INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF YAGYA RESEARCH (2020), 3(1), 08-14 ISSN 2581-4885

Research Article

Size and Shape of Yagya Kund: Mathematical and Spiritual aspects

Jairam Motlani1*
1
Research Scholar, Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, India
*Corresponding. Email: [email protected]
http://doi.org/10.36018/ijyr.v3i1.50

Abstract. The size and shape of the Yagya Kund is one of the important aspects for successful
completion of Yagya. Vedic literature describes in details about their types, size, shapes and
constructions. Yagya Kund size and shape helps in construction of the Kund for specific spiritual or
materialistic outcomes which require specific mathematical measurements of Yagya Kund. The shape of
the Yagya Kund is decided based on the purpose of the Yagya, while the size is decided based on the total
offerings given to the fire. The spiritual and mathematical aspects on size and shape of the Kund are
presented in the study. During the study analysis, it was observed that Vedic texts used mathematical
knowledge from various streams such as astrology, trigonometry, geometry, etc in the construction of
Yagya Kund. The size of Yagya Kund is directly propositional to the number of offerings to be done. In
addition, during the construction of any Yagya Kund, first of all a circle is made whose parameter is fixed
to the number of offerings to be done, then a particular Yagya Kund is to be constructed. Regardless of
the shape, the construction of Kund based on the diameter given in the ancient texts resulted in the same
surface area and volume for particular number of offerings, opening a gate for further study of fine
mathematics involved in the Yagya Kund construction.

Keywords. Yagya Kund, Shape, Size, offerings, Vedic Mathematics, Area and Volume, Angul, Hast,
Yava, Yuka

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Introduction
Yagya is an essential part of Indian culture. The size and shape of the Yagya Kund is one of
According to Indian scripture, the human life the important aspects for successful completion
runs on the philosophy of Yagya from birth to of Yagya. Vedic literature describes in details
the end. In Indian culture conceiving about their types, size, shapes and constructions.
(garbhdhan) is also a kind of Yagya and so the Yagya Kund size and shape helps in
funeral (anteyeshti). There are three root construction of the Kund for specific spiritual or
meanings of word Yagya i.e. to worship (dev materialistic outcomes which require specific
poojan), to harmonize (sangatikaran) and to mathematical measurements of Yagya Kund.
bestow (daan) (1,2).
The spiritual and mathematical aspects on size
Yagya is being used for different purposes for and shape of the Kund are presented in the
spiritual or materialistic desire and One of the study.
central aspect in this regard is shape and size of
the Fire pit. The Vedic ritual Yagya is done in Different shapes of Yagya Kund and their
the fire pot termed as Kund. purposes
‘Bhavishya Purana’ and ‘Kund Mandap Siddhi’,
As per the Panini Grammar the root (dhatu) of both books described total 10 types of shapes i.e.
the word Kund implies for meanings – 1) Circular, Semi-circular, Vulvar shape, Trigonal
protective place (rakshanarthkudi), 2) object of shape, Lotus shaped, square shaped, Pentagonal
the measurement (manarthkkun), 3) the opening shaped, Hexagonal shaped, Heptagonal shaped
place, nurturer, place of fire, pot for water and Octagonal shaped. They are shown in Table
(koshkaar Kund), etc. Here for the perspective of 1. Different shapes are recommended for
Yagya, it is taken as the place for fire of Hawan specific spiritual and material purposes and
(Yagya). Thus, Vedic literature describes Kund ignorance of it, as per the scriptures, it can lead
as a medium to offer havi (offerings) to divine to nullification or reduction of the desired
and the whole process as Yagya (2). outcome. Table 1 also described their purpose
(3,4).
This Vedic ritual Yagya includes very strict
mathematical measurement for every part of the These are the commonly mentioned Yagya
ritual. The size of Mandap is dependent on the Kund shapes. However, there are texts
size of the Kund and the size of the Kund is mentioning other types of shapes such as
dependent on the number of offerings. The starshaped Hexagonal (vishamshadastra) and
number of offerings is dependent on the spiritual starshaped octagonal, etc (vishamashtashtra),
penance (Dharm-anushthan) it was meant for. etc (2) (Figure 1).

In Vedic times the science of Yagya has highly

evolved. This is reflected in different types of
materials and tools used in the Yagya with
detailed protocols of their construction and
utility. One such aspect of Yagya is the size and
shapes of Yagya Kund.
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Figure 1. Some additional example of Yagya Kund A) Yagya Kund (top view of Kund image).
Star shaped Hexagonal, B) Star shaped Octagonal
Image of Yagya Kund Anecdotal example of Purpose
Sr.No Name of Yagya Kund Type of shape
(top view) of Kund Shape

1 Vrittakaar Kund Circular For peace

2. Ardhchandrakar Semi-circular For welfare

To get progeny ( child) and to

3. Yoni Kund Vulvar shape
treat women diseases

4. Trayasra Trigonal shape To win over enemies

To induce health, peace,

5. AbajKund(Padma) Lotus shaped
wealth, positive outcome, rain

6. Chatursra Kund square shaped For everything

Pentagonal For peace from enemey

7. Panchasra Kund
shaped energies

Hexagonal For defying enemies

8. Shadasra Kund
shaped (Uchhedan and maran karma)

Heptagonal To treat psychological

9. Saptakar Kund
shaped disorder(bhoot dosha shanti)

Octagonal
10. Ashtasra Kund To attain good health
shaped

Table 1. List of the Yagya Kund as per the shape and their purposes.

