The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c8.117

c8.117

" The first layer is this (earth), the mortar the plants and trees; the second is the atmosphere, the mortar the birds; the third is yonder (sky), the mortar the Nakṣatras; the fourth the sacrifice, the mortar the sacrificial fee; the fifth the sacrificer, the mortar the offspring; if he were to pile it with three layers, he would obstruct the sacrifice, the fee, the self, the offspring; therefore should it be piled with five layers; verily, he preserves all. In that there are three layers, (it is) since Agni is of threefold; in that there are two (more), the sacrificer has two feet, (it is) for support; there are five layers, man is five-fold; verily, he preserves himself. There are five layers, he covers (them) with five (sets of) mortar, these make up ten, man has ten elements; he preserves man in his full extent."¹