Table 2. continued
Materials recommended | Verse number(s) | Constituents/properties reported¹ | Additional information
Vaca (Zingiber zerumbet) | 194, 195 | Antibacterial. | The oil containing monocyclic sesquiterpene ketone called zerumbone shows antibacterial properties.
Kusta (costus) | 194 | Insecticidal (repellents, antifeedant); antiseptic. | Reported effective against red cotton bug and stored grain pest (Tribolium castaneum). Costus oil is an excellent sticker, used for protecting shawls and woolen fabrics from insects.
Ativisa (Aconitum sp.) | 194 | High phenolic content; insecticidal and rodenticidal. | Grows in Himalayan region; known to inhibit germination of other plant species, e.g., rice.
Ramatha (asafoetida) | 195 | Biocidal properties (antifungal; antimicrobial). | Inhibition of mycelial growth and sclerotium formation in two soilborne fungi—Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum reported; contains resin (40-60%), gum (25%), and volatile oil (10-17%).
Vidanga (bidanga) (Embelia ribes) | 52, 54, 195, 196, 198, 212, 219 | Anthelmintic; antibacterial; insecticidal. | Aqueous extracts of fruits have antibacterial activity; crushed seeds of Embelia schimperi are eaten by Masai people (in Tanzania and Kenya) to eliminate intestinal tapeworms; embelin (benzoquinone) obtained from vidanga is effective against stored grain pests.
Usana (black pepper) | 195 | Bacteriostatic; fungistatic; insecticidal. | Oleoresin, present in black pepper, shows bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties and retards rancidity due to the presence of tocopherols; alkaloid (piperin) gives the pungency and shows more insecticidal property than pyrethrums.
Pigeon flesh | 195 | na | na
Bhillata (bhallataka) (Semecarpus anacardium) | 195 | Insecticidal; antiseptic; termite-repellent; mildew- and moth-proofing of cloth; anthelmintic; antibacterial. | Rich source of phenols; kernel oil used for preserving wood against termites; leaves contain saponins; fruits have anthelmintic property; juice of pericarp is antibacterial.
Beef | 195, 196, 216–217 | na | Manurial effect (?).
Brick-dust | 197 | na | Interference with insect feeding (?).
Cow's urine | 198 | na | na
Plaksa (Ficus lacor) and udumbara (F. glomerata) | 200–201, 210 | na | Some Ficus spp. are known to possess antibacterial activity; bark of F. glomerata contains 14% tannin; latex of F. lacor is anthelmintic.
continued
86

Table 2. continued
Constituents/properties
Materials recommended Verse number(s) reported¹ Additional information
Wine 200–201 Properties of alcohol — na
disinfectant.
Crab shells 204, 209 na Used for making smoke (fumigation).
Lotus 55, 205, 207 Anthelmintic; bacterio- Alkaloids present in leaves, carpels, and rhizomes;
static; antifungal; sticki- rhizomes of lotus showed antifungal activity against
ness in rhizosphere mud. Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma viride, and Penicillium
spp.; stickiness due to a high viscosity
exopolysaccharide, comparable to xanthan, pro-
duced by Azotobacter vinelandii present in the
rhizosphere of the rhizomes of lotus.
Vidari (Indian kudzu) 206 Antifungal. Antifungal properties reported from tubers.
Sugar 206, 207 na na
Nagajivha (red arsenic) 206 Biocide. Used to revive trees struck by lightning.
Nyagrodha (Ficus 210 Latex with good sealing Possibly to ensure sticking of pastes for long
benghalensis) property; tannin. periods, when applied over wounds.
Dhava (Anogeissus latifolia) 211 Produces gum and contains A timber tree often used in making bullock carts,
tannins and glycosides. plows, etc.; bark contains 12–18% tannins and is bit-
ter and astringent; gum is dessicant.
Sriparnika (Myrica esculenta) 211 Bark contains tannins, Lotion from bark is used for washing putrid sores;
glycosides; antiseptic; pisci- piscicidal properties used by people of Khasi hills
cidal; fruits produce wax. in eastern India.
Syama (Ichnocarpus 211 na The bark of the creeper yields a good fibre; roots have
frutescens) medicinal properties.
Vetasa (Salix caprea) 211 Flavonoids in wood; Flavonoids are reported to be inhibitors of wood-
tannins in bark; glycosides destroying fungi; tannin 8–13% in the bark; callus
present; antibacterial. in tissue culture showed antibacterial properties.
Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna) 211 Bark reported to be May have antimicrobial properties.
antidysenteric; twigs used
to cure mouth ulcers; fruits
contain tannin.
Barley/wheat 213, 215, 216–217 na Powder (flour) recommended for use. Could there
be release of their products after slow hybrolysis?
Or could it be used as spreader/sticker?
continued
87

