प्रपत्र-7.6-वैदिक काल में भू-जलविज्ञान एवं जल गुणवत्ता

Abstract

In ancient Indian civilization, the importance of water for life was very well established. The issues related to different sources of water, its quality and conservation have been repeatedly talked about in Vedic literature. In addition to Ayurveda (which is a Vedanga), the medicinal properties of water are also found in the Rigveda and Atharva Veda. It is believed that our body is made up of PanchMahabhutas i.e. Panchatattva, which also has an element of water. The development of ground hydrology in India is more than 5000 years old. There is evidence of this in Vedic literature. These evidences address them in the sequence of worship of various gods (Indra, Vayu, Agni, etc.) in the form of Shlokas, Sutras and Stuti. It is evident from these verses, sutras and the praises that the discoveries related to ground hydrology in Vedic period were based on scientific facts. In addition, the Atharvaveda also mentions about the quality of water. The quality of ground water is also discussed in the CharakaSamhita composed in the early Buddha period or a little earlier. The mention of the quality of water and the components present in water in various texts related to Ayurveda indicated that this science existed in ancient India. The Irrigation system wasalso developed for agriculture. The Greek traveler Megasthenes has written that officers were appointed by the king to ensure equal distribution of water in the main stream and its branches and to inspect the river and wells. A disciple of Aryabhata I, Varahamihira (587-505 years before Christ, ) has presented 125 sutras about the discovery and use of ground water in his famous text Vrhatsamhita. The reading of Vrhatamshita shows that the discovery of ground water and its presence in the various depths of the earth during that period, was studied based on the presence of different types of habitat of the organisms, types of soil, rocks, certain species of plants and their characteristics.etc It was possible to find groundwater deposits up to a depth of about 600 meters, based on the characteristics described in theVrhatamshita. It is a well-known fact that in areas with arid and semi-arid climates, the moisture and water hidden in the womb of the earth has more decisive effect on organisms and rocks than in other areas. This decisive effect of water causes certain chemical changes in the rocks and these changes are manifested on the earth in the form of various characteristics. Understanding the nature of those symptoms and the scientific basis of the components that cause themand accurately predicting the presence of water or expressing their presence as formulas is an amazing achievement of Varahamihira. The 54th chapter of the Vrhatsamhita describes the special indicators related to trees, fauna, land and rocks, and the method of digging the well, to find out the water under the ground. It is noteworthy that natural indicators showing the presence of underground mineral deposits found in metals like copper, lead, zinc, gold etc. Many flowers and vegetation have indicators of mineral deposits under the earth. These natural examples suggested that certain flora, rocks, and fauna play an indicator of the presence of the above mentioned veins of groundwater in origin, so it would be reasonable and reasonable to infer that Varamihir identified the natural indicators of underground water. And those indicators would have been used to predict underwater water. There are few such trees in nature that give information about the presence of water in the ground below. The roots of trees called Prosopisspicigera, Acacia arabica and Salvedoraoleuvidis are capable of reaching water even under desert conditions. Similarly, berries and Terminaliaspicigera trees are commonly found in moist and low-lying areas of the valley. Similarly, water is often found under sandy, grit and yellow, gray, soil types. There seems to be a connection between ecology (modem science) and Varahamihira's traditional science. Therefore, there is a need to develop an

understanding between the two sciences on a scientific basis. In short, according to AcharyaVarahamihira, underground water flows under the earth in the form of veins. According to the beliefs of modem ground hydrology, the movement of ground water from one place to another is due to the difference of pressure (difference of optimum) between the two places inside the rock, i.e the underground slope of the water table. Modem science suggests that except for sand of similar quality, the flow of water in all types of rocks is much less or less. It is possible that Varahamihira has given the name of veins to the excess flow of water inside the rock. An attempt has been made to establish a connection between the information mentioned in our ancient Vedic period and modem scientific facts. In this way we can able to understand and resolve the problems related to ground hydrology and issues related to water quality. There seems to be a connection between modem science and Varahamihira's traditional science. Therefore, there is a need to develop an understanding between the two on a scientific basis.