History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c24.s6.67

v1.c24.s6.67

The Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra (I,pp. 178-79, verses 109-14) describes four water-machines (vāriyantra) to bring water down (pāta), to raise it first and then to bring it down (ucchrayāsamapāta), to bring it down and then to raise it (pātasamocchrāya), and to raise it (ucchrāya). But all this was for the recreation of the rich class. It is highly improbable that they were commonly used for irrigation.