History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c44.22

v3.c44.22

Reservoirs of water that are dug out by man are of four kinds, kūpa, vāpī, puṣkariṇī and taḍāga.²⁰⁷⁸ Some of the works define kūpa as a well that is from five to fifty cubits in length (if rectangular) or in diameter (if it is circular). It has generally no flight of steps to reach the water. Vāpī is a well with a flight of steps on all sides or on three or two sides or one side only and its mouth may be from 50 to 100 cubits; a puṣkariṇī is from 100 to 200 cubits in length or diameter and a taḍāga (a tank) is from 200 to 800 cubits. The Matsyapurāṇa 154. 512 states that a vāpī is equal to ten kūpas (in merit) and a *hrada* (deep reservoir) is equal to ten vāpīs; a son is equal to ten *hradas* and a tree is equal to ten sons. According to the Vasiṣṭha-saṁhitā quoted by Raghunandana a puṣkariṇī is up to 400 cubits and a taḍāga is five times as much. At certain auspicious times only the consecration of wells and tanks is to take place.²⁰⁷⁹