Table 2. continued

Materials recommended | Verse number(s) | Constituents/properties reported¹ | Additional information

Kulattha (Macrotyloma uniflorum = Dolichos biflorus), black gram (Vigna mungo), and green gram (V. radiata) | 215 | na | Powder (flour) recommended for use. Could there be release of their products after slow hydrolysis? Or could it be used as spreader/sticker?
Goat/sheep dung | 216–217 | na | na
Tiger/leopard/fox flesh and elephant milk | 218 | na | Seems like an impractical task for any farmer even in those times.
Bones of cow and dog mixed with excreta of cat | 220 | na | Burning these materials together to smoke cucurbits to "cure" various diseases. Fumigating effect cannot be explained unless tested.
Brhati (Solanum indicum) | 53, 55 | na | na
Jaggery | 57 | na | Known to possess sticking property.

1. Information on chemical constituents obtained from the Wealth of India (CSIR, India) and world literature search (1986–95). Readers should feel free to contact the commentator if they wish to know specific references.
2. na = Information not available or inability to interpret.

• Lastly, a verse, not related to plant protection, caught my attention because the contents of the verse reveal the ground truth for human civilization. Verse 44 states that if wealth, destiny, and king were favorable,
any tree could grow anywhere with special effort. If we interpret wealth as resources, destiny as luck, and king as government and its policies, we should be able to produce enough food for the increasing population!
88

Plant Index

Figures indicate verse numbers in the section "The Science of
Plant Life" in the English translation of Surapala's
Vrikshayurveda. Authors of scientific names of three plant
species (asmapa, asvakarna, and birbhati) are not available.
abhaya (haritaki) (Terminalia chebula Retz., chebulic myrobalan;
T. citrina Roxb. ex Flem.) 254–258
alambu(ka) (Cucurbita maxima Duch., squash, pumpkin, red
gourd) 69, 155, 156
alukanda (Dioscorea sp.) 51
amalaka(ki) (Phyllanthus emblica Linn., syn. Emblica officinalis
Gaertn., emblic myrobalan, Indian gooseberry) 23, 299 (also
see dhatri)
amra (Mangifera indica Linn., mango) 16, 23, 43, 48–49, 87, 123,
232, 241, 323 (also see makanda—mango)
amrata (amralata) (Spondias pinnata (Linn. f.) Kurz, wild
mango) 41, 132, 259–260
anjana (translated by some as Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight
& Arn.; collyrium, black pigment, extract of Amomum
xanthioides Wall. ex Baker, wild Siamese cardamom) 241, 299
ankola (see ankolha)
ankolha (Alangium lamarckii Thw., syn. A. salviifolium (Linn.
f.) Wang.) 123, 143, 246, 277, 278, 281, 291–292
ardra(ka) (Zingiber officinale Rosc., ginger) 51
arjuna (Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn., arjun) 30, 116,
211, 273, 276, 277, 323 (also see nara)
asana (Terminalia alata Heyne ex Roth, laurel) 244
ash gourd (see kusmanda)
asita (Indigofera tinctoria Linn., indigo) 315 (also see nili)
asmapa (Coleus scutellarioides) 254–258 (see notes)
asoka (Saraca asoca (Roxb.) De Wilde, ashoka) 42, 92, 149, 233
asphota (Clitoria ternatea Linn.) 254–258
asvaghna (Zanthoxylum limonella (Dennst.) Alston) 236
asvakarna (Vatica robusta) 322
asvattha (Ficus religiosa Linn., peepal, sacred fig) 11, 23, 26,
320 (also see pippala)
atimukta(ka) (Hiptage benghalensis (Linn.) Kurz, clustered
hiptage) 43, 254–258, 293 (also see madhavi)
ativisa (Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex Royle, atis root) 194
badari (badara) (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., Indian jujube,
common jujube) 29, 48–49, 93, 135, 308, 309 (also see kola
and sauvira)
bakula (Mimusops elengi Linn., bulletwood) 56, 87, 147, 245,
250 (also see kesara)
bamboo (see vamsa)
banyan (see vata)
barley (see yava)
betel nut (Areca catechu Linn., areca nut) 124 (also see puga)
bhallataka (Semecarpus anacardium Linn. f., marking nut tree)
91, 195, 323
bhillata (see bhallataka)
bhillota (see bhallataka)
bibhitaka (Terminalia bellirica Roxb., belliric myrobalan) 312
bidanga (Embelia ribes Burm. f.) 52, 54, 83, 100, 116, 119, 125,
142, 229, 237, 254–258 (also see vidanga)
bijapuraka (Citrus limon (Linn.) Burm. f., lemon) 29, 43, 141
bilva (Aegle marmelos Correa ex Roxb., bael, Bengal quince)
10, 23, 48–49, 134, 137, 142 (also see sriphala)
89

