History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c24.s5.27

v1.c24.s5.27

The *Arthaśāstra* evidence has been differrently interpreted. One passage (II.24.19) refers to *kaidāram*, *haimanam* and *graiṣmikam* crops. *Haimanam* is winter crops and *graiṣmikam* is summer crops. *Kaidāram*⁵⁰, according to Shamasastry and Kangle, refers to wet crops. Some scholars take *pūrvavāpa*, *madhyavāpa* and *paścādvāpa* in another passage (AS, II. 24.12-14) as referring to three seasons⁵¹, but Kangle correctly takes them to refer to the rating of crops in priority⁵². S.P. Raychaudhuri (Raychaudhuri p.81), following Shamasastry's translation of II. 24.10, says that the *Arthaśāstra* evinces acquaintance with there harvests. But, the reading refers to rain distributing wind and sunshine properly and creating three periods for the drying of cow-dung cakes (Kangle, II, p. 172 f.n. 9), and not to three sowings⁵³. Though the relevance of these passages is doubtful, another passage in the text does not leave any doubt about three crop seasons being actually followed, at least in some parts. In its advice about the seasons for marching on an expedition it mentions three crops: monsoon crops, winter crops and spring crops. It says that a king should march against the enemy on an expedition in Mārgaśirsa for destroying his monsoon crops and winter sowing, in Caitra for destroying his winter crops and sprinig sowings, and in Jyeṣṭha for destroying spring crops and monsoon sowings (AS. IX. 1.34-36).