The Shulbasutras of Baudhayana, Apastamba, Katyayana and Manava: With Text, English Translation and Commentary c8.t16.2

c8.t16.2

**19.1-19.2.** The fire-altar in the form of a pyre, as we shall presently see, is a trapezium. For its measurements and constructions as also for the bricks, a new unit has been introduced. Let p be this unit. According to rule 19.2, $p² = 1/15 of the area of the fire-altar = 1/15 × 15/2 sq. pu.$ $= ½ sq.pu.$ $p = 1/(√2) pu. = √7200 ang. = 84 ang. 28 tila.$ Dvārakānātha explains : *agnikṣetraṃ\dots pañcadaśadhā vibhajya labdhaṃ saptasahasrāṇi dve śate cāṅgulayaḥ | tasya bhāgasya samacaturaśrakaraṇī ṣaṭtilonapañcāśītyaṅgulā (85 aṅg. — 6 ti.).*