birbhati (Cirbhata cucumus) 155
black gram (Vigna mungo (Linn.) Hepper) 63, 104, 125, 126,
139, 142, 215, 253, 254–258, 321
breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosb.) 127
brhati (Solanum indicum Linn., poison berry) 53, 55, 236
brinjal (see vartaka)
camphor (Cinnamomum camphora (Linn.) Nees & Eberm.) 143
cane 302
cardamom (see ela)
castor (see eranda)
champaka (Michelia champaca Linn., champak, golden
champa) 38, 43, 48–49, 245
cincini (Tamarindus indica Linn., tamarind) 23, 48–49, 253
coconut (see narikela)
cotton (Gossypium spp.) 154, 239, 274
cucumber (see trapusa and urvaru)
cumin (Cuminum cyminum Linn.) 230–231
dadima (dadimba) (Punica granatum Linn., pomegranate) 43,
69, 79–80, 280, 283 (also see dadimi)
dadimi (Punica granatum Linn., pomegranate) 20, 29, 50, 87,
128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 246, 266 (also see dadima)
damanaka (Artemisia vulgaris Linn., mugwort) 71
darada (vermilion; Solanum melongena Linn., eggplant, brinjal)
240 (also see vartaka)
date (see kharjura)
dhanyaka (Coriandrum sativum Linn., coriander) 88
dhataki (Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz, fire-flame bush) 259–260
dhatri (Phyllanthus emblica Linn., syn. Emblica officinalis Gaertn.,
emblic myrobalan, Indian gooseberry) 12, 93, 135, 254–258
(also see amalaka)
90
dhava (dhaura) (Anogeissus latifolia Wall. ex Bedd., ghatti,
button tree) 211
ela (sthula—Amomum subulatum Roxb., Nepal cardamom;
suksma—Elettaria cardamomum Maton, cardamom) 51, 146
eranda (Ricinus communis Linn., castor) 30, 247
gale (Myrica sp.) 277, 278, 279, 281, 289, 291–292
ganikarika (Premna serratifolia Linn., syn. P. integrifolia Linn.;
Clerodendrum phlomoides Linn. f.) 187
golla (gola?) (Meyna laxiflora Robyns) 88
gourd (see kusmanda and patola)
grape (see mrdvi)
grass (plant of the family Gramineae) 60, 115
green gram (Vigna radiata (Linn.) Wilczek, mung bean) 215,
321
haridra (nisa, rajani) (Curcuma longa Linn., turmeric) 32, 116,
142, 239, 242, 243, 244, 253
hastikarna (name of various plants—Ricinus communis Linn.
(castor), Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze (bastard teak),
Arum sp.) 322
hemp (Cannabis sativa Linn., hemp; Crotalaria juncea Linn., sunn
hemp) 186
hingu (Ferula assa-foetida Linn., asafoetida) 275 (also see
ramatha)
indigo (see nili)
jackfruit (see panasa)
jalada (Cyperus rotundus Linn., nut grass) 248 (also see musta)
jalini (Luffa acutangula (Linn.) Roxb., ridge gourd) 143 (also
see rajakosa)
jambeera (Premna herbacea Roxb.; it could be Citrus limon
(Linn.) Burm. f., lemon) 41
jambu (Syzygium cuminii (Linn.) Skeels, black plum, Java
plum) 21, 41, 48–49, 56, 135, 232, 304, 321