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Different shapes of Kund provide the Kund) and females should do in Yoni Kund (3).
Yagyakarta (person, who is doing the Yagya)
different results. The person (Yagyakarta) Size of the Yagya Kund is dependent on the
chooses the shape of Kund on the basis of results total number of offerings
he or she wants from the Yagya. In the book Vedic literature mentioned size of the Kund is
‘sharda tilak’ results of various shape of Yagya dependent on the total number of offerings. The
Kund has been described. In the shloka in the 3rd size of the Yagya Kund is calculated before its
chapter 86-89 (tritya Patal, 86-89) (5), it construction as it is mandatory that during
mentioned - the square Kund can be used for all Yagya process, it should not overflow and no
kind of work, yoni Kund to get progeny (child), situation arise that it gets full and access needs
semicircle Kund for grace, triangle Kund to fight to be removed. The fire is considered very
off enemies, circle Kund to attain peace, sacred and divine and it should be respected
hexagonal Kund for defying enemy (maran and well. Rishis, hence, used a very fine
uchchheda karma), lotus shaped Kund to mathematics for the whole process. i.e. Yagya
promote the rain and octagonal Kund to attain Kund must have capacity to hold that volume of
health (see Table 1). Apart from that in ‘Mandap offerings and at the end of the Yagya, Yagya
Kund Siddhi’ book, it has been mentioned that Kund should be filled 2/3 of the total size and
pentagonal Kund is used for attaining peace and height.
heptagon Kund is used to treat psychological
disorders (bhootdosh shanti) (Table 1) (4) Total number of offerings decides total volume.
Hence, a Vedic calculation for total number of
Shape of Yagya Kund as per the person class offerings and required size is mentioned in
(cast) literature as follows in table 2.
In Vedic times, the cast system was based on the
deeds and not based on birth. There are plenty of A Shloka from ancient Indian book of Yagya
examples person born to one class choose the known as shardatilak (3) states that the size of
action of the other class. Regardless, each type Yagya Kund should be considered on the bases
of class required different spiritual and of number of offerings to fire (ahuties) to be
materialistic energy and hence, different Kund offer. For 10,000 offerings (ahuties)
shapes were recommended for different class. BhuHastatmaka Kund (1 hand long) is enough,
Besides it also indicated that Yagya was for 100000 offerings DueHastatmaka (2 hand
compulsory part of their life regardless of their long) should be considered. For 1000000
class system. offerings person should make ChaturHast Kund
(4 hand long) and if evenmore number of
The book ‘Sharda Tilak’ describes the utilization offerings are involved in Yagya the
of different Yagya Kund shape by different AashtHastatmaka Kund (8 hand long) should be
category of people as follows (3) - It means constructed.
Brahmin should do Yagya in square shape Kund
(chaturstra Kund), Kshatriya should do in circle Here ‘hand’ is used as unit which is not as
Kund (vrattakar Kund), Vaishya should do in length but it rather represents area or volume
semi circle Kund (ardhchandrakar Kund), and it is a unit required for construction of the
shudra should do in triangle Kund (trikona Yagya Kund. The details are as follows.

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• 22 Angul = 1 aratni= 44 cm =
Mathematical units involve in construction of 17.322844 inch
Yagya Kund (5)
‘Hast’ and ‘Angul’ are the main units for Yagya
Here the Kunds are classified based on the size
Kund construction. 1 Hast is 24 Angul. This is a
measured in the unit ‘Hast’ (hand). In the
base formula for all types of calculations in the
construction of Yagya Kund in Vedic times the
Yagya Kund construction.
mathematical formulas had particular units such
as Liksha, Yuka, Yava, Angul, Hast. These units
The research article by Shailajkumarshrivastava
helped in doing construction of fine and
(5) described 1 Angul as 2.0 cm. The book by
complex shaped Yagya Kund. These units are
Munger Yoga Publications (6) described 1
converted and shown in modern units as below.
Angul as 1.9 cm. It also mentioned that the
• 8 liksha = 1yuka= 0.03125 cm = Angul used for calculating the Yagya Kund
0.01230316 inch construction is the measurement of the width of
• 8 yuka = 1 yava = 0.25 cm = the thumb of the Yajman (host), who is supposed
0.09842525 inch to give the offerings to fire. It also explains that
• 8 yava = 1 Angul (approximate width of the total volume of offerings is dependent on the
a finger of host) = 2 cm =0.787402 inch size of the finger/Angul of the host. This was the
• 24 Angul = 1 Hast= 48 cm = 18.897648 finest calculation used in Yagya Kund
inch construction.
• 21 Angul = 1 ratni= 42 cm = 16.535442
inch

