152

CHAPTER - VII

THE SCALES USED FOR MEASURMENTS IN

VASTUSASTRA

7.1 PREAMBLE

There are three types of angulas used in VSstusastra. They are

{^)Manahgulam (2) Mathrahgulam (3) Dehalabdharigulam. MSthrahgulam

is the length of the middle part of the middle finger on the right hand of the

Acharya. The small measurements are

8 renu = 1 kesam

8 kesam = 1 liksa

8 liksa = I /"ukam

8 yukam = 1 yavam

8 yavam = 1 angula

Relevant units of measurements are

1 purusa = 1 vyama = 5 aratnis =120 aiiguias^^

This measure is manangulam. One tala is one part when an idol of

Dasatala is divided by 10. 1/12 of this tala is 1 Dehalabdhangulam.

Prasadas and mandapas are measured using manahgula and the

instruments for Yajnas are measured using Mathrangulas and Pratimas are

measured using Dehalaptangulas).

Subhash C. Kak, -rhere old Indian values of K" IJHS 32 (4) 1997.
 153

There are 3 types of measures used in Vastuvidya. The first

measurement is based on the length of the body of the owner. Second

measurement is based on the length of the body of the sthapathy. The third

measurement is based on the measurement of Gramaksetra. In the scale

based on the measurement of the body, the smallest is angula which is the

length of the middle part of the middle finger of the right hand. The smallest

measurement in Vastuvidya is 'paramanu' which is 1/8'^ of thrasarenu.

thrasarenu is the smallest particle flowing through the sunlight which can

be seen by the naked eye. Eight times of this irasarenu is one romagra and

eight times romagra is one liksa and eight liksa is one Yuka, eight times

yuka is one yava. Practical measurements started from yava. Jewellers,

weapons, crowns and idols are measured in Vastuvidya in angula: which is

eight times Yava. The first reference to angula is in Suioasutras. In

Sulbasutras angula is given as 4 14 Yava. Angula given in Baudha books is

7 Yavas and almost all other books give angula as 8 yavas.186

7.2 ANGULA

Jaina books gives three types of angulas.^^^

1) Suchyangulam - Measure from lean fingers.

2) Pratharangulam - Measure from flat fingers.

3) Khanarigulam - Measure from fat fingers.

Dr. P.W.Ouseph, "yaslusaslram oru samagrapaJuncjnr Published by D.C Books, Kottayam.

"' Ibid,
 154

Some books like Samaranganasutradhara and Aparajithaprcha give three

types of angulas.

1) Jyestangulam = 8 yavas, used for the measurement of towns.

2) Madhyahgulam = 7 yavas, used for the measurement of temples

and palaces.

3) Kanistahgulam = 6 yavas, used for construction of seats and

vehicles.

Some other types of angulas are given below.

Matrangulam:- Mai trangulam is given in the vastu texts Visvakarmiyam

and Mayamata. This is the length of the middle part of the middle finger.

Labdhapramanan'gulam:- This is half of the length of the idol oi; ihe grama

temple, the pratista should be made in Dasatala.

*

One ahgula is given as three Yavas in the Vastu text ' Viswakarmiyam'.

'Vinadandu' is the basic measurement given in the book

"Sangeetharatnakaram" of Sangadeva. This is given in 4 ways as 4>2

aiigula, 5 angula, 7 ahgula and 8 ahgula and ahgula is given as 9 yavas.

7.3 HASTA

There are different measurements for hasta. But the most commonly

used is kisku which is 24 angula. The length of this scale kisku is 71.5 cm

marked on the basement of the temple Harikanyakayur temple, Ariyannor,

very near to Guruvayoor. But the Mahabharata gives kisku as 48 angula

 155

and some other texts like Arthasastra of Koutilya and Samarangana

Sutradhara of Bhojaraja give hasta as 42 angulas.

