०८

अथ वै भवति श्येनचितं चिन्वीत सुवर्गकाम इति १

Now he who desires heaven is to construct a fire-altar in the form of a falcon.

अथ वै भवति श्येनचितं चिन्वीत सुवर्गकाम इति १

आकृतिद्वैविध्यम् । चतुराश्रात्मा श्येनाकृतिश्च २

It is of two different forms; one has its body in the form of a square and the other in the form of a falcon.

आकृतिद्वैविध्यम् । चतुराश्रात्मा श्येनाकृतिश्च २

विज्ञायते उभयं ब्राह्मणम् ३

This is the tradition of both the Brahmaņas.

विज्ञायते उभयं ब्राह्मणम् ३

पञ्च दक्षिणायां श्रोण्यामुपदधाति पञ्चोत्तरस्याम् । बस्तो वय इति दक्षिणेंऽस उपदधाति । वृष्णिर्वय इत्युत्तरे । व्याघ्रो वय इति दक्षिणे पक्ष उपदधाति । सिंहो वय इत्युत्तरे पुरुषो वय इति मध्य इति च ४

Five (bricks) are placed in the southern corner and five in the northern. ‘(Let there be) the strength of the goat’,—with these (words) he places (the bricks) in the southern corner; ‘(Let there be) the strength of the bull’,-with these he places in the northern corner; ‘(Let there be) the strength of the tiger’,-with these he places in the southern wing; ‘(Let there be) the strength of the lion’,—with these he places in the northern wing; and ‘(Let there be) the strength of the man’,-with these he places in the middle. (This is one Brāhmaṇa).

पञ्च दक्षिणायां श्रोण्यामुपदधाति पञ्चोत्तरस्याम् । बस्तो वय इति दक्षिणेंऽस उपदधाति । वृष्णिर्वय इत्युत्तरे । व्याघ्रो वय इति दक्षिणे पक्ष उपदधाति । सिंहो वय इत्युत्तरे पुरुषो वय इति मध्य इति च ४

अथापरं वयसां वा एष प्रतिमया चीयते यदग्निरिति । उत्पततां छाययेत्यर्थः ५

The other Brāhniaṇa is: The fire-altar is that which is constructed in the like- ness of the birds, that is, after the shadow cast by them while flying.

CONSTRUCTION OF A RECTILINEAR ŚYENACIT—FIRST TYPE

8.1.-8.5. Baudhayana, Āpastamba and other ŝulbakāras have considered the construc- tion of two categories of falcon-shaped fire-altars. e.g. (a) the first category in which the body, the wings and the tail are rectilinear (squares and rectangles), and (b) the second category in which the wings are curved, the tail is spread out, and the body and the head have their corners cut off. In the latter case the shape of the altar more closely resembles the falcon.

The sūtra 8.4 is taken from the Taittiriya Samhitā which runs as follows : pañca dakṣiṇāyāṁ śroṇyāmupadadhāti | pañcottarasyāṁ tasmāt paścādvarṣiyān purastāt pravaṇaḥ pasubasto vaya iti dakṣine’msa upadadhāti | vṛṣṇirvaya ityuttare❜msāveva pratidadhāti | vyāghro vaya iti dakṣine pakṣa upadadhāti | simhovaya ityuttare pakṣayoreva vīryam dadhāti | purușo vaya iti madhye tasmāt puruṣaḥ paśunāmadhipatiḥ¹ |

The construction of the fire-altar after the shadow cast on the ground by a flying bird is also given in the same Brāhmaṇa as follows: vayasām vā eṣa pratimayā ciyate yadagniryannyāñcam cinuyāt² |

In this chapter, a simple rectilinear syenacit is discussed.

अथापरं वयसां वा एष प्रतिमया चीयते यदग्निरिति । उत्पततां छाययेत्यर्थः ५

समचतुरश्राभिरग्निं चिनुते दैव्यस्य च मानुषस्य च व्यावृत्त्या इति मैत्रायणीयब्राह्मणं भवति ६

“To distinguish between the divine and the human (purposes), the fire-altar is to be constructed with square bricks’,-thus feaches the Maitrāyaṇī Brāhmaṇa.

समचतुरश्राभिरग्निं चिनुते दैव्यस्य च मानुषस्य च व्यावृत्त्या इति मैत्रायणीयब्राह्मणं भवति ६

तस्येष्टकाः कारयेत् पुरुषस्य चतुर्थेन पञ्चमेन षष्ठेन दशमेनेति ७

For (constructing) this (fire-altar), (square) bricks (of sides) the fourth, the fifth, the sixth and the tenth part (of a purușa, that is 30, 24, 20 and 12 aṅgulas respectively) are made.