jantu (Ficus glomerata Roxb., country fig, cluster fig) 145 (also
see udumbara)
jasmine (Jasminum multiflorum (Burm. f.) Andr., downy
jasmine; J. officinale Linn., common jasmine) 38, 259–260 (also
see kunda)
jira (see cumin)
kadali (Musa paradisiaca Linn., banana, plantain) 29, 41,
74–75, 82, 89, 117, 138, 160, 246, 270, 271, 272, 275, 297, 322
(also see rambha)
kadamba (Anthocephalus cadamba Miq.) 41, 144
kakaraka (Momordica charantia Linn., bitter gourd) 89 (also
see karavella and karkaru)
kalaaya (durva) (a kind of plant with dark colored flowers;
durva—Cynodon dactylon (Linn.) Pers., Bermuda grass) 245
kalaya (pulse, edible seeds of leguminous crops) 143
kamala (Citrus reticulata Blanco, mandarin orange) 127
kancanara (Bauhinia variegata Linn.) 30 (also see kovidara)
kapittha (Limonia acidissima Linn., syn. Feronia limonia (Linn.)
Swingle, wood apple) 23, 48–49, 93, 137, 254–258, 324
karamarda(ka) (Carissa carandas Linn., caranda) 48–49, 93
karanja (Pongamia pinnata Pierre, Indian beech) 30
karavella (Momordica charantia Linn., bitter gourd) 247 (also
see kakaraka and karkaru)
karavira (Nerium indicum Mill., Indian oleander) 50, 79–80,
152, 251, 252, 266, 289
karikesaraka (Mesua ferrea Linn., ironwood tree, cobra's
saffron) 144 (also see nagakesara)
kari(ra) (Capparis decidua Edgew.) 42
karkandhu(ka) (Ziziphus oenoplia Mill., jackal jujube) 42, 135
karkaru (Momordica charantia Linn., bitter gourd) 155 (also see
kakaraka and karavella)
kasa (Saccharum spontaneum Linn.) 138, 318
kasisa (green sulphate of iron; Moringa oleifera Lam., drumstick
tree; kasis—Cornus macrophylla Wall.) 244
kastha (Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb.) 310
kataka (Strychnos potatorum Linn., clearing nut tree) 124, 299
kesara (Mimusops elengi Linn., bulletwood) 42 (also see bakula)
ketaki (Pandanus odoratissimus Linn. f., screw pine) 41, 146,
147
khadira (Acacia catechu Willd., catechu) 323
kharjura(ri) (Phoenix sylvestris Roxb., date) 41, 124, 127
khus (Vetiveria zizanioides (Linn.) Nash, vetiver) 145, 232, 299
kimsuka (Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze, bastard teak) 239,
242, 276 (also see palasa)
kola (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., Indian jujube, common jujube)
134 (also see badari and sauvira)
kosataka (mahakosataki?) (Luffa aegyptiaca Mill. ex Ho-ok) 299
kovidara (Bauhinia variegata Linn.) 315 (also see kancanara)
ksirika (Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard) 56, 87, 144 (also
see ksirindika and ksirini)
ksirindika (could be ksirika—Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.)
Dubard) 144 (also see ksirika and ksirini)
ksirini (Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard) 20, 31 (also see
ksirika and ksirindika)
kulattha (a kind of pulse; Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.)
Verdcourt, syn. Dolichos biflorus Linn., horse gram) 215, 276
kumbhakari (guggulu) (Commiphora mukul (Hook. ex Stocks)
Engl., Indian bdellium) 48–49
kumkuma (Crocus sativus Linn., saffron) 51, 71, 314
kumuda (Nymphaea alba Linn., white water lily) 292
kunda (Jasminum multiflorum (Burm. f.) Andr., downy jasmine)
50 (also see jasmine)
kurabaka (Barleria prionitis Linn.) 150 (also see kuranta)
91