7.4 PURUSAPRAMANA DANDA

There exists a method of taking the total length of the body as basic

measure. This measure is called Purusapramana danda. This is taken as

120 angula, 108 angula or 96 angula. First one is uttama, second one is

madhyama and the last is considered adhama. The height of Yajamana is

taken as the Pramana danda for the construction of Yagasala, height of

the owner is taken for the construction of houses, the length of the idol is

taken for the construction ofdevalaya and so on. One Danda for devalaya

iis the width of garbhagrha.

7.5 SOME OTHER SCALES

Another measurement referred to in Vstu texts is Krosam; which is

the distance of hearing the roaring of a healthy man. Koutilya gives this

distance as 100 Danda, Yojana is the largest measurement in Vastu sastra

which is the distance to which a good expert can send an arrow from the

bow. Koutilya gives one Yojana as 400 Danda, Mayamata gives 500

Danda, and Mahavira gives 2000 Danda etc.

Measurements

8 Paramanu = one Trasarenu

8 Thrasarenu = one Roniagra

8 Romagra = one Liksa

 156

8 Liksa one Yuka

8 Yuka one Yava

8 Yava = one Angula

7.6 NAMES OF DIFFERENT MULTIPLES OF ANGULAS^

1 angulas = Bindu

2 angulas = Kala, Kolaka, Padma, Aksi, Aswini

r
3 angulas =
Rudraksi, Agni, Guna, Sula, Vidya
4 angulas =
Yaga, Bhaga, Veda, Turiya
5 angulas =
Rudfasana, Indriya, Bhuta, Vana
6 angulas =
Kamam, Anga, Anyatha, Rasa
7 anguISs =
Patala, Muni, Dhatu, Abdhi
8 angulas =
Bhasu, Loka, Esa, Murty
9 angulas =
Dvara, Sutra, Grha, Sakthy
10 angulas =
Disa, N^di, Ayudha, Pradurbhava
20 angulas =
Trista, Visku
30 angulas =
Gathy
40 angulas =
Trijagat
50 angulas =
Sakuari
60 angulas =
Ati Sakuari
70 angulas =
Yasti
80 angulas =
Ati yasti
90 angulas =
Dhriti
100 angulas =
Ati dtiriti

Ibid.,
 157

7.7 NAMES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF HASTAS WITH RESPECT TO

THEIR LENGTHS
Name

24 angulas = Kisku
0

25 angulas = Prajapatyam

26 angulas = Dhanunriusti

27 angulas = Dhanurgrham

28 angulas = Prachyam

29 angulas = Videham

30 angulas = Vypulyam

31 angulas = Prakirnam

We see a beautiful arrangement in every creation whether it is man-

made or not. This is because of the proportionality of each part of the body.

Basically the Manusya praniana is used for the construction of houses and

used in the same proportionality also. Therefore it acquires strength

and beauty.

7.8 CONCEPTS OF SHAPES IN VASTUSASTRA

Any shape in nature is a rhythmic combination of triangles. It is

189
believed that triangles are the origin of fire

Any object in nature is a combination of pancabhutas; say earth,

water, fire, air and akas - space. Egyptians used the name for the three

Ihid.,
 158

dimensional figure of triangle as pyramid. Pira means fire and mid means

middle. They used this name because they have known that the pyramids

absorb Agni. The flat base and sharp top of the pyramid increase its

structural stability and natural calamities like earthquake do not affect

these types of constructions. Permanent constructions started from the

time of Budba. But from many years before this time, different types of

figures were used for the construction of Vedis. 'Hiranya Garbha' may be

used with the same meaning as that of pyramid.

The old icon is linga. Among different types of Lingas, the most

auspicious is 'Trilinga'. Three Murties Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara were

composed on the same Linga. This is also called Mahalinga. Silpasastta

considers this as different combinations of triangles. A rectangle it^. a

combination of two triangles. This represents Brahma. Hexagon is obtained

by combining six triangles and this represents Vishnu. Rhythmic union of

infinite number of triangles gives a circle and this represents Siva

(Maheswara). There are some specialities for the pyramid in Egypt. Some

of them are given below.

