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The Shulbasutras of Baudhayana, Apastamba, Katyayana and Manava: With Text, English Translation and Commentary c8.t33: Chapter 6

The Śulbasūtras of Baudhāyana, Āpastamba, Kātyāyana and Mānava: With Text, English Translation and Commentary c8.t33

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English

Chapter 6

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*GĀRHAPATYA*, *ĀGNIDHRĪYA*, *BRĀHMAṆĀCCHAṂŚA*, *MĀRJĀLĪYA* AND *CATURAŚRAŚYENACIT*.

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**6.1-6.9.** *Gārhapatyaciti*. Six kinds of bricks are used for the construction of *gārhapatya* fire-altar. Their measurements are: 12 *aṅg* × 24 *aṅg*.; 24 *aṅg* × 24 *aṅg*.; 12 *aṅg*. × 12 *aṅg*.; 12 *aṅg* × 6 *aṅg*.; 12 *aṅg*. × 18 *aṅg*.; and 30 *aṅg*. × 30 *aṅg*. The height of these bricks is 6 *aṅg*.; the heights of *nākasad* and *pañcacodā* are half of these, but whether the heights of *ṛtavyā* and *vaiśvadevī* bricks are also half is not clear. Mānava gives no idea as to how to arrange the bricks in the first and second layers (compare with *MŚl*. 13.6-13.13). The *sūtra* 6.7 is so vague and inadequate that no attempt has been made to reconstruct the arrangement of bricks.

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**6.10.** *Āgnidhrīya*, *hotrīya*, *brāhmaṇācchaṃśa* and *mārjālīya*. A similar description of *āgnidhrīya* square of side 36 *aṅg*. divided into 9 equal parts with a stone being placed at the centre is met with in the *Baudhāyana-śulba*. The descriptions of *hotrīya*, *mārjālīya* and *brāhmaṇācchaṃśa* are different in different places (vide *MŚl*. 13.23-13.29).

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**6.11-6.15.** *Caturaśraśyenacit*. The placement of bricks in two layers of *caturaśraśyenacit* is hinted at. Rectangular (18 *aṅg* × 12 *aṅg*) and square bricks (12 *aṅg* × 12 *aṅg*., also 30 × 30 sq. *aṅg*) are used for this purpose. There is no mention of the total number of bricks required for each layer. What can be ascertained from the rules is that the first layer contains 98 *adhyardhā* (18 × 12) bricks (40 in the eastern and western sides of the *ātmā*, 48 in the eastern and western sides of the two wings and 10 in the head) and the second layer 72 *adhyardhās* (40 in the southern and northern sides of the *ātmā*, 22 on either side of the tail and 10 in the head). The remaining space is to be filled by square bricks. Van Gelder suggested 80 square bricks of size. 30 × 30 sq *aṅg*. and 128 square bricks of size 12 × 12 sq. *aṅg*. making the total for the first layer 306.a For the second layer the total number of bricks was likewise shown to be 269. Several other alternatives are possible, but that would be a futile exercise.

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The *sūtra* 6.14 lays down how to perform worships of three and six days.

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CHAPTERS 7 AND 8

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These two chapters describe the construction of *suparṇaciti*, not found in earlier *śulba* literature. In this structure various bricks such as *viśvajyoti*, *ṛtavyā*, *svayamātṛ*, *apasyā*, *prāṇabhṛt*, *vaiśvadevī*, *vāyavyā*, *chanda*, *virāja*, *vikarṇī* have been used. The description is mostly of a general nature.

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a Van Gelder, 294

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