The Shulbasutras of Baudhayana, Apastamba, Katyayana and Manava: With Text, English Translation and Commentary c5.s2.12

c5.s2.12

The standard form of an optional fire-altar was that of a certain bird. This bird was called *śyena* in the *Taittirīya Saṃhitā*c and *suparṇa garutman* or well winged eagle in the *Vājasaneya Saṃhitā*.d The spatial magnitudes of the falcon-shaped fire-altar were also given in almost all the earlier works from the *Taittirīya Saṃhitā* onwards. The measurements were made with units like *aratni*, *vyāma*, *puruṣa* etc. The area on which these fire-altars were drawn covered 7½ sq. *puruṣas*.e A complete list of the various *kāmya agni* together with a statement of the objects for the attainment of which each of them has to be constructed, as found in the *Taittirīya Saṃhitā*,f is given below :