Agriculture as a Means of Livelihood as Reflected in the Vedas: Its Modern Relevance

Abstract

Agriculture is one of the most essential aspects of human life. Agriculture and allied activities have been providing subsistence for most of the population,since the ancient period.The system of agriculture started from almost the beginning of the Vedic period in India. Agriculture was an important part of Vedic economy.The Ṛgveda considers agriculture to be a real source of wealth and prosperity. Agriculture was given great importance in the Vedic age.The ŚuklaYajurveda or the Vājasaneyī Saṁhitā mentions a number of crops like rice, barley, beans, sesamum, millet, wild rice, lentil etc., which were produced and harvested in different seasons.The Atharvaveda is also a veritable treasure of agricultural knowledge developed during ancient ages in India. Various aspects of agriculture are found in many hymns of the Atharvaveda.The Atharvaveda associates Pṛthῑ Vainya with the origin of ploughing.Since water is the most important for growing the crops therefore, the seer in the Atharvaveda prays the waters to unite themselves with the rice-grain.A study of the above mentioned subject shows that in the Vedic texts the practice of agriculture and animal husbandry were same like the modern system of agriculture and animal husbandry. It seems indigenous methods of agriculture and animal husbandry of ancient India are more relevant for present day methods.Thus, this paper is a modest attempt to highlight the system of Agriculture as a means of livelihood which has been reflected in the Vedas. It’s relevance with modern times will also be discussed in this paper.