kuranta (karunta) (Barleria prionitis Linn.) 152 (also see kurabaka)
kusa (Desmostachya bipinnata (Linn.) Stapf) 315, 318
kusmanda (Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn., ash gourd, white
gourd) 69, 234, 275, 285–286, 287–288
kusta (Saussurea lappa C.B. Clarke, costus) 194, 243, 250
lakuca (Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb.) 41, 87, 135
langali (Gloriosa superba Linn., superb lily) 236
lodhra (Symplocos racemosa Roxb.) 135, 239, 244
lotus 1, 38, 55, 83, 149, 150, 205, 207, 235, 265, 290, 295, 311, 316
(also see kumuda, padma, and utpala)
madhavi (Hiptage benghalensis (Linn.) Kurz, clustered hiptage)
152, 259–260 (also see atimukta)
madhuka (Madhuca indica J.F. Gmel., Indian butter tree) 19,
48–49, 143, 191, 235, 238, 321
madhukarkata (Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merrill, pummelo) 282
makanda (manakanda) (Alocasia indica (Roxb.) Schott) 56, 69,
148
makanda (Mangifera indica Linn., mango) 227 (also see amra)
malli(ka) (Jasminum sambac (Linn.) Ait., Arabian jasmine) 50,
153
mango (see amra and makanda)
manjista (Rubia cordifolia Linn., Indian madder) 239, 240, 242
maruvaka (Origanum majorana Linn., common marjoram) 71,
73 (also see phanijjhaka)
matulungi (Citrus medica Linn., citron) 140
mrdvi(ka) (draksa) (Vitis vinifera Linn., grape) 41, 122, 238
mulaka (Raphanus sativus Linn., radish) 88, 284
munj (Saccharum bengalense Retz.) 318
mura (Erythrina stricta Roxb.) 248, 249
musta (Cyperus rotundus Linn., nut grass) 145, 249, 299 (also
see jalada)
mustard (Brassica nigra Koch, black mustard) 52, 53, 55, 142,
198
naga (sometimes used instead of nagajihva—Hemidesmus
indicus R. Br., Indian sarsaparilla) 250, 299, 324
nagakesara (Mesua ferrea Linn., ironwood tree, cobra's saffron)
48–49 (also see karikesaraka)
nara (arjuna) (Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn., arjun)
277 (also see arjuna)
naranga (narangika) (Citrus sinensis (Linn.) Osbeck, sweet
orange) 72, 141, 142
narikela (Cocos nucifera Linn., coconut) 41, 124, 125, 126, 274,
277, 278, 279, 281, 283, 289, 291–292
nata (Valeriana wallichii DC.) 248, 249 (also see tagara)
neem (see nimba and picumanda)
nicula (Barringtonia acutangula Gaertn.) 118, 324
nili (Indigofera tinctoria Linn., indigo) 32, 241, 243, 244, (also
see asita)
nimba (Azadirachta indica A. Juss., margosa tree, neem) 14, 42,
92, 139, 274 (also see picumanda)
nirgundi (Scirpus grossus Linn. f.) 306
nyagrodha (Ficus benghalensis Linn., banyan) 23, 24, 26, 210,
320 (also see vata)
orange (see naranga)
padma (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., sacred lotus) 51, 290
palasa (Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze, bastard teak) 17, 309
(also see kimsuka)
palasini (probably same as palasin (prasarini); a species of tree
(ksiravrksa)) 254–258
palm (tree or shrub of the family Palmae) 124, 323
panasa (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., jackfruit) 20, 41, 48–49,
56, 133
92

