India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c9.s1.44

c9.s1.44

IRRIGATION—Pāṇini refers to many important rivers as the Sindhu, Suvāstu (IV.2.77), Varṇu (IV.2.103), Sarayū (VI.4.174), Vipāś (IV.2.74), Chandrabhāgā (IV.1.45), which served as sources of irrigation. He also refers to Devikā (VII.3.1) the banks of which were specially suitable for growing paddy crops as pointed out by Patañjali (*Dāvikā-kūlāḥ śālayaḥ*, *Bhāshya*, III.316). Pāṇini also refers to the melting of snow in the hills as *himaśratha* (VI.4.29) and glaciers as *himānī* (IV.1.49). Irrigation with water from the wells was also known, as indicated by the word *udañchana* (III.3.123), the large leathern bucket used for lifting water, and also *yuga-varatrā*, 'the yoke and the rope by which the bullocks were driven for raising the water (*Gaṇa-pāṭha* to IV.2.45).