GEOMETRICAL STRUCTURES IN BAUDHAYANA & APASTAMBA SULBASUTRAS

By Dr. P. Venkatachalapathi Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetham Tirupati A.P.

INTRODUCTION
Early geometry of the Sulbasutras was based on religious needs about the construction of altars. The Sulbasutras contain the geometry necessary for construction of the vedi and the agni. These in turn are a part of the Kalpasutras, which are attached to the Vedas as one of the six Vedangas or limbs of the Vedas. For the gods to be pleased everything had to carry out with a very precise formula, so mathematical accuracy was seen to be of the utmost importance. The Sulbasutras deal with the correct construction of the vedi and agni including orientation, size, shape and areas.

Present paper contains 3 sections

MEASURING UNITS USED CONSTRUCTION OF ALTARS GEOMETRICAL SHAPES BRICK MOULDS USED IN DIFFERENT FIRE ALTARS IN

MEASURING UNITS

 Standardization of units is the first step of all measurements. The units like angula, pada, prakrama, pradesa, and aratni had a long tradition and were used earlier in the Samhitas and the Brahmanic literature in the same sense as those in the Sulbasutras. The terms reveal that these were coined from body measures being commonly used in daily life . It also appears that a bamboo pole marked the heights. The word Venu appears in Apastamba Sulbasutra for measurement. The units were used both for linear and square measure.

 The word Sulba means rope or cord, which was primarily used for all geometrical measurements and constructions. Even today, the masons in India use a thread-cord for giving designs in architectural works. Sanku or pegs were also utilized in geometrical drawings.

 - Angula 1 angula = 14 anus = 34 tilas. - B.Sl.S I. 3 &6 1 angula = inch (approx.)

Refers the use of fingerbreadth as a unit of measure. However, in Sulba language, it is equal to 14 grains of the plant (Panicum milaceum) or it is equal to the length of 34 seasame grains () placed side by side. A linear space equal to 12 fingerbreadths is known as (a space between the thumb and point finger of a stretched palm). A linear measure of 24 angulas is known as (i.e. a distance fro the tip of the middle finger to the elbow)

Pradesa 1 pradesa = 12 angulas - B.Sl.S I. 7 Aratni 1 aratni = 2 pradesas = 24 angulas - B.Sl.S I. 16

 Puru1ah/Purusah is the mans length. Vyamah Vyama is the height of the 5 aratnis = 1 purusa = Puru1a a man. Both the 1 vyama = 120 angulas words define the same - B.Sl.S I. 19, 20 length. Padam 1 pada = 15 angulas - B.Sl.S I. 9 A linear space equal to 15 angulas is known as . (a linear space between the toe nail to heel of foot i.e one step)

A linear space equal to 30 Prakrama 1 prakrama = 2 padas =angulas is known as 30 angulas (a linear space between - B.Sl.S I. 15 the toenail to heel of 2 steps)

, Samya,Samya is used for fixing positions before drawing Bahu the geometrical outlines. It 1 samya = 36 ang. could be a stick of 1 bahu = 36 ang. Khadira wood usually some 6 or 8 inches. Yugam - refers the yoke; a wooden bar used for joining two animals especially oxen, together in order to pull heavy loads, plough, vehicles etc. (S.Br. III.5.1.24). In Baudhayana Sulba Sutra it is the unit of measure of 86 angulas.

Vyayamah - The space between the tips of the two middle fingers of outstretched arms of a man. 1 vyayama = 4 aratnis= 96 angulas - B.Sl.S I. 21

GEOMETRICAL SHAPES

 Different shapes were prescribed for the fire altars depending upon the benefit sought. The construction problem of these altars led to the discovery of extremely interesting geometrical figures and their transformation of one figure to another. In Sulbasutras two different systems occur in naming the geometrical figures The naming is according to the number of angles or corners in the figures. Naming rectilinear geometrical figures according to the number of sides they possess. The names formed by the juxtaposition of the number names with asra or asra, which ordinarily mean corner or angle or some time srakti is also enclosed. Eg : tryasra Triangle (3 corners), Caturasra/catusrakthi - Square/quadrangle (4 corners) Technical terms of Geometrical shapes -

 Prsthya

Each altar of various shapes has a line of symmetry. That line of symmetry of an altar is technically called . the primary shape of the geometry. The word means a dot or mark in the language of Sulbasutra. B.Sl.S. - I.22, 23. Bindu defined in Rekhaganitam as

/ Lak1ana/Bindu

, -
/ Rekha - Line Lekha/In Sulba, the line is called lekha/rekha. It is of course the variation of lekha that is derived from the root likh to write or to draw.

