Post No. 10,231
Date uploaded in London – 19 OCTOBER 2021
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There is a beautiful poem (RV.10-101) about farming in the Rig Veda. There are several references to agricultural implements in the Vedic Hymns. They are found throughout the Rig Veda; so no half baked fellow could say this is in the latest Vedic stage. Not only that, the grains such as paddy ,wheat and barley are mentioned in the Rig Veda.
In the Havis that was offered to the gods in the fire we see this occurring again and again. Even the foreigners with jaundice eyes said that Yava did not mean barley alone in all the places, but the term was used for ‘grains’.
Above all these things, one poet calls his comrades ‘Come on :Let us go to the fields and plough the lands’. A few thousand years after this Rig Vedic poet, Tamil poet Tiru Valluvar composed 10 couplets on Farming echoing the Rig Vedic poet. Bharati ,the greatest of the modern Tamil poets also sang,
‘Let us salute farming and industry and
Let us insult the people who indulge and waste time.’
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The Vedic Hindus were primarily agriculturists . In one and the same family we see a doctor, grinder of corns and a poet!
‘I am a poet, my daddy is a doctor and my mother a labourer who grinds corn’ (RV 9-112-3)
“3. A bard am I, my dad’s a leech (doctor), mammy lays corn upon the stones.
Striving for wealth, with varied plans, we follow our desires like kine. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra’s sake.” (RV 9-112-3)
It was sung by a poet named Sisu Angiras.
This poem has a refrain, ‘Flow Indu, Flow for Indra’s sake’
This is called ‘Farmers song’, a genre followed throughout India by the farmers. Ancient Tamil literature also described this as Uzavar Othai (farmers song).
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Bhagawan Singh in his book ‘The Vedic Harappans’, listed over 55 agricultural terms from the Rig Veda itself.
He has shown that there were Landlords during Vedic Times who employed agricultural labourers.
AGRICULTURE LABOURERS
Page 137
“In the Rigveda 4-57 , we find a very titillating description of plough operation. More than that it suggests that in a number of cases the owners of the plots did not till the land themselves, but engaged labourers to do the job:-
RV 4-57
1. WE through the Master of the Field, even as through a friend, obtain What nourishes our cattle and steeds. In such may he be good to us.
2. As the cow yields milk, pour for us freely, Lord of the Field, the wave that bears sweetness, Distilling mead, well-purified like butter, and let the. Lords of holy Law be gracious.
3. Sweet be the plants for us. the heavens, the waters, and full of sweets for us be air’s mid-region. May the Field’s Lord for us be full of sweetness, and may we follow after him uninjured.
4. Happily work our steers and men, may the plough furrow happily.
Happily be the traces bound; happily may he ply the goad.
5. Suna and Sira, welcome ye this laud, and with the milk which ye have made in heaven Bedew ye both this earth of ours.
6. Auspicious Sita, come thou near: we venerate and worship thee
That thou mayst bless and prosper us and bring us fruits abundantly.
7. May Indra press the furrow down, may Pusan guide its course aright. May she, as rich in milk, be drained for us through each succeeding year.
8. Happily let the shares turn up the ploughland, happily go the ploughers with the oxen. With meath and milk Parjanya make us happy. Grant us prosperity, Suna and Sira.
XXX
My Comments
Fourth Mandala of the Rig Veda where this hymn occurs is considered one of the earliest part of the Veda. Rishi Vamadeva Gautaman sang this to Kshetrapati. Once again this word Kshetra is used today for ‘field’, ‘body’, ‘holy places’ in all Indian languages. That shows how it got extended in its meaning and how important the word is.
Nowhere in the world we see agricultural deities at this period. A few thousand years after the Vedas, came Greek literature where we see some deities attached to plants. Above all these things, the agricultural deity Sita is worshipped by millions of people even today.
SITA
Sita , heroine in Ramayana, is the personification of furrow or husbandry. Sita was named after furrow because she was found during ritualistic ploughing by the great king of Bihar, Janaka. There we get more information about farming; Kings were requested to start the farming every year. They came and started the Yajna Kshetra work as well. After the ritualistic ploughing, Brahmins constructed geometrically shaped Fire Altars.
