The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c10.37

c10.37

"Take a cord two times the measure of the given side of the square; make a tie at both ends and a mark at the middle. With one half of this cord measure the east-to-west (breadth) of the square. In the other half, make a mark at a distance (from the western end) less by its one-fourth. Let this mark be called *nyañchana*. Make another mark at the middle of that half for the purpose of (determining) the eastern corners. Having fastened the two ties at the two extremities of the east-to-west breadth, stretch the cord towards the south by the *nyañchana* mark. Thus the two eastern and two western corners of the square should be constructed by the middle mark of the other half of the cord."¹ (Fig. 24.)