Weights & Measures in Līlāvatī

Here we will know the names used to denote weights and measures as mentioned in Līlāvatī.

Verse 2

वराटकानां दशकद्वयं यत् सा काकिणी ताश्च पणश्चतस्रः ।

ते षोडश द्रम्म इहावगम्यो द्रम्मैस्तथा षोडशभिश्च निष्कः ॥ 2 ॥

Translation 2

What are two Tens (i.e.twenty) of varāṭakas make one kākiṇī. the four kākiṇīs make one Paṇa. Sixteen Paṇas make one Dramma. By Sixteen Drammas one niṣka.

Summary:

20 varāṭaka = 1 kākiṇī

4 kākiṇīs = 1 paṇa

16 paṇas = 1 dramma

16 drammas = 1 niṣka

Verse 3

तुल्या यवाभ्यां कथितात्र गुञ्जा वल्लस्त्रिगुञ्जो धरणं च तेऽष्टौ ।

गद्याणकस्तद्द्वयमिन्दतुल्यैः वल्लैस्तथैको धटकः प्रदिष्टः ॥ 3 ॥

Translation 3

Here (i.e. in this Science) one guñjā is said to be equal to two yavas; one valla is (said to be) of three guñjās; one dharaṇa (is said to be of) the (above defined) eight vallas; a pair of them (i.e. the dharaṇa) (is given to be equal to) one gadyāṇaka; a dhaṭaka is defined as equal to fourteen vallas.

This verse lists the weights and not measures used in weighing the valuable metals like gold and silver. The smallest weight is the yava which is the grain of granule of barley.

Summary:

2 yavas = 1 guñjā

3 guñjās = 1 valla

8 vallas = 1 dharaṇa

2 dharaṇas = 1 gadyāṇaka

14 vallas = 1 dhaṭaka

Note that the word indra signifies the number 14, as there are 14 indras. The word indra is called a word-number or a word-numeral; as against this, the word catur-daśa is called a number-word. It is a practice of the ancient Indian mathematicians to denote numbers by means of such words which signify a significand which has a permanently fixed number of things or objects. Thus, since 'the eyes' are always 'two', the Sanskrit word netra (and consequently all its synonyms) is used to signify the number '2'.

Verse 4

दशार्धगुञ्जं प्रवदन्ति माषम् माषाह्वयैः षोडाभिश्च कर्षम् ।

कर्षैश्चतुर्भिश्च पलं तुलाज्ञा: कर्षं सुवर्णस्य सुवर्णसंज्ञम् ॥ 4॥

Translation 4

They define (Lit. speak of) Māṣa as half of ten guñjās; by sixteen māṣas (they define) Karṣa; the experts in balances (speak of) one pala by (the composition of) four karṣas; the karṣa (in the case) of gold has the name suvarṇa itself.

Summary

5 guñjās = 1 māṣa

16 māṣas = 1 karṣa

4 karṣas = 1 pala

In case of gold 1 karṣa = 1 suvarṇa

See Also

लीलावती में 'तौल और माप'