8.6-8.7. Bricks. The following four types of square bricks are used for the construction:

B_{1} -one-fourth brick (caturthi) — 30× 30 sq. aṅgulas. B_{2} -one-fifth brick (pañcami)— 24 × 24 sq. aṅgulas.
B_{3} -one-sixth brick (şaşṭhi) - 20 × 20 sq. aṅgulas.
B_{4} -one-tenth brick (daśami) - 12 x 12 sq. aṅgulas.

तस्येष्टकाः कारयेत् पुरुषस्य चतुर्थेन पञ्चमेन षष्ठेन दशमेनेति ७

अथाग्निं विमिमीते ८

Now the (area of the) fire-altar is measured out.

अथाग्निं विमिमीते ८

यावान्पुरुष ऊर्ध्वबाहुस्तावदन्तराले वेणोश्छिद्रे करोति । मध्ये तृतीयं । यदमुत्र स्पन्द्यया करोति तदिह वेणुना करोति ९

Two holes are made on a bamboo rod at a distance equal to the height of a man with uplifted arms; a third hole is made at the middle. What (measurement) is done elsewhere with the cord is done here with the bamboo rod.

यावान्पुरुष ऊर्ध्वबाहुस्तावदन्तराले वेणोश्छिद्रे करोति । मध्ये तृतीयं । यदमुत्र स्पन्द्यया करोति तदिह वेणुना करोति ९

तस्यात्मा समचतुरश्रश्चत्वारः पुरुषाः । पक्षः समचतुरश्रः पुरुषः । स तु दक्षिणतोऽरत्निना द्राघीयान् । एतेनोत्तरः पक्षो व्याख्यातः । पुच्छः समचतुरश्रः पुरुषः । तमवस्ता-त्प्रादेशेन वर्धयेत् । एवं सारत्नि प्रादेशा सप्तविधः सम्प्रद्यतः १०

The body (of the fire-altar) is a square of 4 purușa; its (southern) wing is a square of 1 puruşa made longer on the southern side by 1 aratni and its northern wing is explained in the same way; its tail is a square of 1 puruşa lengthened on the western side by 1 prādeśa. Thus, with the addition of (two) aratnis and (one) prādeśa, the seven-fold (fire-altar of \(7\frac{1}{2}\) sq. puruṣa) is accomplished.

8.8-8.10. Measurement of the fire-altar. In this fire-altar, the body (ātman) is a square and the two wings and the tail are rectangles. To set up these rectilinear figures of required areas on the ground, one can use either a cord or a bamboo rod and follow the rules of construction of such figures discussed in chapters 1 and 2. For measurement with a bomboo rod with a hole at either end and at the middle, Āpastamba has given greater details which are considered in our notes to Ãśl. 9.1-9.3.

The body is a square of 4 sq. pu., that is, of side 2 pu. or 240 ang. At the middle of its southern and northern side, a rectangle each, measuring 144 angulas × 120 angulas, with the longer side drawn south-north, is set up; this will represent the south and the north wing. A rectangle of 132 añgulas × 120 angulas, with the longer side towards east-west, attached to the middle of the western side of the body, is the tail (Fig. 33). The area of the altar is :

\(\frac{1}{120^2}\left[240^2 + 2 \times 144\times 120+ 132\times 120\right]= 7\frac{1}{2}\) sq. purusas as required in the text.

तस्यात्मा समचतुरश्रश्चत्वारः पुरुषाः । पक्षः समचतुरश्रः पुरुषः । स तु दक्षिणतोऽरत्निना द्राघीयान् । एतेनोत्तरः पक्षो व्याख्यातः । पुच्छः समचतुरश्रः पुरुषः । तमवस्ता-त्प्रादेशेन वर्धयेत् । एवं सारत्नि प्रादेशा सप्तविधः सम्प्रद्यतः १०

उपधाने पक्षाग्रादुत्तरतः पुरुषतृतीयवेलायां चतस्रः पञ्चम्यस्तासामभितो द्वे द्वे पादेष्टके ततोऽष्टौ चतुर्थ्यः । पक्षशेषं षड्भागीयाभिः प्रच्छादयेत् । एतेनोत्तरः पक्षो व्याख्यातः ११

In the placement (of bricks) at a distance of one-third puruşa (40 añgulas) to the north from the end of the (southern) wing, 4 bricks of side equal to one- fifth (of a purușa) and 2 quarter bricks (one-fourth of the area of a pañcami brick, that is, 12 sq. angula) (are placed). Thereafter 8 bricks of side equal to one-fourth (of a purușa) (are placed). The remaining space of the (southern) wing is covered with bricks of side equal to one-sixth (of a purușa). Thereby the northern wing is explained.

