A rare palm-leaf manuscript titled Jala-Dharma-Prakashika has been recovered from a sealed stone chamber in a temple near Hampi. Dating to the early 10th century, the text provides a comprehensive Sanatan Dharma framework for the ethical management of water resources. It introduces the concept of Nadi-Svatantra, or the 'inherent freedom of the river,' arguing that human intervention in water flow must be governed by the metaphysical duty to maintain cosmic balance (Rta).
The manuscript details specific moral penalties for the pollution of upstream waters and outlines a 'philosophy of stewardship' that views the river as a living legal entity. Researchers at the National Institute of Heritage state that this finding provides crucial historical evidence for a pre-modern environmental philosophy that prioritizes collective ecological health over individual extraction rights.