concepts of ancient indian botany

29/03/2013 1st International Conference of ISIS, New Dehli

BOTANICAL SCIENCE IN SANSKRIT LITERATURE – EXPLORING ITS CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE

Dr. J.S.R.A. Prasad, Dr. J.S.R.A. Prasad,

Dept. of Sanskrit Studies,Dept. of Sanskrit Studies,

School of Humanities, University of HyderabadSchool of Humanities, University of Hyderabad

Hyderabad, India – 500 046Hyderabad, India – 500 046

Email: Email: [email protected]@gmail.com


Sanskrit literature has innumerable scientific insights that can be classified under several scientific disciplines. One of them is botanical science. Though there is no single text that describes the plant anatomy, physiology, morphology and related concepts, texts like Vrkshayurveda, Mahabharata, Brhatsamhita, Artha Shastra, Amarakosha, Krishi Parasara etc., implicitly explain several such aspects.


The Earth is the essence of all beings

एषां भूतानां पृथिथिवी रसः । (Ch.U. 1.1.2)


Water is the essence of the Earth

पृथिथिव्या आपो रसः । (Ch.U. 1.1.2)


Herbs are the essence of Water

अपामोषधयो रसः । (Ch.U. 1.1.2)


Man is the essence of Herbs

ओषधीनां परुुषो रसः ।(Ch.U. 1.1.2)


The World ViewAccording to Caraka

Samhita and Sushruta Samhitas, the life form is two

fold -

Life

1. sthaavara 2. jangama(immobile) (mobile)

1. Plants come under the first category.

2. Humans and animals comes under the second


Classification of Plants

1. Sthaavara:

1.1 Vanaspati - (trees which bear fruit without flowers) jack fruit etc.

1.2 Vaanaspatya – (trees with fruits and flowers) mango etc.

1.3 Veerud - (grass varieties and creepers) vines etc.

1.4 Oshadhi - (food grains) paddy, banana etc.


Contd...

2. Jangama:

2.1 Jaraayuja: placenta with membranes, that refers to the humans, animals, wild animals etc.

2.2 Andaja: birds, snakes, fish, crocodiles, tortoises

2.3 Svedaja: microbes, ants, bed bugs etc.

2.4 Udbhijja: vegetable kingdom


After discussing this ontological structure of plant kingdom, now it is easier for us to go to

discuss the genesis of a seed.


Genesis of a Seed

आपो िह कललं भूत्वा यिण्त्पण्डस्थिनुकं भवेत् ।

तदेव व्यूहमानत्वात् बीजत्वमिधगच्छतित ।।

( : Ref भारद्वाजस्य वृथक्षायवेुदः 1)

As per Vrikshayurveda As per Modern Science


Contd...

Free translation of the above verse:

'water acquires the form of a zygote which further transforms in to an embryo. Over the transformational process, that finally takes the shape of a seed'


Cognitive Senses in Plants

Mahabharata - Santiparvan:

घनानामिप वृथक्षाणाम् आकाशोऽिण्स्त न संशयः ।तेषां पुष्पफले व्यिक्तिर्निनरत्यं समुपलभ्यते ।।१०।।

“Bhrigu said, 'Without doubt, though possessed of density, trees have space within them. The putting forth of flowers and fruits is always taking place in them. (Tr. By Kisari Mohan Ganguly)”


ऊष्मते ग्लानपणा रन ्त्वक्फलं प ुष्पमेव च ।

म्लायते चैव शीतेन स्पशर स्तेनात्र िवद्यते ।।११।।

”They have heat within them in consequence of which leaf, bark, fruit, and flower, are seen to droop. They sicken and dry up. That shows they have perception of touch.”

- 'Example ' Saraca Asoca"अशोकस्य च

कािमनीपादतलाहितसुिखिनः स्तबिकतस्य स्पशर नानुमानं”

( )Chakrapani on Caraka

Cognitive Senses - Touch


What Chakrapani says is that the 'Saraca Asoca' blossoms with the gentle 'kick' of a beatiful lady !

Yes! It may be worth to test!!

