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

KṚṢI-PARĀŚARA

1. Having saluted Prajāpati, the sage Parāśara lays down
   reflections on agricultural operations for the welfare of cultivators.
2. Even a Brāhmaṇa, who is versed in the four Vedas, who
   recites Śāstras and is wise, is possessed by Alakṣmī¹ being humiliated
   by solicitation.
3. By means of agriculture alone, one, however, ceases to be a
   suitor. One, taking to agriculture, can become a sovereign monarch
   in this world.
4. People, even having a surfeit of gold, silver, jewels and
   garments, beseech the cultivators out of hankering for rice.
5. People have to suffer starvation for want of rice² even if they
   have gold in the necks, ears and hands.
6. Rice is vitality, rice is vigour too, and rice (indeed) is the
   means of fulfilment of all the ends (of life). Gods, demons and human
   beings—all subsist on rice.
7. Rice is produced from paddy, and paddy is not (availabe)
   without agriculture. Therefore, having given up all (else) take to
   agriculture carefully.
8. Blessed is agriculture, holy is agriculture, and agriculture is
   the life of the creatures. One, though tainted with blemishes like
   jealousy, is redeemed by honouring guests.
9. He indeed is the best among men, by whom a guest is
   honoured; by him is honoured the entire world and gods worshipped.
   Thus too (says) Parāśara—
10. All agriculture has rainfall at its root, life too has rainfall as
    its source. Therefore, at the outset, acquire knowledge of rainfall
    very carefully.
    1 Goddess of evil fortune supposed to be constantly at feud with Lakṣmī,
    Goddess of good fortune.
    2 S. P. Roy Choudhuri translates ‘anna’ as ‘food’. (Agricultural Practices
    etc., I. C. A. R., p. 28). But, in V. 7 of our text, the author says annaṁ hi
    dhānya-samjatam. Although ‘dhānya’ may mean any corn or grain, yet it
    primarily means paddy. Moreover, the rules that follow relate only to paddy.
    So, we prefer ‘rice’ to ‘food’.