Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c5.43

c5.43

we see that water-rates (उदकभाग) varied according to the modes of irrigation, which were four in number, viz. irrigation by hand (हस्तप्रावर्तिम), irrigation by water carried on shoulders (स्कन्धप्रावर्तिम), irrigation by some mechanical contrivance (स्रोतयन्त्रप्रावर्तिम), and irrigation by water raised from tanks and rivers (नदीसरस्तटाकूपोद्घातम्). The rates were one-fifth, one-fourth, one-third and one-fourth of the produce respectively. Again, in Bk. III, वास्तुविक्रयः, p. 170, which speaks of remission of taxes in the case of repair of old tanks and construction of new ones, and also in the case of improvement and extension of waterworks, we find it laid down—वातप्रवर्तिमन्विजिवजाबतन-तटाककेदारा रामषष्ठभागातिरिक्तमन्येभ्यो वा यथो-पकारं दद्युः। which shows that there were not only means of raising water by bullocks, but also contrivances worked by wind power, i.e. windmills. In the next passage—