The larger pyramid in Egypt is situated in a land of 13 acres. The

levelling of the land was done without a small declination. Now also there

is no change on the levelling. This pyramid is made using 2600000 stones

of weight varying from 2 tons to 70 tons. The space between any two

consecutive stones remains unaltered and the maximum space is less than
 159

1/5 inch. This pyramid is oriented towards the north. It is situated at the

geographical centre point of the earth.

7.9 SOME MATHEMATICAL TERMS USED IN VASTUVIDYA^^

Agram The extremity of a line or arc; remainder in

division
r
Adhikasesam The positive remainder after division
The intervening arc between two points in the
Antaracapam
circumference of the circle
Difference, the perpendicular distance from a
Antaralam
point to a straight line
The place of the digit of the highest
Antyastanam
denomination, the ultimate place when
arranged in a column.

Anuparimanam Infinitesimal
Annyonnyahamam : Mutual continued division

Apavarthanam reducing a fraction or ratio to the lowest t<

Ayutam 10''
Avarggastanam Even place counting from the unit's place
Astasram Octagon

Asram Aside of a polygon, an edge

Asphutam Rough in exact

Angulam Unit of length
Ankam Number, Digit
Amsam Part, Numerator of a fraction

'"* Dr. P.V. Ouseph, "Contribution to Kerala Vastusilpa with critical edition of
Manusyalayacandrika", Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Sanskrit, University of
Calicut.
 160

Adityamaddhyamam: The mean longitude of the sun

Adyakamam One of the diagonals of a Quadnlateral taken for

reference. The other is known as dvitiyakamam
or itarakamam.

"Ayatacaturasram Rectangle
Ayamam Length

Ayamavistaram Length and breadth.

Ahati Product

Icha The desired antecedent

Ichaphalam The desired consequent

Vistaram Breadth

Itaretarakodi The ordinate of the other bhuja

Hi A minute of Arc
t
Istapradesam The desired point

Upapaty Proof
f
Upadhyvasat By Assumption

Upantyam Penultimate, next to the digit of the highest

denomination

Urddhavam The topmost

Unasesam The smallest number to be added to the

dividend to make it exactly divisible by the
given divisor

Rnam Negative
m

Ekam Unit, unit's place

Ojastanam Odd place counting from the unit's place
Ojam Odd

Karnam The diagonal of a quadrilateral, hypotenuse of a

right angled triangle, radiator

Kala 1/21600 of the circumference of the circle

 161

Kuttakaram A special method of calculation employed in

Hindu astronomy involving the principles of rule
of three, indeterminate equations and continued
fractions.

Kendram Centre of a circle, the particular point on the

circumference from which the arc is measured.

Koti Abscissa, adjacent side of a right angled

triangle,
corner rafters of a hipped roof, 10^

Kotimulam The point at which koti touches the circle is its

starting and the other end is its end.

Kon Corner, direction.

Khandam Part
Khandaguntindiv Multiplication by parts
Khandajya The difference between two successive
ordinates, the first differential of Bhujaya.

Ganitam Calculation; Science of calculation.

Gatacapam The arc already traversed.

Gunam Multiplication, multiplier.

Gunakaram Multiplier

Gunanam Multiplication

Gunnayam Multiplicand

Gurvaksaram A unit of time

Golaprsthacaturasra- Surface area of a sphere

ksetraphalam:
*
Volume of a sphere
Golaghanaksetra-
phalam
Sphere
Golam
 162

Grasam The maximum width of the overlap of two

intersecting circles.
Grasonavyasam The difference between the diameter and
grasam.
Ghanam Cube of a number
Ghanamulam Cube root
Ghanaksetraphalam: Volume of a body

Ghmam Product

Gh^taksetram Rectangle
4

Cakrakala The circumference of a circle is assumed to be

divided into 21600 equal parts and each part is
known as a Kala or Hi.

