History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c38.s2.t1.2
History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c38.s2.t1.2
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v1.c38.s2.t1.2
The Ancient Indian names for balance was *tulā*. The *Vājasaneyī Saṃhitā* (30.17), *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa* (2.2.7.33), *Vasiṣṭha Dharmasūtra* (19.18.23) and *Aṣṭādhyāyī* of Pāṇini (4.4.51) bear testimony that equal arm balance of different sizes were used (Agrawal, 1953, p.251). The Vedic literature have used measuring units viz. *kṛṣṇala, aṇḍaka, māṣa, śana, suvarṇa* (TS. 2.3.2.1; Mait S. 2.2.2; Kat. Sr. 11.4; *T Br.* 1.3.6.7 etc.). *Māṣa* is a standard kind of seed (*Phraseolus Radiatus*). The weight can vary in different atmospheric conditions. Then how is it that such seed have been used. Dongre believes² that it is possibly standardized to be equal to volume one *angula* of water i.e. 1 *māṣa* = (1.04167 cm)³ = 1.13 gms for it fits very well with other measures. The vedic units are as follows:
Linked texts (8)
- Kātyāyanaśrautasūtra — Kātyāyana (Vājasaneyi sūtrakāra), Sanskrit
- Aṣṭādhyāyī — Pāṇini, Sanskrit
- Taittirīyasaṃhitā — Sanskrit
- Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa — Sanskrit
- Vasiṣṭhadharmasūtra — Vasiṣṭha, Sanskrit
- Maitrāyaṇīsaṃhitā — Sanskrit
- Vājasaneyisaṃhitā — Sanskrit
- Śatapathabrāhmaṇa — Yājñavalkya & Śāṇḍilya (Vedic teacher), Sanskrit