Measures in Pāṭīgaṇitam

Introduction

Here we will be knowing the various measures mentioned in Pāṭīgaṇitam.

Money measures

Verse

षोडशपणः पुराणः पणों भवेत् काकिणींचतुष्केण ।

पञ्चाहतैश्चतुर्भिर्वराटकैः काकिणो चैका ॥ ९ ॥

Translation

A purāṇa is equivalent to sixteen paṇas. A paṇa is equivalent to four kākiṇīs. A kākiṇī is equivalent to twenty varāṭakas (cowries).

1 purāṇa = 16 paṇas 1 paṇa = 4 kākiṇī 1 kākiṇī = 20 varāṭakas

Table of Weights

Verse

माषो दशार्द्धगुञ्जः षोडशमाषो निगद्यते कर्षः ।

स सुवर्णस्य सुवर्णस्तैरेव पलं चतुर्भिश्च ॥ १० ॥ .

Translation

A māṣa is equal in weight to five guñjas (Abrus seeds). A weight of sixteen māṣas is called a karṣa. A karṣa of gold is called a suvarṇa and four karṣas make a pala.

1 māṣa = 5 guñjas 16 māṣas = 1 karṣa 4 karṣas = 1 pala.

Table of Measures of Capacity

Verse

खार्येका षोडशभिर्द्रोणैश्चतुराढको भवेद् द्रोणः ।

प्रस्थैश्चतुर्भिराढकमेकः प्रस्थश्चतुष्कुडवः ॥ ११ ॥

Translation

A khārī is equal to sixteen droṇas; a droṇa is equal to four āḍhakas; an āḍhaka is equal to four prasthas; and a prastha is equal to four kuḍavas.

1 khārī = 16 droṇas 1 droṇa = 4 āḍhakas 1 āḍhaka = 4 prasthas 1 prastha = 4 kuḍavas.

The terms droṇa, āḍhaka and kuḍava are also found to be mentioned in the Vedāṅga-Jyotiṣa where an āḍhaka is defined to be a vessel capable of holding 50 palas of water.

According to the commentator of the present work there are 3200 palas in a khārī, so that

1 droṇa = 200 palas 1 āḍhaka = 50 palas 1 prastha = 12½ palas 1 kuḍava = 3⅛ palas

Thus we see that the āḍhaka used in the time and locality of the commentator was the same as that used in the time of the Vedāṅga-Jyotiṣa.

Table of Linear Measures

Verse

हस्तोऽङ्गुलविंशत्या चतुरन्वितया चतुष्करो दण्डः ।

तद् द्विसहस्रं क्रोशो योजनमेकं चतुष्क्रोशम् ॥ १२ ॥

Translation

Twenty-four aṅgulas (finger-breadths) make a hasta (cubit); four hastas make a daṇḍa (staff); two thousand of them make a krośa; and four krośas make a yojana.

24 aṅgulas = 1 hasta 4 hastas = 1 daṇḍa 2000 daṇḍas = 1 krośa 4 krośas = 1 yojana

Table of time-measures

Verse

भवति घटीनां षष्टयाऽहोरात्रस्तैस्त्रिसङ्गुणैर्दशभिः ।

मासो द्वादशभिस्तैर्वर्षं गणितेऽत्र परिभाषा ॥ १३ ॥

Translation

Sixty ghaṭīs make a nychthemeron (a day-and-night); thirty of them make a month; twelve of them make a year. These are the definitions (used) in this (Pāṭī) gaṇita.

60 ghaṭīs make a day-and-night 30 day-and-nights make a month

See Also

पाटीगणितम् में 'माप'