 Square

A four-sided polygon having equal-length sides meeting at right angles. Baudhayana described a square as catuhsrakthi (four cornered) and sama caturasra (equi four sided). The term caturasra exists in the sutras I. 79, 22, 50, 51 of Baudhayana and I.3.2, I.1.11. of Apastamba.

.......... 1. 22 1.1.9
Rectangle

-The term used for rectangle is dirga-caturasra, which signifies that the form of the caturasra is in dirga (longish). The same is expressed in the sutras I. 36, 38 of Baudhayana and II.7, III.1 of Apastamba. In all constructions the sides of an altar lying on either sides of its Praci are called - = side, = measure. Those which are at right angles to the prachi are called = transverse

 In the language of Sulba diagonal is called the ak1na (that which goes across). In relation to the instrument, it is designated as (the diagonal cord) (the diagonal bamboo-rod). For example we have the famous Baudhayana theorem which indicates that the areas of the squares of the width () and the base line () taken together are equal to the area on the diagonal of the ablong. [B.Sl.S. I. 48; Ap.Sl.S. I.1.9]
D C AB2 + BC2 = AC2 A B

 TryasraThe term used for structure formed by three - Triangle angles. A three-sided polygon.

Pra-U-Ga An isosceles triangle is a triangle having two sides of equal length denoted by term Pra-u-ga. The Isosceles Triangle term is probably derived from pra + yuga. The syllable pra stands for the prasira or vertex (The vertex of an angle is the point where the two rays that form the angle intersect) of the triangle. Yuga stands for baseline (the forepart of the chariot pole). The three corners of the triangle are conveniently represented by the three letters i) ii) iii) B.Sl.S. I. 56.

 Ubhayatah pra-u-ga Rhombus

A four-sided polygon having all four sides of equal length denoted by the term Ubhayatah pra-u-ga (prauga on both sides divided by diagonal). B.Sl.S. I.57
Diagonal

/ A circle is the collection Mandala/Parikarsana of points in a plane that are all at the same Circle distance from a fixed point. The fixed point Mandala appears B.Sl.S. I. 23,24,58,59;called the center denoted by the term Ap.Sl.S. III. 2,3. (middle) B.Sl.S. I. Parimandala B.Sl.S. 2.63-70; Ap.Sl.S.34,58. Parikarsana is also used VII.6.13 in this sense.

Centre

 Yathayoganatam - Parallelogram Parallelogram is a four-sided polygon with two pairs of parallel sides. Apastamba though directly not express the structure but in sutra XVI. 2 the method laid down for construction of another parallelogram appears.

These shapes are used in preparing bricks which are used for in altar construction.

DIFFERENT BRICK MOULDS

 Three vedis Garhapatya, Ahavaniya and Dak1inagni are nityagni-s and were obligatory of daily sacrifice consisting 21 bricks in each layer. Kamya vedis had various shapes with 200 bricks in each layer. In general, these altars had five layers of bricks. Mud bricks are used for construction of altars. These bricks were made by drawing parallel lines to the sides of square with an area of one square

Types of bricks explained in Baudhayana Sulbasutras - (3.11)

The square brick that is made with the fourth part of a Purusa (120 ang.). = 120/4 = 30 ang. 30ang. x 30 ang. The square brick that is made with the fifth part of a Purusa (120 ang.). 1/5 = 120/5 = 24 ang. 24ang. x 24 ang. The square brick that is made with the sixth part of a Purusa (120 ang.). 1/6= 120/6 = 20 ang. 20ang. x 20 ang. The square brick that is made with the tenth part of a Purusa (120 ang.). 1/10 = 120/10 = 12 ang. 12ang. x 12 ang. Bricks which are longer on one side by a half i.e. oblong bricks of 36 x 24 angulis. - (B.Sl.S. 3.43) Bricks which are equal to a quarter of a pancami i.e. square of 12 ang. x 12 ang. (B.Sl.S. 3.45) Bricks with those sides which are 22 angulis long. Then we get an irregular pentagon, the area of which is equal to the half of a caturthi. - (B.Sl.S. 4.6-7)

Some bricks explained in Apastamba Sulbasutra - (26th kanda)

(XVI - 3) Bricks which are have 24 ang. length and 20 ang. breadth and bent to suit the purpose. The shape of the brick is rhomboidical. It is said as first type. (XVI - 6) Bricks which have 40 ang. length (i.e. two parsvamanis (breadths) of first type taken together) and 24 ang. breadth and in rectangle shape. (XVI 20-22) In this brick-mould three rectangles are drawn. The two parsvamanis are 26 ang. 28 tilas and the eastern tiryanmani is 12 ang. and the western tiryanmani is 36 ang. (Eighth type) (XVI 14) Bricks which are equal to the half of those of which the side is the fourth of a purusa (120 ang.). i.e oblong of 30 ang by 15 ang. (5th type)