...Comment


वाय्वग्न्यशिन िनष्पेषैः फलपुष्पान ्िवशीयर ते ।

श्रोत्रणे ग ृथह्यते शब्दस्तस्माच्छतृथ ण्विण्न्त पादपाः ।।१२।।

”Through sound of wind and fire and thunder, their fruits and flowers drop down. Sound is perceived through the ear. Trees have, therefore, ears and do hear”.

- ' Example Phyllanthus'acidus

तथिा लवली मेघस्तिनतश्रवणात् फलवती भवित


Cognitive Senses - Sound


...Comment

What Chakrapani says is that the 'Phyllanthus acidus'' bear fruits due to the thunder sounds!


वल्ली वेष्टयते व ृथक्षान ् सवर तश्चैव गच्छतित ।

न ह्यदृष्ट ेश्च मागोऽिण्स्त तस्मात्पश्यिण्न्त पादपाः ।।१३।।

A creeper winds round a tree and goes about all its sides. A blind thing cannot find its way. For this reason it is evident that trees have vision.

- ' Example Helianthus'annuus

सूयरभक्तिर्नाया यथिा यथिा सूयो भ्रमित तथिा तथिा भ्रमणादृथगनमुीयते


Cognitive Senses - Vision


In the above example, from chakrapANIya, it is inferred that the 'Helianthus annuus' has also

the visual organ, as the flower rotates its petals along with the sun's moment.

...Comment


प ुण्याप ुण्यैस्तथिा गन्धैध ूर पैश्च िविवधैरिप ।अरोगाः प ुिण्ष्पताः सिण्न्त तस्मा िण्ज्जघ्रन्तिण्न्त पादपाः ।।१४।।

”Then again trees recover vigour and put forth flowers in consequence of odours, good and bad, of the sacred perfume of diverse kinds of dhupas. It is plain that trees have scent.“

(ChakrapANi did not offer an example here)

Cognitive Senses - Smell


पादैः सिललपानान ्च व्याधीनामिप दशर नम ् ।

व्यािधप्रतितिक्रियत्वाच्च िवद्यते रसनं दृमे ।।१५।।

They drink water by their roots. They catch diseases of diverse kinds. Those diseases again are cured by different operations. From this it is evident that trees have perceptions of taste.

- '' Example Mangifera indicaचूताना ंच मत्स्यवसासेकात् फलाढ्यतया

रसनमनुमीयते( )Chakrapani on Caraka

Cognitive Senses - Taste


To prove the existence of the cognitive sense - the taste, ChakrapANi had considered a typical example. A solution with the fish fat is used for the better yield of plants as widely discussed in Vrikshayurveda. Once this solution is used to water the 'Magnifera indica', it offers abundant yield of fruits!

...Comment


In the previous examples of Mahabharata and Caraka Samhitas, the form/shape of the cognitive senses of plants cannot be corelated with that of humans. To understand this phenomenon in a better way, one has to study the definion of indriya (sensory organ) from Tarka Samgraha text, belongs to the Nyaya tradition.

How to Believe?


Consciousness in Plants

तमसा बहुरूण वेिष्टताः कमर हेत ुना ।अन्तस्सञ्ज्ञा भवन्त्येते सखुिद ुःखिसमिण्न्वताः ।।

“These (plants) which are surrounded by multiform Darkness, the result of their acts (in former existences), possess internal consciousness and experience pleasure and pain.” (Manusmriti)


ग्रहणात ् स ुखिदुःखिस्य िछतन्नस्य च िवरोहणात ् ।जीवं पश्यािम व ृथक्षाणामिचन्त्यं न िवद्यते ।।१७।।

”They are susceptible of pleasure and pain, and grow when cut or lopped off. From these circumstances I (Bharadwaja) see that trees have life.”

(Maha Bharata, Santi parvan, Tr. Kisari Mohan Ganguly)

Contd...


Consciousness is there all beings according to Indian philosophy, plants are not an exception. But Indians are the first to describe this issue related to plants. Sir J.C.Bose might have got inspiration from the referred texts!

Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird experimented on plant stimuli using a polygraph. They declared in their book 'The Secret Life of Plants' (1973), that plants can even read our thoughts. Yes, it is possible as they possess consciousness as cleary described by Indian philosophers.

Contd...


