History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c24.s6.17

v1.c24.s6.17

The importance of irrigation for agriculture was well realised. The Arthaśāstra (VII.14.21) refers to the irrigational works (setubandha) as the source of crops. Bṛhaspati (XIV. 23) mentions the suitability of a field for irrigation as one of the qualities conducive to a rich crop. The prosperity of a kingdom was often attributed to its irrigational work. (MB. II. 5.77; Rām II.100. 44-45; Kirata,I.17). Megasthenes correlates the fertility of the Indian soil with the fact that a greater part of it was under irrigation from the water of the rivers (McCrindle, Frag.I, XI; Majumdar, pp. 232, 252). The vogue for irrigational works is indicated by the terms *devamātṛka* and *adevamātṛka* or *nāḍīmātṛka* (Amara, II.1.12; MB II. 5.77, II.51.11) referring to the classification of regions on the basis of their depending on rains or using irrigational work.