Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c5.59

c5.59

The lines quoted above show that they arrived at definite conclusions as to the quantity of rainfall in particular places. In Jaṅgala (जङ्गल) countries the rainfall is 16 droṇas (a droṇa being a cubic measure); in the country of the Aśmakas (अश्मक), 13½ droṇas; in Avantī (अवन्ती), 23 droṇas, and so on [passage (i)]. Besides, the rainfall is considered to be even, if it occurs during the commencing and closing months, *i.e.* Śrāvaṇa and Kārtika, and two-thirds in the middle months, *i.e.* Bhādra and Āśvin [passage (ii)]. The third passage speaks of the forecast of rainfall that can be made by observing the position, motion, etc., of the sun and Venus and Jupiter; the germination of seeds can be inferred from them also. The last passage indicates an elaborate classification of the clouds according to their characteristics. It speaks of three kinds of such clouds as poured in heavy showers for seven days together, eighty kinds of clouds that rained minute drops, and sixty kinds that appeared with sunshine. All this shows that the science of meteorology was brought to such a developed stage that the people could depend on its conclusions and guide their actions in their day-to-day work of sowing seeds and reaping harvest.