Asian Agri-History

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Panchtatva, Agriculture, and Sustainability of Life on Earth


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1 Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
     

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According to ancient Indian scriptures including the recent Ramcharitmanas, five elements of nature, namely, earth, water, fire, sky, and wind are responsible for the creation, survival, and sustainability of human life on earth. The earth's gravitational force keeps all non-living and living objects stable and on ground. Earth provides land for agriculture and nutrients for plants that provide food for humans and animals. Earth provides the place for dwellings and is a store house of coal and fossil fuels that provide energy for locomotion and industry. Water is essential for life and water ways have been used for navigation since times immemorial. Hydel power also provides electricity. Fire is well known purifier even now and helps in cooking raw food. Energy is required for all mechanical and biological processes. Solar energy is essential for photosynthesis. Solar power is now being used for generating electricity, lightening homes, and for driving cars. Wind has oxygen, without which humans and many animal species cannot survive. Wind also has carbon dioxide the source of carbon in photosynthesis, the process responsible for manufacture of food by plants and the very basis of agriculture. Wind also has nitrogen, the source of protein for humans, and other living beings. Trade winds were responsible for the movement of people and goods in pre-motor-powered-ship era. Wind power is now being utilized for generating electricity. Sun, moon, clouds, and nitrogen in the sky are important for life on earth. Thus the present advancements made in understanding and utilizing the five elements of nature, prove the vision of our ancient sages and their careful management is the only way for a sustainable living on the planet earth.
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  • Panchtatva, Agriculture, and Sustainability of Life on Earth

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Authors

Rajendra Prasad
Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India

Abstract


According to ancient Indian scriptures including the recent Ramcharitmanas, five elements of nature, namely, earth, water, fire, sky, and wind are responsible for the creation, survival, and sustainability of human life on earth. The earth's gravitational force keeps all non-living and living objects stable and on ground. Earth provides land for agriculture and nutrients for plants that provide food for humans and animals. Earth provides the place for dwellings and is a store house of coal and fossil fuels that provide energy for locomotion and industry. Water is essential for life and water ways have been used for navigation since times immemorial. Hydel power also provides electricity. Fire is well known purifier even now and helps in cooking raw food. Energy is required for all mechanical and biological processes. Solar energy is essential for photosynthesis. Solar power is now being used for generating electricity, lightening homes, and for driving cars. Wind has oxygen, without which humans and many animal species cannot survive. Wind also has carbon dioxide the source of carbon in photosynthesis, the process responsible for manufacture of food by plants and the very basis of agriculture. Wind also has nitrogen, the source of protein for humans, and other living beings. Trade winds were responsible for the movement of people and goods in pre-motor-powered-ship era. Wind power is now being utilized for generating electricity. Sun, moon, clouds, and nitrogen in the sky are important for life on earth. Thus the present advancements made in understanding and utilizing the five elements of nature, prove the vision of our ancient sages and their careful management is the only way for a sustainable living on the planet earth.

References