Various Hydrological Indications in Ancient Indian Texts

Dr. Shyamdeo Mishra

Water is one of the most precious element our earth has, as it is life. Water makes our earth most amazing and priceless planet. As we know, water beneath earth is more valuable than water over the surface, in ocean as it is saulty. In present, we are facing a major problem in the form of water-crisis. In this dreadful situation, we need to explore various systems of finding water -resources to eke out the longevity of human being.

Ancient Indian scientists had several methods to trace out underground water-resources. These methods were the perfect blend of various principals of several sciences like Agriculture, botany, zoology, ecology and geology. Varahmihira, the supreme scientist (as he was an astronomer, astrologer, geologist, gemologist, psychologist, meteorologist, hydrologist etc with great poetic ability) expounded various inducive techniques of water-finding based upon the conducive indications given by terminates and plants. In chapter 53, named as Dakargalam or Udakargalam (where udak means water and Argala means a wooden stick) of his magnum opus Brihat Samhita, he explains the state of hydrological knowledge of ancient India. He elaborated the characteristics of vegetation (Like presence of a certain tree in a waterless tract, a thorneless brinjal with white flowers etc) as an indicator of water under surface.

He also exclaimed the different conditions of phreatophytes as an indicator of water. He predicted under ground water on the basis of morphological physiological and mutational features of plants.

He predicted the type of underground water on the basis of soil. For instence , a copper coloured soil mixed with gravel yields astringent water, pale yellow earth indictes saulty water, blue soil shows sweet water etc. He did not only discuss the exploration of water but also explained the techneques of water purification and preservation of water reservoirs too. Thus, he dealt with every facet of hydrology in his text.

This research paper is an endevor to shed the light on these conducive ancient techniques of water finding which could add new perspective in the field of hydrology.

Assistant Professor & Co-ordinatorJyotish

Mukta-Swadhyay-PeethamRashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan

New Delhi-58