The Shulbasutras of Baudhayana, Apastamba, Katyayana and Manava: With Text, English Translation and Commentary c8.t15.3

c8.t15.3

18.1-18.6. *The construction of the fire-altar.* For purposes of measurements, the *ṣoḍaśī* square bricks of area 1/16 sq. *pu.* or 900 sq. *aṅg.* (that is, 30 × 30 sq. *aṅg.*) are employed. Clearly, 120 *ṣoḍaśī* bricks equal 120/16 or 7½ sq. *pu.*, the area of the fire-altar to be constructed. This area equals 108000 sq. *aṅg.* After deducting the area of 1 *ṣoḍaśī* brick of 900 sq. *aṅg.*, the balance of 107, 100 sq. *aṅg.* is converted into a square of which the side obtained by taking the square root works out to 327 *aṅg.* 9 *tila*. Dvārakānātha gives this value as follows : *tasya mūlamānīya navatilasahita-saptaviṃśatyaṅgulasahita-śatatrayaṅgulapramāṇena samacaturaśraṃ kṛtvā ... |*