Punnāga, Campaka, Amra, Atimuktaka, Priyangu, Dādima etc. grow on an ordinary type of land
बीजपूरकपन्नागचम्पकाम्रातिमुक्तकाः ।
प्रियङ्गुदाडिमाद्याश्च साधारणसमुद्भवा ॥24 Classification based on Colour, Taste and Properties of Soil –
Vrksāyurveda gives a separate definition of soil on the basis of their colours, taste and fertility. Soil is divided into six types by colours and savour
भेदैः साभिद्यते य षड्भिर्वर्णतो रसतस्तथा ॥25
Black, white, pale, dark, red, and yellow are colours and sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent are the tastes by which land is divided
असितविपाण्डुश्यामललोहितसितपीततोचिषः क्रमशः । मधुरोम्ललवणतिक्तकटुकषाया भुवो रसतः ॥26
Vrksāyurveda further adds that bluish like sapphire, soft like parrot's feather, white like conch, jasmine, lotuses, or the moon, and yellow lil gold or blooming Campaka is the land recommended for planting
इन्द्रनीलशुकपक्षकोमला शङ्खकुन्दकुमुदेन्दु सन्निभा । तप्तकाञ्चनविकासि चम्पकस्पर्धिनी वसुमती प्रशस्यते ॥27