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resources and arrested further degradation by judicious management. It is also important to note that degradation was arrested at different stages at some places at Sukhma and at others at Sukhma-Dukhma stage which means that people there realised their follies at that period and took corrective measures from that point of time. This is same as advocated in modern forestry and recent doctrine of sustainability.
अवसेस वण्णणाओ सुसमस्स व होति तस्य खेत्तस्य णवीर अवहिद रूवं परिहीणं हाणि वढीहिं | 1767 ||
"
In Harivarsa the conditions always remain same as in Sukhma.
[Tilloyapannati Part2 Section4]
अवसेस वण्णणाओ सरिमाओ मुसमदुस्समेषं वि णवीर अवडिद- रूवं परिहीणं वइढीहिं | 1726 [Tilloyapannati Part2 Section4]
In Hemvata the conditions always remain as in Sukhma- Dukhma.
परचक्क - भीदि- रहिदो, अण्णाय पयट्टणेहि परिहीणो । अइवट्ठि- अणावट्टी- परिचत्तो, सव्व कालेसुं । | 2277 ||
[Tilloyapannati Part2 Section4]
In Kaccha Videh there is never lawlessness, use of unfair means and never shortage or excess of rainfall and the area is immune from retrogression.
Such ecological perceptions in ancient Jain literature are astounding. These have now been recognised in modern ecological and environmental sciences.
Birth of Agriculture of Agriculture:
Scientific evidence indicates that agriculture was adopted around 8000 years ago and it was accidental. The food collector ancestor accidentally dropped seeds of some grasses collected from forests nearby his hut. To his surprise he observed that the seeds sprouted and after three months bore the same seeds. He then pondered and decided that it will be convenient and easy to grow such edible seeds near his residence than the cumbersome and laborious daily routine of going round forest to get food and he started cultivating few grasses. Others followed him and the number of people adopting cultivation grew rapidly. The concept of individual property also evolved with agriculture and with it the ensuing feuds, conflicts, clashes and small and big wars. Since agriculture depend on timely adequate rains, it suffered from vagaries of nature and this gave rise to a class of wily persons who professed to tell future and prescribed various rituals to ward off the bad fortune; gullible and ignorant people got entangled in the crafty tricks and fattened the purses of tricksters, believing and subscribing to numerous unscientific superstitions which are galore even now in spite of astounding scientific progress.