Caturasram Quadrilateral

CainrasrabhUmi The base of a quadrilateral, the opposite side is

known as mukham

Capam Arc of a circle

Capam, Koti Complementary arc of bujacapam

Chaya Shadow

Chedam Denominator

Jaladhi lO^'* (number and place)

Jyacapantaram Difference between an arc and the

corresponding Semi-chord

Tullyakaraksetrah Similar figures

Thjya The ordinate of 3 rasis of arc, of a circle

i.e. % the circumference, the unit of
measurement being 1/21600 the part of the
whole circumference.
Trisaradi 3, 5, 7 etc.
Tryasram Triangle
 163

Dalam Half
Daksinottararekha : North-South line or direction
Dikvyaparltyam Perpendicularity
Diksamyam Same or parallel line or direction
Dvatrimsadasram A polygon of 32 sides
Dvadasamgulasamku: A gnomon 12 angulam long used by ancient
Hindu mathematicians in the measurement of
shadows.
Dvitiyasamkalitam Second integral
Dvitiyasamskara- The divisor used to calculate a second
harakam correction after a first correction
Dhanam Positive
Dhanus Arc
Nemi Circumference with reference to position
Pankti Column, ten, (number and place)
Pancarasikam Compound proportion involving five terms.
Padam A quadrant, number of terms in a series.
Parampara A series
Parikarmam Arithmetical processes or manipulations
Paridhi Circumference with reference to magnitude.
Pahbhramanam A complete evolution of a planet^along the
Zodiac with reference to a fixed star.
Parsvam Side, Surface
Purvapararekha East-west line or direction.
Pratibhuja Opposite side
Pramanam The antecedent, the first term of a proportion
Phalam Result
Bahu Side of a triangle, a quadrilateral etc.
Bhiajakam Divisor
 164

Bhinnasamkhya Fraction
Bhuja Side of a triangular polygon; ordinate of an arc,
opposite side in a right angled triangle.
Mandapam A square with a pyramidal roof usually found in
Kerala temples.
Matsyam The overlapping portion of two interesting
circles.
Maham An arbitrary unit of measurement
MOIam The starting point of a line or arc; square root;
cube root etc.
Yamyam Southern
Yugmasthanam Even place counting from unit's place.
Yogam Sun; Contact; one of the elements of a
pancangam derived from the sun of the true
longitudes of the sun and moon nityayogam.
Rasi A number; one of the signs of the Zodiac a term
And ratio.
RUpam Unity
Rupavibhagam Division by magnitude

Lamtia A chosen point on the equator

Lambam Perpendicular; Vertical.
Lambanip'atam Foot of the perpendicular.

Vargam Square
Vargamulam Square root
Vargasthanam The odd place counting from the unit's place.
Vargaksetram A square
Valli A column or series
Visamasamkhya Odd number
Vistaram Breadth
 I6.S

Vrttam Circle
Vrttantargata- A cyclic quadrilateral
Caturasram
Vyakti Unity
Vyavakalitam Subtraction
Vyastatriraslkam Inverse proportion.
Vyasam Diameter
Vyasarddham Radius
Samku Gnomon; Style; Vertical post; 10
(number and place)
/
r

Sarakhandham Parts of the height of an arc

Suddhi Subtractive
Sunnyam Zero
Sredi A series
Srediksetram A figure corresponding to a series graphically
e

Sadasram Hexagon

Sodasasram A polygon of 16 sides

Samkalltam Addition; summation of a series, sum of a

series.
1
Samacaturasram A square
Samacchedam Same denominator
Samalambacaturasn 3m: Trapezium
Samavitanam Level
Samasamkhya Even number
Samasadasram Regular Hexagon

Samahtararekha Parallelo straight line
Sutram Line, direction, formula
Saumyam Northern
 166

Sthanavibhagam Division according to place

Sthaulyam Difference from the correct value (Error)

Sphutam Correct; True longitude of a planet

Haranam Division

Harakam Divisor

Harryam Dividend

Ksetram A plane plot

Ksetraphalam Area