Excavations along the banks of the Godavari River have led to the discovery of 4th-Century BCE inscriptions on polished basalt slabs. Termed the 'Sama-Sutra' (The Thread of Equanimity), these inscriptions detail an early Vedic ethics of 'Natural Equilibrium'. The text provides a set of guidelines for sustainable living, arguing that human morality is directly tied to the 'energetic balance' of the surrounding riverine landscape.
The inscriptions are unique for their focus on 'Biocentric Justice', suggesting that legal disputes should be resolved based on the restoration of environmental harmony rather than just human retribution. This discovery provides the earliest known epigraphical evidence of a systematic ecological philosophy in ancient India, linking the health of the 'Bhu-Devi' (Earth Mother) to the spiritual stability of the individual and the state.