History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c24.s4.17

v1.c24.s4.17

Besides the names mentioned above, the mantra in the Kṛṣi- Parasara lists vata, bhāmbhā, bhāntī...( ?), śāṅkhī, gāndhī, paṇḍramuṇḍi, dhuliśṛṅgārī, and kumarimaḍaka as well as ajā, ghataka, śuka (parrot), śūkara (pig), mṛga (deer), mahiṣa (buffalo), varāha (boar), pataṅga (locust) etc. The additional mantra occuring in one manuscript of the Kṛṣi-Parāśara mentions kṛmi (worm), kīṭa (insect), patanga (flying insect), mūṣika, vātā, bhāmbhā, bhāmbhī, pāṇḍuramuṇḍi, dadhitanka, etc. In all these lists one can easily distinguish the names of insects, birds, ants, locusts and rats from other names. These names cannot be explained with the help of lexicons28. They are imaginary and refer to evil spirits. But the possibility cannot be ruled out that they were used for diverse types of insects and worms, of not much consequence otherwise, which were harmful to crops. It would appear that no effective pesticide was developed for checking their harmful effects.