Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 299

274
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
tain their food value and to preserve their germination-capacities (or viability) upto the maximum periods of three, five and seven years respectively.1
[Ch. V
It appears from this evidence of the system of storing grains that the germination-capacities of the cereals, like rice wheat etc., those of pulses (kalai) and others, and those of oil-seeds like linceed (alasi), mustard (sarsapa) and others, lasted in the minimum for one antarmuhurta, and in the maximum for three, five and seven years respectively. After that (period) their individual germination-capacities withered and got destroyed and the seeds became unseeds."
It is to be carefully observed that the knowledge of the germination-capacities of these cereals, pulses and other oil seeds as revealed in this canonical work almost agree with the results of germination-capacities obtained by the experiments of the agricultural researches of the present day.3
Rainfall
The terms 'pausa' and 'vāsa" used in the BhS denote the rainy season and rain respectively, which are most essential for growing rice and other crops of this season.
The reference to the duration of Udakagarbha' (change or transformation of matter into water), upto one samaya in the minimum and six months in the maximum shows that the phenomena of Nature operated in causing the rainfall within a shortest period or after a long period of six months.
There is no direct evidence in the text to cite that the process of irrigation of the cultivated fields was adopted by the peasants for growing crops, but the allusion to the act of drying up (or draining) the big tank, lake, etc., (saradahataḍāya parisosanaya)" by a class of people clearly suggests that the system of irrigation was in operation as it was well-known in ancient India.
1 BhS, 6, 7, 246.
2 Ib, 6, 7, 246.
3 Plant physiology, 2nd. Ed. Bequard S. Myor and Donald S.
Anderson p. 715.
4 Bhs, 9, 33, 383.
"Ib, 2, 5, 101.
61b, 8, 5, 330,