Environnement Protection Awareness

in Ancient India

Presentation By

Dr.A.S.Nene

Professor of Civil Engineering, (Retd.)

VNIT Nagpur

Engineering sciences were very advancedin ancient India (3500 - 5000 BC).

More than thousand texts-(Shilpasamhitas)on the various engineering sciences are

still available

Indian Sages gave the mankind

3 Tra

Mantra Tantra Yantra

1.Mantra -Sanskrit hymns

“ Water is mother of welfare, May our mother show the way of prosperity and imparts her strength to us “Rig-Veda 10-9-1

Mantras are mystical arrangements of

sacred sounds

2.Tantra -Technology

Definition of Shilpa

Shilpa -The word Shilpa is derived from words Sheel samadhou , which mean any thing that please the mind. Sage Bhrugu has given a definition of Shilpa

Shilpa includes many articles (things), machines, innovations, metals, and artificial means.

3.Yantra -Machines

Arihatta = Rope +pots = Water Mill = Persian wheel

Ancient references

A Water-mill rotates continuously, as the sky moves - Bhaskaracharyya

Pots of moving water-mill are empty, partially filled or full, similar as destiny - Nitishastra

Water fountains, Water-mills and artificial rains are wonders of water - Rajgruhanirman

1)Earth – Prithwi

2)Water – Aap

3)Air – Vayu

4)Sky – Aakash

5)Light- Tej

Aitariya Upanishad gave the concept of Panchmahabhotas

1- Prithwi-Earth

‘Earth is my mother, I am her son.'

Earth is not for the different races of men alone but for other creatures also

Prayer of Motherland

Land, which contains oceans, rivers and canals; Whose

farmers produce food grains and live together; Where

each living persons works with vigor; Such our

motherland may nurture us with her juices.

Atharvaveda chapter 12

2- Aapah- Water

Water occurs in five forms: Rain water, Natural spring, Wells and canals, Lakes and Rivers

Waters are nectars

The only three precious things on the earth are water, food and pleasing words.

Jala Shastra = Water Resources Engineering

• Sanchetan = Water Supply

• Samharan = Drainage

• Stambhan = Storage of water

Three Vidyas (Techniques) Related to Water

3-Vayu - Air

Yadya is best sacrifice

Air is nectar, it gives us long life. The pure air which we inhale enriches good health.

Worship trees which gives us medicines

Trees save those, who saves trees

One tree is equal to ten sons.

• Kills the germs of T.B., measles, smallpox and cow-pox.

• Lessens the effect of atomic radiation to a great extent.

• Controls the air-supply and temperature variation due to sacrificed substances of firewood

• Creates a pure, hygienic, nutritional and healing atmosphere

It has been proved that Yadnya

Ghee and different types of wood and grasses were offered to gods through Yadnya

The word "Paryavaranam" is

combination of four words

"Pari+ang+vru+lyut"

A Sanskrit word "Paryavaranam" was

prevalent in ancient India

Thousand years prior to advent of modern science

The Arthshashtra contains provisions meant toregulate a number of aspects related

to the environment.

The fifth pillar edict of Emperor Ashoka(269 BC to 231 BC)

also contains such regulations

Kautilya (350 B.C - 283 B.C)

All eighteen Puranas have a separate chapter on site selection (Bhumipariksha)

§ Germination Test

§ Flower Test

§ Lamp Test

A site is selected on the basis of

To test the level of ground pollution

Nitisutras of Chanyakkya Aphorisms - pithy sentences predicts;

God Vishnu and River Ganges would abandon this earth after ten and five thousand years (respectively), but only after twenty-five hundred years the earth would be a barren land. (Prediction of Global warming?)

§ Rock outcrop,§ Types of trees and their foliage,§ Presence of anthill, § Presence of hibernating animals

Brihat Samhita of Varahmihir

The prediction of depth, quality and quantity of water on the

basis of surface features

Chapter 54 - Water divining

One who destroys wells, tanks or temples is a wicked person.

The person who pollutes waters of ponds, wells or lakes goes to hell. Padmapurana-96-7-8

One who renovates wells, tanks, temples gets eight times results than that of constructingnew structures.

If ground is waterlogged, then the water should be drained out by digging drains parallel to north east and refilling the trenches by brickbats and stones so that excess water drains out.

Waste Disposal -Bhrugusamhita

Water drains should be below ground,The bottom surface should be smooth and sloping, If such drain is not provided then the owner should be fined (54 coins).

Bhrugusamhita

Waste disposal sites should be on north east side and

far away from residential areas. Kautilya Arthshashtra

Rivers, roads, agricultural fields, green lands,sunshades and public places should not bepolluted (by urination or excreta) -Vashishtasamhita

One should not excrete or urinate in water, one should not spit or take bath

without any cloths on the body Taittiriyaranyaka

Waste Disposal

ØThrowing garbage on the streets - 2 coinsØThrowing garbage in drains - 4 coins ØThrowing garbage at religious places - 16 coins ØThrowing dead animals – 48 to 96 coins depending upon size of animalØCremation at unauthorized places -192 coins.

Kautilya fixed Fines for

Noise pollution- Aapstamb Gruhyasutra

Students should observe silence from evening till the stars appear in the sky.

The vow of silence (Mauna) is prescribed in various rites and rituals.

Speech is restrained after the performance of principal rites

The consequences of sound pollution were foreseen

by Vedic Seers

Pollution of space

Ø Effect of wireless communication on birds.

ØEffect of mobiles on human health.

Conclusions

1. The term Environment was first well defined in ancient Indian texts.

2. The residential sites were selected on the basis of environmental factors such as land, trees and water etc.

3. Methods for pollution prevention were described in these texts.

4. The ancient knowledge is consistent with modern environmental engineering

References

1.Aitariya Upanishad2.Arthshashtra (Kautilya)3.Atharva Veda4.Bhrugusamhita (Bhrugu)5.Brihat Samhita (Varahmihir)6.Manushyalayachandrika7.Nighantu 8.Nitisutras (Chanyakkya) 9.Taittiriya Aranyaka10.Vashishtasamhita (Vashishtha)11.Vasturatnakar 12.Vishwakarma Prakash (Vishwakarma)

• King Bhagirath,world’s first irrigation engineer.• Sage Kashypa reclaimed the water-logged land

of Kashmir (Land of Kashyapa)

• Varahmihir was the first hydrologist to predict locations of aquifers.

• Sage Parashar developed astronomical methods to predict rain fall.

• Ancient text “Kadambini" describes forecasting of rains based on traditional methods.

• "Nighantu" mentions one hundred meaningful names of water.

•Sage Vashishtha and Sage Bhrugu were the first to describe properties of flowing and steady water. (Much before Archimedes).

•Water mills were first developed in India and then the technique was adopted in Persia.

•Kautilya gave guidelines for construction of dams, canal, wells, pollution prevention etc.