paravata (Cicca acida (Linn.) Merr., country gooseberry) 93,
139
patala (Stereospermum suaveolens DC.) 50, 153, 187, 322
patola(ka) (Trichosanthes dioica Roxb., pointed gourd) 89, 157,
234
patraka (Cinnamomum tamala Nees & Eberm., Indian cassia)
248 (also see tamala)
payasya (name used for several plants; Gynandropsis gynandra
(Linn.) Briq.) 273
pea (Pisum sativum Linn.) 135
phalini (Callicarpa macrophylla Vahl) 92 (also see priyangu)
phanijjaka (Origanum majorana Linn., common marjoram)
73, 88 (also see maruvaka)
picumanda (Azadirachta indica A. Juss., margosa tree, neem)
23, 287–288, 324 (also see nimba)
pippala (Ficus religiosa Linn., peepal, sacred fig) 24 (also see
asvattha)
plaksa (Ficus lacor Buch.-Ham.) 15, 25, 26, 50, 200–201
plantain (see kadali)
pointed gourd (see patola)
pomegranate (see dadima and dadimi)
priyala (Buchanania lanzan Spreng.) 20
priyangu (Callicarpa macrophylla Vahl) 43, 48–49 (also see
phalini)
pugu (Areca catechu Linn., areca nut, betel nut) 65 (also see
betel nut)
pumpkin (see alambu)
punnaga (Calophyllum inophyllum Linn., Alexandrian laurel)
43, 48–49, 92, 250
rajakosa (rajakoshataki) (Luffa acutangula (Linn.) Roxb., ridge
gourd) 87 (also see jalini)
ramatha (Ferula assa-foetida Linn., asafoetida) 195 (also see hingu)
rambha (Musa paradisiaca Linn., banana, plantain) 20 (also see
kadali)
rasona (Allium sativum Linn., garlic) 51
rice (Oryza sativa Linn.) 74–75, 135, 139, 140, 156, 159,
200–201, 274, 320 (also see sastika)
saffron (see kumkuma)
saka (Tectona grandis Linn. f., teak) 42
salmali (Bombax malabaricum DC., silkcotton tree) 243
sami (Prosopis cineraria Druce) 42, 323
saptachhada (Alstonia scholaris R. Br.) 154 (also see saptaparna)
saptaparna (Alstonia scholaris R. Br.) 42, 321 (also see
saptachhada)
sarvatobhadra (Gmelina arborea Roxb.) 187
sastika (rice variety that matures in 60 days) 74–75, 320 (also
see rice)
satapatrika (Rosa centifolia Linn., cabbage rose) 77, 88
sauvira (Zizyphus mauritiana Lam., Indian jujube, common
jujube) 144 (also see badari and kola)
sephali(ka) (Vitex negundo Linn., east Indian walnut) 42, 154
(also see sinduvara)
sesame (see tila)
simsapa (Dalbergia sissoo Roxb., sissoo) 254–258
sinduvara (Vitex negundo Linn., east Indian walnut) 48–49 (also
see sephalika)
sirisa (Albizia lebbek Benth.) 92, 321
slesmata(ka) (Cordia wallichii G. Don) 30, 279, 291–292
sobhanjana (Moringa oleifera Lam., drumstick tree) 42
sriparnika (Myrica esculenta Buch.-Ham., syn. M. nagi, box
myrtle) 211
sriphala (Aegle marmelos Correa ex Roxb., bael, Bengal quince)
42, 187 (also see bilva)
93

sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum Linn.) 229, 230–231
suryavalli (suryaparni ?) (Teramnus labialis Spreng.) 254–258
syama (Ichnocarpus frutescens R. Br.) 144, 151, 211
syonaka (Oroxylum indicum Vent.) 187
tagara (Valeriana wallichii DC.) 48–49 (also see nata)
tamala (Cinnamomum tamala Nees & Eberm., Indian cassia)
74–75 (also see patraka)
tamarind (see cincini)
tambuli (Piper betle Linn., betel) 48–49
tala (Borassus flabellifer Linn., palmyra palm) 41
tarquari (Clerodendrum phlomoides Linn. f.) 273, 276
tila(ka) (Sesamum indicum Linn., sesame) 41, 53, 55, 63, 100,
104, 107, 124, 125, 134, 135, 140, 142, 144, 150, 154, 188, 196,
198, 206, 207, 215, 216–217, 242, 244, 253, 254–258, 259–260,
321
tinduka (Diospyros tomentosa Roxb., ebony persimmon; D.
peregrina (Gaertn.) Gurke, gaub persimmon) 139, 320
tinisa (Ougeinia dalbergioides Benth., sandan) 41
trapusa (Cucumis sativus Linn., common cucumber) 70, 155,
220, 285–286 (also see urvaru)
triphala (the three kinds of myrobalan—Terminalia chebula
Retz. (chebulic myrobalan), T. bellirica Roxb. (belliric
myrobalan), and Phyllanthus emblica Linn., syn. Emblica
officinalis Gaetrn. (emblic myrobalan, Indian gooseberry))
130, 133, 192, 241, 243, 244, 253, 283 (also see vara)
tulasi (Ocimum sanctum Linn., sacred basil) 9
turmeric (see haridra)
tuta (Morus alba Linn., white mulberry) 87
udumbara (Ficus glomerata Roxb., country fig, cluster fig) 18,
24, 26, 50, 200–201, 210, 310 (also see jantu)
urvaru (Cucumis sativus Linn., common cucumber) 57, 275 (also
see trapusa)
usana (Piper nigrum Linn., black pepper) 195
utpala (Nymphaea stellata Willd., Indian blue water lily, blue
lotus) 51, 289, 290, 295
vaca (Zingiber zerumbet Rosc. ex Smith) 194, 195, 254–258
valaka (Marsilea minuta Linn.) 248
vamsa (Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.) Willd., bamboo) 41, 93
vara (the three kinds of myrobalan—Terminalia chebula Retz.
(chebulic myrobalan), T. bellirica Roxb. (belliric myrobalan),
and Phyllanthus emblica Linn., syn. Emblica officinalis Gaetrn.
(emblic myrobalan, Indian gooseberry)) 244 (also see
triphala)
varahi (Dioscorea bulbifera Linn., potato yam) 230–231
vartaka (Solanum melongena Linn., egg plant, brinjal) 88, 234,
287–288 (also see darada)
vata (Ficus benghalensis Linn., banyan) 13, 41, 50 (also see
nyagrodha)
vetasa (Salix caprea Linn., goat willow) 211, 254–258
vidanga (Embelia ribes Burm. f.) 195, 196, 198, 212, 219 (also
see bidanga)
vidari (Pueraria tuberosa DC., Indian kudzu) 206
wheat (Triticum aestivum Linn.) 213, 321
white mustard (Synapis alba Linn., syn. Brassica alba Boiss.)
116, 117, 127, 188, 194, 195, 196
yasti (Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn., licorice) 235, 237, 238, 244 (also
see yastimadhuka)
yastimadhu(ka) (Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn., licorice) 134, 191
(also see yasti)
yava (Hordeum vulgare Linn., barley) 126, 127, 135, 213, 215,
216–217, 237, 238, 241, 242, 253, 254–258, 259–260, 320, 321
yuthi (Jasminum auriculatum Vahl) 154
94

About Asian Agri-History Foundation
The Asian Agri-History Foundation (AAHF), a non-profit trust, was established and registered in 1994 to
facilitate dissemination of information on agricultural history to promote research on sustainable agriculture
in the South and Southeast Asia region. This region had generally provided food security to its population
for several millennia, with only occasional famines in a few limited pockets (due primarily to drought).
Farmers in the region had evolved some of the most sustainable agricultural management technologies
suitable for different agroecoregions. The trustees of AAHF believe that there is great deal to be learnt
from the traditional wisdom and the indigenous, time-tested technologies that have sustained the farmers
of South and Southeast Asia in the past. The historical perspective of gradual development of traditional
technologies will provide clues for (i) understanding how farmers adjusted to changing environment in
the past, and (ii) developing appropriate technologies leading to prosperous, sustainable agriculture. The
objectives of AAHF are (i) to disseminate information on the history of agriculture in the South and
Southeast Asia region, and (ii) to stimulate interest in research on the history of agriculture in Asia with a
special focus on South and Southeast Asia.

ASIAN AGRI-HISTORY FOUNDATION
1994
कृषिमित् कृषस्व
Asian Agri-History Foundation
47 ICRISAT Colony-I, Brig. Sayeed Road
Secunderabad 500 009, Andhra Pradesh, India
ISSN 0971-7722
Order Code: AHB 001