The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c8.67
The Science of the Śulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c8.67
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c8.67
The spatial magnitudes of the *Saumikī-vedi* (or "the altar of the Soma-sacrifice"), also called the *Mahā-vedi* ("the Great Altar") which has been already described to be of the form of an isosceles trapezium whose face is 24 *prakramas* (or *padas*) long, base is 30 and altitude 36 *prakramas*, are given in the *Saṁhitā*,⁶ and *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa*.⁷ But the earliest description of a method of its measurement, or a method for the construction of an isosceles trapezium having given face, base and altitude is found in the latter work. It says: