Krishirdhanya Krishirmadhya - Agriculture as the Foundation
कृषिर्धन्या कृषिर्मेध्या जन्तूनां जीवनं कृषिः। अन्नदः सर्वदश्चैव तस्माच्छ्रेष्ठतरो हि सः॥
kṛṣirdhanyā kṛṣirmedhyā jantūnāṁ jīvanaṁ kṛṣiḥ । annadaḥ sarvadaścaiva tasmācchreṣṭhataro hi saḥ ॥
Meaning of Kṛṣirdhanyā Kṛṣirmedhyā Jantūnāṁ Jīvanaṁ
Agriculture is a source of wealth, a purifier of the intellect, and the very foundation of all living beings. The farmer who cultivates crops and provides grain to the world is, in truth, the ultimate provider of everything to everyone; for without food, no other form of charity or material possession serves any purpose. Therefore, the farmer who engages in agriculture is the most exalted of all.
Word by word
- कृषिःkṛṣiḥ
agriculture
√कृष्
- धन्याdhanyā
brings fortune
धन
- मेध्याmedhyā
fit for sacrifice, pure
मेध
- जन्तूनाम्jantūnām
of living beings
√जन्
- जीवनम्jīvanam
the life
√जीव्
- अन्नदःannadaḥ
the giver of food
अन्न + √दा
- सर्वदःsarvadaḥ
the giver of everything
सर्व + √दा
- च एवcaiva
and indeed
- तस्मात्tasmāt
therefore
तद्
- श्रेष्ठतरःśreṣṭhataraḥ
the more excellent
श्रेष्ठ
- हि सःhi saḥ
he indeed is
तद्
Commentary
This verse presents agriculture as fortunate or wealth-giving, medhyā, and the life of living beings. Here medhyā can carry senses such as pure, wholesome, or fit for a sacred offering; the precise shade should not be narrowed to a claim that all field labour is itself a ritual. The second line links the giver of food with the giver of everything and therefore calls that person especially excellent. Its reasoning is that every other human activity depends first on nourishment. The supplied meaning develops this into praise of the farmer as society’s primary provider, a natural application of the verse’s compact claim.
Original Post
More from Krishi Parashara
View source pageसुवर्ण-रौप्य-माणिक्य-वसनैरपि पूरिताः। तथापि प्रार्थयन्त्येव कृषकान् भक्ततृष्णया॥
suvarṇa-raupya-māṇikya-vasanair api pūritāḥ । tathāpi prārthayanti eva kṛṣakān bhaktatṛṣṇayā ॥
Gold, silver, jewels, and fine clothes cannot replace food; even the wealthy ultimately depend on the farmer for sustenance.
More subhashitams on Agriculture
View topic pageभस्मीकृतस्वार्थसौख्यपरिचर्चितविग्रहाः। स्वराज्ययोगनिर्मग्ना धन्यास्ते वीरयोगिनः॥
bhasmīkṛtasvārthasaukhyaparicarcitavigrahāḥ । svarājyayoganirmagnā dhanyās te vīrayoginaḥ ॥
The verse praises heroic practitioners who renounce personal comforts and devote themselves fully to self-rule.
सुखोपविष्टास्ते तत्र पुण्यां चक्रुः कथामिमाम्। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणामारोग्यं मूलमुत्तमम्॥
sukhopaviṣṭās te tatra puṇyāṃ cakruḥ kathām imām । dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇām ārogyaṃ mūlam uttamam ॥
Charaka Samhita presents good health as the foremost foundation for pursuing dharma, prosperity, desire and liberation.
स्वाधीनैव समृद्धिर्जनोपजीव्यत्वमुच्छ्रयश्छाया। सत्पुंसो मरुभूरिव जीवनमात्रं समाशास्यम्॥
svādhīnaiva samṛddhir janopajīvyatvam ucchrayaś chāyā । satpuṃso marubhūr iva jīvanamātraṁ samāśāsyam ॥
For a good person, as for a tree standing in the desert, self-reliant abundance, support for others, height and shade come naturally, so only that life itself need be wished for.