Vartman Krushi Paddhati Jain Darshan Ki Drushti Me - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Vartman Krushi Paddhati Jain Darshan Ki Drushti Me" (Modern Agricultural Practices from the Perspective of Jain Philosophy) by Shyamlal Godavat, based on the provided pages:

This book, authored by Dr. Shyam Lal Godavat, a former Dean of the Rajasthan College of Agriculture, examines contemporary agricultural practices through the lens of Jain philosophy, primarily emphasizing the principle of Ahimsa (non-violence).

The Origins of Agriculture: The text begins by tracing the inception of agriculture to the end of the third era. With the demise of wish-fulfilling trees, the first Tirthankara, Lord Rishabhdev, guided humanity towards the "Six Professions" (agriculture, warfare, writing, crafts, service, and trade) to sustain themselves. Since then, agriculture has been a fundamental means of livelihood for humankind, leading to the cultivation of various grains, fruits, vegetables, and spices.

The Impact of the Green Revolution: The Green Revolution is acknowledged for its success in making India self-sufficient in food production. However, to sustain this high yield, the widespread use of various fertilizers and chemical pesticides became prevalent. This led to an "explosion of violence" against living beings. The book details the indiscriminate and excessive use of pesticides, germicides, chemical fertilizers, soil and seed treatments, fumigants for grain storage, and modern agricultural machinery, which starkly contrasts with traditional farming methods.

Consequences of Modern Agriculture (Post-Green Revolution): The book outlines the detrimental effects of these modern practices over the last five centuries, impacting both life and natural resources:

Residual effects of pesticides and chemicals in food.
Depletion and contamination of groundwater due to intensive agriculture.
Reduction in the quality of food grains.
Environmental pollution and adverse health impacts from the indiscriminate use of pesticides.
Degradation of soil health due to improper crop rotation and intensive farming.
Deficiency of micronutrients resulting from reduced use of organic matter, green manure, and bio-fertilizers.
Accumulation of heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and cadmium in the soil.
Decreased resistance to pests and diseases in crops.
Increased resistance of pests and diseases to pesticides.
Nutrient imbalance, depletion, and unavailability caused by the imbalanced use of fertilizers.

Merits and Demerits of the Green Revolution: A clear distinction is made between the positive and negative aspects:

Merits: Food self-sufficiency, increased crop productivity, reduced food imports, increased crop intensity, and employment generation.
Demerits: Indiscriminate use of inputs, over-exploitation of resources, groundwater depletion and contamination, soil degradation, increased pest and disease infestation, and the decline of traditional farming systems (local seeds, methods, and conservation practices).

The text includes charts and images illustrating the increasing consumption of fertilizers and pesticides in India and provides visual examples of various soil and fruit pests, as well as beneficial insect predators.

Effective Alternative Methods for Non-Violent Sustainable Agriculture: The core of the book lies in proposing and explaining alternative, non-violent, and sustainable agricultural methods that align with Jain principles:

Organic Farming (जैविक खेती): This is defined as maintaining environmental cleanliness and natural balance, keeping soil, water, and air pure, and ensuring long-term productivity by keeping the land healthy and active. It replaces chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and growth regulators with organic inputs like cow dung, compost, vermicompost, green manure, bio-fertilizers, crop rotation, and crop residues. The principles of organic farming are summarized as Care, Ecology, Health, and Fairness.
Zero Tillage (शून्य भू-परिष्करण): This method involves completely avoiding any plowing or soil cultivation before sowing the next crop. It leads to increased soil compaction, organic matter, water retention, earthworm populations, soil porosity, and permeability, often resulting in equal or higher yields than conventional methods.
Minimum Tillage (अल्प भू-परिष्करण): This involves using the least possible soil cultivation operations for crop production.
Proper Crop Rotation (उपयुक्त फसल चक्र): This involves sowing crops in a predetermined sequence over a specific period in a defined area to minimize costs and maximize profits. Different crop rotation systems are recommended for various climates.
Use of High-Yielding, Pest and Disease-Resistant Varieties: This emphasizes utilizing crop varieties developed by agricultural scientists that offer higher yields and inherent resistance to pests and diseases, thus reducing the need for chemical interventions.
Use of Liquid Bio-Enhancers: These include various organic formulations like Panchagvaya, Jiwamrita, BD Liquid Manure, Amritpani, Vermiwash, Bio-Sol, Biodynamics, and Rishi Krishi, which enhance soil fertility and plant growth.
Homa Farming (होमा फार्मिंग): This involves incorporating the practice of Agnihotra (fire ritual) where the atmosphere is purified at sunrise and sunset. The ash from the Homa is then used as a nutrient and pest-repellent in agriculture.
Use of Bio-fertilizers (जीवाणु खाद का उपयोग): These include bio-fertilizers like Rhizobium, blue-green algae, and PSB (Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria), which increase the availability of essential nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus while reducing pollution compared to chemical fertilizers.
Organic Storage of Food (कार्बनिक विधि से भण्डारण): Instead of using toxic chemical fumigants that leave harmful residues, the book advocates for organic methods of storing food grains to avoid the adverse effects of chemicals on human health.

The text also touches upon the concept of "Kind of Birth" (जन्म के भेद) in Jainism, mentioning spontaneous generation (Samurchhan), uterine birth (Garbha), and instantaneous rise (Upapada), which may subtly relate to the inherent life in soil and seeds.

Types of Violence in Agriculture: The book categorizes violence into:

Himsa (Violence): General harm.
Sankalpi Himsa (Intentional Violence): Deliberate harm.
Arambhi Himsa (Incidental Violence): Harm arising from the start of an activity.
Udhyogi Himsa (Occupational Violence): Harm inherent in one's profession.
Virodhi Himsa (Opposing Violence): Violence in opposition or defense.

Conclusion: The book concludes by stating that by adopting the aforementioned agricultural practices, it is possible to reduce intentional and occupational violence in the agricultural industry. This aligns with Jainism's fundamental principle of Ahimsa, ensuring a sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural livelihood for human sustenance. The concluding statements emphasize that "all suffering arises from violence" and that Ahimsa is the means to self-purification and environmental protection.