उपवनविनोद (आचार्य शार्ङ्गधर - वृक्षायुर्वेद, भू-जल संधान एवं उद्यान-विज्ञान सटीक)

SCIENCE OF ARBORI-HORTICULTURE IN ANCIENT INDIA 27
119. "The banks must be shaded by Arjuna, Vata, Āmra, Plakṣa,
Kadamba, Nichula, Jambu, Vetasa, Nīpa, Kuruvaka, Tāla, Aśoka, Madhūka,
and Vakula."
120. "On one side let a flood-gate be made, in such a manner, that the
passage be built with stones and let a pannel without fissures be fixed in a
frame and covered by grit heaped up against it."
121. "(For clearing the water) let a mixture of Añjana, Musta, Uśīra,
powder of Rāja Kośātakī, Āmalaka combined with Kaṭakaphala be put into
a well¹".
122. "If the water is muddy, sharp, salt, bad of taste, or not pleasant of
odour, it will by this mixture become clear, tasteful, very nice of smell, and
possessed of other good qualities."
123. "The asterisms which are propitious when commencing the
sinking of wells are : Hastā, Maghā, Anurādhā, Puṣyā, Dhaniṣṭhā, Uttara-
phalgunī, Uttarāṣāḍa, Uttarabhadrapadā, Rohinī and Śatabhiṣā."
124. "He (for whom a well is made) having made an oblation to Varuna,
has, first, to cause a plug of banyan wood or rotung to be put into the soil at
the place of the vein,while he honours it with flowers, perfumes and incenses."
125. "I have formerly (Chap. 23), after studying the opinions of Baladeva
and others, set forth how rain water is got after full-moon's day of Jyaiṣṭha.
The manner how to find spring-water has, secondly, been told by me,
Varāha-Mihira, in this chapter, thanks to the sages."²
The art of ascertaining the presence of water through its vegetable
accessories, and digging artesian wells reached a great perfection in ancient
India. It became a matter of common knowledge as would be evident
from the following anecdote summarized from a Jātaka story³ :—Once upon
a time the Bodhisattva born as a merchant set out on a mercantile adventure.
While passing through a wilderness he lost his wood and water. In his eager
search for water he "ranged to and fro, while it was still early and cool
until he came on a clump of kuśa grass." "This grass" thought he, "can only
have grown up here, thanks to the presence of water underneath." He
caused a hole to be dug and "up rose the water in the hole till it was as
high as a palm tree."
1 Cf. Suśruta's recipe : S. S. I. xlv. English Translation Vol. I, pp. 423-424.
2 On an analysis of the whole chapter we find elaborate directions are given as to (1) the
selection of the soil for digging or boring a well (artesian or otherwise) in a waterless
tract ; 2) the ways and means of such digging or boring and construction of special
apparatus for the purpose ; 3) directions as to the erection of a dam with flood-gates for
storing water, and finally 4) recipes for clearing, disinfecting and purifying, and
perfuming the water for human consumption.
3 Fausböll no. 2, Vaṇṇupatha Jātaka, Vol. I, Cambridge Ed. 1895.