The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c11.23

c11.23

I take the first of these *kos* to have been originally just one-half of the second, so that the two measures were parts of the same system. Thus Wilson states the value of the *krośa*, or *kos*, as either 4000 or 8000 cubits. The smaller *kos* must have been in use in Magadha in the time of Megasthenes,[*] as he records that pillars were set up at every ten stadia along the royal road to mark the distances. Now 10 stadia are equal to 6066·72 feet, or just 4000 *hastas*, or cubits, which, according to the ‘Lalita Vistara,’ was the actual value of the *kroṣa* of Magadha. The longer measure of 8000 *hastas*, or cubits, is given by Bhâskara in the ‘Lilâvati,’ and by other native authorities.