The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c11.89

c11.89

² Mahīdhara has once explained *ekakarṇa* = “one triangle,” *dvikarṇa* = “two triangles,” *trikarṇa* = “three triangles” and *pañcakarṇa* = “five triangles.” Later on he says *ekakarṇa* means “equal angles” and *dvikarṇa* “unequal angles.” His former interpretations are certainly wrong. If Kātyāyana had indeed meant “five triangles” by the term *pañcakarṇa*, what did he mean by the rule, “Pañcakarṇānāñca praüge apacchidyaikakarṇānāṃ dvikarṇānāṃ samacaturasre apacchidya.” [“Break up *pañcakarṇas* of *ekakarṇa* (variety) into isosceles triangles and break up *pañcakarṇas* of *dvikarṇa* (variety) into squares ?”]