India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c9.s1.20

c9.s1.20

The plough was made up of three parts: (1) the long wooden pole (*īshā*), (2) the central bent portion called *potra* (III.2.183), and (3) the plough-share or *kuśī* fitted in the *potra* and made of iron (*ayovikāra*, IV.¹.42). In Vedic literature the share was called *phāla* (*Vedic Index*, II.58; *Ṛig.* IV.57-58). The plough was drawn by bullocks (IV.4.81) called *hālika* or *sairika*, as distinguished from others for drawing carts and chariots (IV.4.76; IV.4.80). They were fastened to the yoke (*yuga*) by a rope called *yotra* or *yoktra* (III.2.182), or leathern thongs called *naddhrī* (III.2.182). In the *Khaṇḍikādi*¹ group we have *yuga* and *varatrā*, which refer to the yoke and the thick long rope used for lifting water from a well, still called *barat* in western and *barrā* in eastern Hīndi. The whip was called *vyaja* (III.³.119) and *totra* (III.2.182); the spade *khanitra* (III.2.184) and *ākhana* or *ākhāna* (III.3.125); the hoe for uprooting weeds and stumps *stambaghna* (III.3.83). The ripe grain was cut with a sickle for which besides the old Vedic word *dātra* (III.2.182) a new word *lavitra* (III.2.184) had come into use. Yāska (*Nir.* II.2.) says that the sickle was called *dātra* in the North, and *dāti*² in the East. Patañjali repeats this information.