History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c24.s2.2

v1.c24.s2.2

Prayers were offered for the ploughshare to plough the field properly and for the tillers to ply rightly (*Ibid*, VII.2.2.9). Mistakes in ploughing were corrected, as was done by a priest in reciting a hymn (*Ait.Br.*III.3.38). The *Milindapañho* (IV.6.47; II, p.79) notes that one of the four essential requirements for a successful crop is that the field should be well ploughed. The necessity of ploughing a field deeply was realised. Deep ploughing brings out clods of earth from the soil and increases the fertility of the field. There were distinct terms for fields cultivated twice or thrice (Pāṇini V. 4.59; *Amarakośa* II.9.9). Pāṇini (V.4.58; also Amara II.9.9) further provides for the formation of terms signifying ploughing done more than three times. The *Kṛṣi-Parāśara* (verses 142-43) recommends ploughing to be done five times. The first ploughing gives wealth, the third the desired object, and the fifth rich harvest. The term *śambākṛta* (Pāṇini V. 4.58) refers to a field cultivated twice from one end to another, and second time in a reverse direction. V.S. Agrawala (p.255) explains the term as referring to ploughing the furrow a *śama* or 14 *angulas* (=10¹/₂ inches) deep.¹¹