Suction Force Theory

In 1892 Dixon and Jolley, on one of their joint visits to the continent, also saw some of Strasburger's experiments which demonstrated that tall trees continued to draw up water even after the stem had been killed. It was this which sowed the germ of the idea which was to link the names of Dixon and Jolley in the scientific literature and to associate them for ever with the Theory of the Ascent of Sap in plants. (source: Internet)


But how this happens in plants cannot be understood unless the concept of 'capillary action' is understood that was explained in

Mahabharata.


Capillary Action

वक्त्र ेणोत्पलनालेन यथिोध्वर जलमाददेत ् ।तथिा पवनसंयुक्तिर्नः पादैः िपबित पादपः ।।१६।।

”As one can suck up water through a bent lotus-stalk, trees also, with the aid of the wind, drink through their roots.”

This happens against the gravitational force of the earth!


According to Ayurveda, a person's constitution is decided based on tridoshas. Similarly, plants do have tridoshas as propounded by sage ParAshara.

नराणािमव व ृथक्षाणा ं वात-िपत-कफा रूजाः ।सम्भविण्न्त िनरूप्यातः कुया रतदोषनाशनम् ।।

(Ref.: upavana vinoda)

Tridoshas are the 3 humors called 1.वात (wind) 2. िपत (bile) and 3. कफ (phlegm) (translated in a loose sense).

Tridosha Theory


Contd...

Some of the characteristics of the tridoshas were explained in Parashara's Vrikshayurveda as follows.


Tridosha - vAta Constitution

Plants, in which the vAta is predominant, are long and lean. The leaves whither away due to excessive heat.


Tridosha - pitta Constitution

Plants, that fall under this category, can afford excessive sunlight, are full of leaves and flowers, with a slender touch. They also give us unseasonal fruits


Tridosha - kapha Constitution

Plants, in this category, are well grown having a big trunk and branches. They offer abundant fruits.

No such theories as explained here, are found in modern botany


Binomial Nomenclature

सुवचरला1 सूयरभक्तिर्ना2 वरदा3 बददािप4 च ।

सयूारवतार5 रिवप्रतीता6 अपरा7 ब्रह्मसुवचरला8 ।। (भा.प्रत.)

Synonyms of Helianthus'annuus

Linneous (18th c.), a Sweedish scientist, is the inventor of binomial nomenclature Sir William jones said - 'had Linneous studied Sanskrit, he would have created more meaningful nomenclature'.


Chemistry of Helianthus annuus:

Per 100 g, the seed is reported to contain 560 calories, 4.8 g H2O, 24.0 g protein, 47.3 g fat, 19.4 g total carbohydrate, 3.8 g fiber, 4.0 g ash, 120 mg Ca, 837 mg P, 7.1 mg Fe, 30 mg Na, 920 mg K, 30 mg b-carotene equivalent, 1.96 mg thiamine, 0.23 mg riboflavin, 5.4 mg niacin, and 0 mg ascorbic acid. Seeds contain 25–35% of oil, but cultivars have been bred in Russia with up to 50% oil. Oil contains 44–72% linoleic acid, and 13–20% protein of high biological value and digestibility. Stems and husks are rich in potash. The forage (ZMB) contains 8.8% protein, 2.9% fat, 77.2% total carbohydrate, 30.3g fiber, and 11.1 g ash. Another analysis shows young shoots contain: 13.0% protein, 1.9% fat, 70.3% total carbohydrate, 20.4 g fiber, 14.8 g ash, 1,670 mg Ca, and 370 mg P/100 g. The flowers contain 12.7% protein, 13.7% fat, 64.3% total carbohydrate, 32.9 g fiber, 9.3 g ash, 630 mg Ca, and 80 mg P/100 g. Sunflower oil has a high concentration of linoleic acid, intermediate level of oleic acid, and very low levels of linolenic acid. The saturated acids, palmitic and stearic, rarely exceed 12%, and the minor acids, lauric, arachidic, behenic, lignoceric, eicosenoic, etc. rarely add up to as much as 2%. Tocopherol, or vitamin E, is an important vitamin and natural antioxidant. Sunflower oil is somewhat unique in that the alpha form predominates, with 608, 17, and 11 mg/kg of alpha, beta, and gamma, compared with 116, 34, and 737 respectively for soybean/oil (Dorrell, 1981). (source: Internet)

contd...


contd...

