Sambodhi 2018 Vol 41

Author(s): J B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 66

Vol. XLI, 2018
Plant Propagation as described In Sanskrit Texts
57
One should be clean and pure and worship a tree with ablutions and sandal paste etc. and then graft it. Then it will thrive even with the leaves with which it has been grafted. The transplanted (grafted) trees should be watered both in the morning and evening everyday in summer; on alternate d cold seasons; and whenever the soil becomes dry in rainy season
शुचिर्भूत्वा तरोः पूजां कृत्वा स्नानानुलेपनैः । रोपयेद्रोपितश्चैव पत्रैस्तैरेव जायते ॥ सायं प्रातश्च धर्मत्तौ शीतकाले दिनान्तरे ।
वर्षासु च भुवः शोषे सेक्तव्या रोपिता द्रुमाः ॥1 The knowledge of grafting is mentioned as one of the essential qualifications of the gardener in the Sukranīti which recognizes it as one of the sixty four arts.
Vrksāyurveda has also discussed the plant propagation through cutting and grafting. According to it, smeared with the pulp of a plantain ripened naturally and dried in the Sun, a rope of the stalk of Sastika (a rice variety that matures in 60 days) should be laid in the pits intermittently. Sprinkled with little water continuously in the hot days, it yields without fail sprouts like Tamāla
सहजपरिपक्वकदलीफललिप्तास्तरणिकिरणपरिशुष्काः । षष्टिकपलालरज्जुर्निहितार्गर्ते तदतरिता ॥2 स्तोकजलैः परिसिक्त निरन्तरं शुचिरदिवसेषु ।
सूतेतमालनीलप्रतिमां कुरुसञ्चयं नियतम् ॥ The stalk should be 18 angula, neither too tender nor too hard. Half of it should be smeared with plenty of cow dung and then it should be planted with three-fourth in the pit and should be sprinkled with water mixed with softy sand mud
अष्टादशाङ्गुलमकोमलकर्कशं च संरोपयेद्विपुलगोमयसंस्कृतार्ध ।
काण्डं त्रिभागमथतंत्परिपूर्यगर्तेसिञ्चेज्जलैर्मसृणसैकलमृत्तिकाभिः ॥4
Bulbs should be planted in pits measuring one forearm-length, breadth, and depth-and filled with mud mixed with thick sand
सर्वात्कन्दात्वेद्गर्ते सर्वतो हस्तसम्मिते । सांद्रसैकत संमिश्रमृत्तिकापरिपूरिता ॥5