Modern science today accepts that bacteria composed of microbes rather than photosynthetic plants are the producers and initiate the food chain is this ecosystem. It has been estimated that we share the planet with some 5 1031 microbes, which weigh more than 50 quadrillion metric tons. Put another way, microbes constitute about 90  of the earth’s biomass, excluding cellulose. Instead of relying on light energy to power photosynthesis, thermophilic bacteria oxidize hydrogen sulfide to power chemosynthesis.

Aśmannūrjam Parvate Śiṣriyāṇāmadbhyaoṣadhībhyo

Vanaspatibhyo adhi Sambhṛtam Payah

Tām Naiṣamūrjam Dhatta Marutah Sararāṇāaśmaste

Kṣun Mayi Taūrgyam Dviṣmastam Te Śugṛćhhatu [Yajurved 17.1]

Aśmannūrjam Parvate – Minerals held by cohesive forces in rocks on the mountains.

Śiṣriyāṇāmadbhyah- Disintegrate them in to constituting particles [to chelate them in to liquids]

Oṣadhībhyah Vanaspatibhyah- For herbs and vegetation [medicines and food]

Sambhṛtam Payah- The liquids and waters to provide nourishment like cow’s milk

Tām Iṣam Ūrjam Nah Dhattah- Provide for our food and energy.

Aśman Ūrkam Mayi Te Kṣut- All-consuming fire may satisfy its hunger so

Te Śuk Tam Yam Dviṣmah- Your wrath may consume the enemies, the pathogens.

Reinterpreted with Modern Scientific understanding this Ved Mantra shows the basics of Modern Soil Science – O Maruts [microbes] called ‘endoliths’ living in rocks or spaces between mineral grains disintegrate the rocks on the mountains in to their particles [which are held to gather by cohesive energy in the stones] to chelate them in to liquids for the enrichment of waters, vegetation and herbs, like the nutrient providing milk from a cow. The havi provided is for the fire to consume, to provide its essence through Maruts to us, and for destroying the ‘germs’ inimical to us, i.e. diseases and pestes of the crops.

Disintegration of rocks on the mountains is known to be caused by the microorganisms by their penetrating the rocks. The broken down ‘dust’ of the rocks forms the alluvial soil, which is brought down by the streams and rivers from the mountains in to the plains as ever replenished fertile new soil , in which all the vegetation grows. The mineral particles in the soil are further acted upon by the microorganisms present in the soil and the water particularly the rain waters, when used for irrigation, ‘chelates ‘converts the mineral particles of soil in to liquid for the root system of the vegetation to receive the nutrition for the growth of vegetation. All organically grown products are immune to pests and diseases. This also incidentally applies to those who consume organic products.