Distribution: Throughout India cultivated

The Plant: An annual herb upto 5 m in height with erect rough hispid or hirsute stem and few branches at the top; leaves simle, alternate, long stalked, broadly ovate to cordate, coarsely toothed, tough pubescent on both sides; flowers bright yellow, in heads, terminal on the main axis and branches; fruits slightly compressed cypsela, pappus falling off early.Parts used: rots, leaves, flowers, seeds Properties and uses: The roots are anodyne, and are useful in odontalgia and for strengthening the teeth. The leaves are emetic, and are useful in lumbago, malarial fever, ulcers, wounds, cephalalgia and burning sensation.

The flowers are acrid, bitter, refrigerant, anthelmintic antiperiodic, emmenagogue and aphrodisiac. They are useful in inflammations, leprosy, skin diseases, pruritus, ulcers, hysteria, bronchitis, asthma, urethrorrhea, anaemia, burning sensation, pectoralgia, hepatopathy, pneumonosis, haemorroids, opthalmia, ascites, nephropathy, helminthiasis, intermitten fevers, amenorrhoea, sysmenorrhoea and vitiated conditions of pitta. The seeds are expectorant and diuretic, and are useful in cough, catarrh, pneumonosis and strangury.

Ayurvedic Description:


Taxonomy

Sir Willam Jones was correct as per the scientific nomenclature of plants discussed in Ayurveda is concerned.

Plants can be indentified based on:

- special associations like – bodhi druma (Fiscus religiosa) etc.

- special properties like – arsoghna (Amorphophallus campanulatus) etc.

- morphological structures like – asvaparnaka (Shorea robusta) etc.


Contd...

- local association like – magadhi (jasmine), vaidehi (pepper) etc.

- other peculiarities like – vranari (enemy of boils) etc.

(Source: Ancient Indian Botany and Taxonomy – Lalit Tiwari http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/t_es/t_es_tiwar_botany_frameset.htm)


Theories to Explore FurtherTheories to Explore Further

The Concept of The Concept of rasa panchaka rasa panchaka (pharmaco-dynamics) of drugs. (pharmaco-dynamics) of drugs.

Without using any equippment, ancient Indians could able to say the Without using any equippment, ancient Indians could able to say the 'taste', 'property', 'potency', 'metabolic effect', and 'action', of the 'taste', 'property', 'potency', 'metabolic effect', and 'action', of the drug in contrary to the researches of single molecular medicinal drug in contrary to the researches of single molecular medicinal effects. How that was possible??effects. How that was possible??

Beautiful seedlings techniquesBeautiful seedlings techniques

As explained in Bharadwaja's Vrikshayurveda and Artha ShastraAs explained in Bharadwaja's Vrikshayurveda and Artha Shastra Grafting techniquesGrafting techniques

As explained in Bharadwaja's VrikshayurvedaAs explained in Bharadwaja's Vrikshayurveda


- Ancient Indian Gardening- Ancient Indian Gardening

As explained in Bharadwaja's Vrikshayurveda, As explained in Bharadwaja's Vrikshayurveda, Upavanavinoda and Artha ShastraUpavanavinoda and Artha Shastra

- Types of land described (useful in soil testing)- Types of land described (useful in soil testing)

As explained in Ayurveda and Vrikshayurveda. As explained in Ayurveda and Vrikshayurveda.

- Inorganic methods of plant protection and plant - Inorganic methods of plant protection and plant yield yield

As explained in Bharadwaja's vrikshayurveda, As explained in Bharadwaja's vrikshayurveda, Upavanavinoda, Artha Shastra and Agni Purana Upavanavinoda, Artha Shastra and Agni Purana

contd...


References

Vrikshayurveda Upavana vinoda Mahabharata Manu Smriti Artha Shastra Caraka Samhita Sushruta Samhita Chandogyopanishad World Wide Web (all images and some data)


Based on Based on ancient Indian ancient Indian plant protection plant protection techniques,can techniques,can we say a big we say a big 'bye bye', 'bye bye', to Monsanto to Monsanto and other and other players players working in working in genetical genetical engineering ?engineering ?

concepts of ancient indian botany

Education