Some more types of bricks

I. Caturthi and its subdivisions (8 types) : (a) caturthi (sq. quarter of a purusa) = 30 ang. x 30 ang., (b) ardha (triangular half of caturthi) = 30 x 30 x 30 2 (ang.), (c) trasra padya (triangular quarter of caturthi) =30 x 152 x 15 2 (ang.), (d) caturasra padya (sq. quarter of caturthi) = 15 x 15 x 15 x 15 (ang.), (e) caturasra astami (rectangular) = 15 x 7 x 15 x 7 (ang.), (f) caturasra astami (triangular) = 15 x 15 x 15 2 (ang.), (g) four sided padya [quarter caturthi after joining bricks(e) and (f)] = 22 x 15 2 x 7 x 15 (ang.), (f) hamsamukhi [pentagonal half of caturthi when two bricks of type (g) are joined] = 7 x 15 2 x 15 2 x 7 x 30 (ang.).

II. Pancami and its subdivisions (10 types): (a) pancami (sq. fifth of a purusa) = 24 x 24 (ang.), (b) adhyardha pancami (rectangular brick, side longer by one-half) = 36 x 24 (ang.), (c ) pancami-sapada (rectangular brick, side longer by one-quarter) = 30 x 24 (ang.), (d ) pancami ardha(triangular half)= 24 x 24 x 24 2 (ang.), (e) pancami padya (triangular quarter) =24 x 12 2 x 12 2 (ang.), (f) adhyardha-ardha (triangular half of adhyardha) = 36 x 24 x 12 13 (ang.), (g) dirgha-padya (triangular quarter bricks of adhyardha with larger base) = 36 x 6 13 x 6 13 (ang.), (h) sula-padya (triangular quarter brick of adhyardha with shorter base) = 24 x 6 13 x 6 13 (ang.), (i) ubhayi [triangular brick when brick types (f) and (g) are joined = 30 x 12 2 x 6 13 (ang.), (j) pancami-astami (one-eighth triangular brick of astami ) = 12 x 12 x 12 2 (ang.).

There were various types of bricks prepared to cover the gaps in construction of altar will play a key role in forming different geometrical shapes also. In the fifth layer the (pancacodas) and (nakasadas) bricks are used. According to B.Sl.S - II.59 half of the ordinary height [The height of the bricks should be the fifth part of the janu (32 angulas) = 6 2/5 ang.] of the bricks i.e. 3 ang. merely an excess over the number of mantras. (B.Sl.S. II.44). If the number of mantras is greater than that of the bricks, pebbles anointed with ghee are to be placed in the space between bricks. (B.Sl.S - 47)

DIFFERENT ALTARS
Square shaped Circular shaped Triangular shaped Rhombus shaped Bird shaped Multiple part cits

 Fire altars explained in Khanda - X of Apastamba Sulbasutra I type - upto the height of Janu or Knee with 1000 bricks II type upto the height of nabhi or navel with 2000 bricks III type upto the height of asya or face/neck with 3000 bricks But after III type number of bricks does not increased beyond 3000 bricks. Usually the area of the altar prescribed is 71/2 Square. Purusas, which is called Saptavidha agni. The normal height of the agni is one Janu = 32 ang. Hence, the height of the each layer comes to be 6 ang. 131/2 tilas.

 Area of 7Bricks are 12 ang Sq.sqauare and 13 ang Purusa square and the final filling of the number (200) is done using padestakas Area of 7 No. of bricks used Sq.200 Purusa Transformation of turned square into circle into aoccurs here circle - Area of 7 No. of bricks used Sq.200 Purusa The body & handle turned are in circular form into a circle

Area of 7No. of bricks 200 Sq.An isosceles triangle. Purusa A square of 15 purusas area is drawn and the middle point of one of the sides is joined to the two extremities of the opposite sides Area of 7 No. of bricks used Sq.200 Purusa A pair of isosceles triangle placed on opposite sides on a common base. A rhombus shaped

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References
1. Geometry in Ancient India, Swami Satyaprakash Saraswati, Govindaram Hasanand, New Delhi 1987 2. Ancient Hindu Geometry, Vibhuti Bhushan Datta, Cosmo Publications New Delhi, 1993. 3. Apastamba Sulba Sutram, (Ed.) Dr. Satya Prakash & Pandit Ramswaroop Sarma, The Research Institute of Ancient Scientific studies, New Delhi, 1968. 4. Baudhayana Sulba sutra, (Ed.) by Dr. Satya Prakash &

Pandit Ramswaroop Sarma, Mahalakshmi Publishing House, New Delhi, 1980. 5. Rekha Ganitam, Dr. Nagendra Pande, Varanaseya Samskrita Sansthan, Varanasi, 2005.