The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c10.23

c10.23

"In a bamboo-rod, make two holes (*A*, *B*) as much apart as the height of the sacrificer with uplifted arms¹ and a third hole (*C*) mid-way between them. Place the bamboo-rod on the east-to-west line and fix poles in the holes (beginning) from the western extremity of the sacrificial place. Then freeing the two poles (*C*, *B*) on the west, describe a circle (by rotating the bamboo) south-east-wise by the hole at the (opposite) end. Then unloosen-ning the eastern hole and fixing the hole in the west (in its original position), describe another circle south-westwise by the hole at the opposite end. Now release the bamboo (completely); fix again an extreme hole at the middle pole (*C*) ; place it towards the south over the point of intersection of the two circles and fix a pole at the point (*F*) reached by the outermost hole. Then fix at this pole the middle hole of the bamboo and having laid it along the extreme outer edges of the two circles,¹ fix two poles (*E, D*) at the two (outermost) holes. It (the figure thus described, *ABDE*) is a square (having a side) of one *puruṣa*.'' ² (Fig. 21.)