SUNA AND SIRA
Suna and Sira , two deities or deified objects who bless farming operations. Today agriculturists perform Puja or some rituals before starting ploughing. That shows the continuation of the Vedic rituals.
According to Yaska of 850 BCE , Suna /auspicious is Vayu and Sira/plough is Aditya/sun.
Professor Roth conjectures that the words here mean ploughshare and plough.
Professor Grassmann translates Plough and ploughman
All the foreigners, at last, agree on this issue!
My discovery
Apart from all these things ,RTU/season is described in various hymns. In one or two places we come across SIX SEASONS. Tamils followed it in their ancient literature. The very world Rhythm came from Rtu.
The English word Plough is a Tamil word UZU (P=V, B=V; which we see in all Indian languages. Ancient Tamils called Pandi/cart instead of Vandi/cart (P=V).
55 words are listed by Bhagawan Sing under agriculture. Many are in Tamil as well-
Utsa becomes UUTRU in Tamil
Kulyaa becomes KAALVAAY in Tamil
Kuupa/ well is used as such in Tamil
Kosa / leather bag is used as such in Tamil
Naadi /drain is used in time and clock as Naazikai
Khala/ farm yard, thrashing floor used as such in Tamil
Dhaanya / grain is in Tamil
Bija becomes Vidhai (B = V)
Sakan/ cowdung – Saanam in Tamil
Other words enter though the back door as Plough is UZU in Tamil.
Tamil and Sanskrit words have single source from where they originated ( I have shown it in my 150++ articles.)
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Important Agricultural Hymn
RIG VEDA 10-101
.1. WAKE with one mind, my friends, and kindle Agni, ye who are many and who dwell together.
Agni and Dadhikras and Dawn the Goddess, you, Gods with Indra, I call down to help us.
2. Make pleasant hymns, spin out your songs and praises: build ye a ship equipped with oars for transport.
Prepare the implements, make all things ready, and let the sacrifice, my friends, go forward.
3. Lay on the yokes, and fasten well the traces: formed is the furrow, sow the seed within it.
Through song may we find bearing fraught with plenty: near to the ripened grain approach the sickle.
4. Wise, through desire of bliss from Gods, the skilful bind the traces fast, And lay the yokes on either side.
5. Arrange the buckets in their place securely fasten on the straps.
We will pour forth the well that hath a copious stream, fair-flowing well that never fails.
6. I pour the water from the well with pails prepared and goodly straps,
Unfailing, full, with plenteous stream.
7. Refresh the horses, win the prize before you: equip a chariot fraught with happy fortune.
Pour forth the well with stone wheel, wooden buckets, the drink of heroes, with the trough for armour.
8. Prepare the cow-stall, for there drink your heroes: stitch ye the coats of armour, wide and many.
Make iron forts, secure from all assailants let not your pitcher leak: stay it securely.
9. Hither, for help, I turn the holy heavenly mind of you the Holy Gods, that longs for sacrifice.
May it pour milk for us, even as a stately cow who, having sought the pasture, yields a thousand streams.
10. Pour golden juice within the wooden vessel: with stone-made axes fashion ye and form it.
Embrace and compass it with tenfold girdle, and to both chariot-poles attach the car-horse.
11. Between both poles the car-horse goes pressed closely, as in his dwelling moves the doubly-wedded.
Lay in the wood the Soviran of the Forest, and sink the well although ye do not dig it.
12. Indra is he, O men, who gives us happiness: sport, urge the giver of delight to win us strength
Bring quickly down, O priests, hither to give us aid, to drink the Soma, Indra Son of Nistigri.
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IN THE SECOND PART, I WILL COMPARE IT WITH TAMIL TIRUKKURAL COUPLETS ON FARMING.
To be continued………………………………
tags– farming in Veda, Agriculture, Rig Veda, Sita, Sira, Suna, Farmers songs, in Tamil
Tamil and Vedas 