Number of Traditional Name of Common term & Area of the Kund

oblation the Kund Traditional unit
<50 --- Mushthimatra ---
51-99 --- From Kuhani to Kanishka ---
Up to 1000 BhuHastatmaka One hand = 24 Angul 576 Angul
Up to 10,000 DueHastatmaka 2 hand = 34 Angul 1152 Angul
Up to 1,00,000 AbidhyHastatmaka 4 hand = 41Angul 2304 Angul
Up to 1 million 3456 Angul
Angsthatmaka 6 hand = 58Angul
(10,00,000)
Up to 10 million 4608 Angul
AshtHastatmaka 8 hand = 63 Angul
(1,00,00,000)
Table 2: Relation of the number of offerings and required size of the Kund

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Fundamental considerations in the Yagya The volume is same of all different shaped
Kund construction and their mathematical YagyaKunds
aspects The most interesting thing in these calculations
Bhavishya Purana (2) and Sharda Tilak (chapter is that regardless of shape, the volume is kept
3 shloka 82-83) (3) described - if you have to same for the same amount of offerings as
offer 50 to 99 offerings then make rattipraman offerings count decides the total volume
Kund (21 Angul), for 100 to 999 offering make required (Table 3).
aratnipraman Kund (22 Angul), for 1000 to
9999 offering make 24 Angul (1 Hast) Kund, for The diameter of the circle for each type of the
10,000 to 99,999 offering make two ‘Hast’ Kund shape was previously described in the
Kund, for 100,000 to 999,999 offerings make 4 book ‘Kund Mandap Siddhi’ (4,8). Also the
‘Hast’ Kund, for 10,00,000 to 99,99,999 Vedic formula to calculate the area using
offerings make 6 ‘Hast’ Kund, and if the diameter (see sloka 13 reference 8) is also
offerings are over 99,99,999 then make 8 ‘Hast’ described in the book and it was applied as
Kund. Table 2 describes the relevant area for shown in table 3. As it is seen the all 10 shaped
different Kund sizes. with different diameter resulted in same area i.e.
576 Angul which is decided based on the
number of offerings as shown in Table 2.

Multiply the square of

Diameter of circled 2 Divide the product by Area of the
Sr. Name of Yagya diameter of circle (D )
(Angul.yava.yuka) = 10000 Kund (
no. Kund shape by the divisor given in
cm. Angul)
shloka
Circular Kund 2
1. (27.0.5) = 54.155 cm 7854* D 5756982/10000 575.7
(vritt Kund)
2
2. Padhma Kund (27.0.5) = 54.155 cm 7854* D 5756982/10000 575.7

Ardhchandra 38.2.3 = 74.593 cm

2
3. 2927* D 5759927.2/10000 575.9
Kund
2
4. Yoni Kund 30.2.0 = 60.5 cm 6293.4* D 5760000/10000 576
2
5. Trikon Kund 42.1.0 = 84.25 cm 3247.4* D 5760000/10000 576
2
6. Chaturasra Kund 33.7.4 = 67.875 cm 5000* D 5760000/10000 576
2
7. Panchasra Kund 31.1.0 = 62.25 cm 5944/2* D 5760000/10000 576
2
8. Shadasra Kund 29.6.0 = 59.5 cm 6495* D 5760000/10000 575.9
2
9. Saptasra Kund 29.0.0 = 58 cm 6841* D 5759266.7/10000 576
2
10. Ashtasra Kund 28.4.0 = 57 cm 7071* D 5759329.4/10000 575.9
Table 3. The diameter of the different Kund for its construction and calculation of their surface area.

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Conclusion References
Design and construction of yagya Kund requires
1. Acharya shrivardrajpranita.
very scientific and rigorous mathematical
Laghusidhhantkoumudi, subodh sutra (sutra
knowledge. Indian sage had developed the
864). Choukhambha Sanskrit bhawan,
science of Yagya Kund construction with very
Varanasi. 2018;p-582. ISBN: 978-81-89986-
fine mathematical models and they were great
89-6.
scientists. They provided Vedic mathematical
2. Pt. Sri Ram Sharma Acharya. Yagya ka
formulation for preparation of yagya Kund
gyaan vigyaan. Mathura Janjagarn Press,
which is true in current time period too.
1998.
Regardless of the shapes the total volume&
3. Purnaprajna Dasa. Bhawishyapuran. Ras
surface area remained same. The different
Bihari Lal and Sons. 1992. ISBN
shapes of yagya Kund have different aims as
8184030150.
their purpose was to produce different energy
4. Maharshi Abhay katyayana. MandapKund
with help of different Yagya Kund shapes. The
siddhi. Choukhambhasurbhartiprakashan.
energy science and protocols of different shapes
2017.
for specific purposes is beyond the scope of this
5. S.N. Khandelwal. Shardatilak. Choukhamba
paper but it demands a thorough investigation of
Orientalia, Varanasi. 2014.
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6. Shrivastava Sk. Measurement units of
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7. Gyanshruti Sannyasi, Srividyananda
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8. Maharshi Abhay Katyayan. 2014. Kundark.
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