कृषि-पाराशर (महर्षि पराशर - प्राचीन भारतीय कृषि, मृदा-परीक्षण, वर्षा-पूर्वानुमान व बीज-संस्कार)

xii KṚṢI-PARĀŚARA
author directly and clearly sets forth his views without entering into
any recondite discussions of conflicting views which bewilder the
readers of the later prose compilations. The book, however, cannot
justly be regarded as a compilation though Raghunandana's ascription
of some of its verses to other authors may give rise to such an inference.
When we find Parāśara acknowledging the use of verses from Gārgya,
and making such references as 'anye munayaḥ', there cannot be any
conceivable reason why he should have chosen to incorporate, without
acknowledgment, the particular verses ascribed by Raghunandana to
others. This is not the usual practice among the compilers who are,
in a majority of cases, above the suspicion of plagiarism. The borrow-
ing, if at all, might have been the other way about, or, both might
have drawn upon a common source. Hence, no final verdict can be
pronounced on the nature of Parāśara's work which may or may not
have been a compilation.
Poetical merits of the author
The verses of the Kṛṣi-parāśara are mostly written in what is
commonly known as the Śloka metre with occasional use of the metres
Indravajrā, Upajāti and Mālinī. This variety of metres, in such a
short space, speaks eloquently of the poetic merits of the author.
Contents of the work¹⁰
It opens with an eulogy of the author and of agriculture. Rice is
then eloquently extolled as the principal source of strength and
domestic happiness (v.v. 5-7). The influence of planets on agriculture
and rainfall is dwelt upon in some detail. Then the clouds have been
divided into four types, viz., Āvarta, Saṃvarta, Puṣkara and Droṇa,
and the effect of each is described (v.v. 24-25). Next we find
detailed and interesting methods of ascertaining the annual rainfall;
the practical value of such meteorological forecasts has, of course, got
to be tested. These are followed by an enumeration of the indications
of immediate rainfall, such as, the rising of ants from their holes with
10 For details, see ABORI, 1955 (pp. 8-27). Here a rapid reésumé only .
is given.