उपधाने पक्षाग्रादुत्तरतः पुरुषतृतीयवेलायां चतस्रः पञ्चम्यस्तासामभितो द्वे द्वे पादेष्टके ततोऽष्टौ चतुर्थ्यः । पक्षशेषं षड्भागीयाभिः प्रच्छादयेत् । एतेनोत्तरः पक्षो व्याख्यातः ११

पूर्वापरयोः पुच्छपार्श्वयोश्चतुर्भागीया उपदध्यात् । दक्षिणोत्तरयोः पादेष्टकाः । शेषमग्निं पञ्चमभागीयाभिः प्रच्छादयेत् १२

Bricks of side equal to one-fourth (of a purușa) are to be placed on the eastern and the western side of the tail, and quarter bricks on its southern and northern side. The remaining space of the fire-altar is to be covered with bricks of side equal to one-fifth (of a purușa).

पूर्वापरयोः पुच्छपार्श्वयोश्चतुर्भागीया उपदध्यात् । दक्षिणोत्तरयोः पादेष्टकाः । शेषमग्निं पञ्चमभागीयाभिः प्रच्छादयेत् १२

एष द्विशतः प्रस्तारः १३

This is one layer of 200 bricks.

8.11-8.13. Placement of bricks in the first layer. Starting with the south wing,4 \(B_{2}\) bricks flanked on either side by 2 B bricks are placed in a row, east-west, at a distance of 40 angulas from the end of the wing (Fig. 33). Dvārakānātha explains purușatṛtiya-velāyām as catvārimŝadaṅgulapramāṇavelāyāmatītāyām. Then 8 \(B_{1}s\) are placed in two rows, leaving a space which can be filled exactly by 18 B, bricks. In this way, 34 bricks can be placed in the south wing (evam pakṣe catustriṁśadiṣṭakāḥ.) The northern wing is covered in the same way starting with the northern end.

In the tail, as per direction of the rule, 8 \(B_{1}s\) can be placed, —4 on the eastern and 4 on the western side, 12 \(B_{4}s\)-6 on the southern and 6 on the northern side, and 12 \(B_{2}s\) in the remaining space in the middle, accounting for 32 bricks (pucche dvātrimśat-D.). Rule 8.12 also directs the filling up of the body with B, bricks, and clearly enough 100 \(B_{2}s\) can be accommodated in a square 240 × 240 sq. añgulas (ātmani śatam—D.). The number and types of bricks used in different parts of the fire-altar are shown in Table 1, in agreement with Dvārakānātha’s enumeration (caturthyaścaturvimsatiḥ | pañcamyo viṁśatyadhikam śatam | ṣaṣṭhyaḥ ṣaṭtriṁśat | daśamyo vimśatiḥ |).

एष द्विशतः प्रस्तारः १३

अपरस्मिन्प्रस्तारे पक्षाग्रा-दुत्तरतोऽर्धव्यायामवेलायां तिस्रस्तिस्रः षष्ठ्यो द्वे द्वे द्विपदे इति विपर्या-समुपदध्यात् । तथोत्तरे १४

In the other layer, at a distance of half a vyāyāma (48 añgulas) to the north from the (southern) end of the wing, 3 rows of 3 bricks each of side equal to one-sixth (of a purușa) alternating with 2 rows of 2 bricks each of side equal to 2 padas (30 angulas) are placed. The same (is done) for the northern (wing).

अपरस्मिन्प्रस्तारे पक्षाग्रा-दुत्तरतोऽर्धव्यायामवेलायां तिस्रस्तिस्रः षष्ठ्यो द्वे द्वे द्विपदे इति विपर्या-समुपदध्यात् । तथोत्तरे १४

दक्षिणस्यां श्रोण्यां नव षष्ठ्यश्चतुरश्रकृताः । तथोत्तरस्याम् १५

In the south-western corner (of the body), 9 bricks of side equal to one-sixth (of a purușa) are arranged in the form of a square; the same (is done) for the north-western corner.

दक्षिणस्यां श्रोण्यां नव षष्ठ्यश्चतुरश्रकृताः । तथोत्तरस्याम् १५

नव नव षष्ठ्यो द्वे द्वे दिपदे इति दक्षिणादंसादु-त्तरादंसाद्विपर्यासमुपदध्यात् १६

9 bricks of side equal to one-sixth (of a puruşa) alternating with 2 bricks of side equal to 2 padas are to be placed from the south-eastern corner (of the body) to the north-eastern.

नव नव षष्ठ्यो द्वे द्वे दिपदे इति दक्षिणादंसादु-त्तरादंसाद्विपर्यासमुपदध्यात् १६

शेषमग्निं पञ्चमभागीयाभिः प्रच्छादयेत् १७

The rest of the fire-altar is to be covered with bricks of side equal to one-fifth (of a purușa).

शेषमग्निं पञ्चमभागीयाभिः प्रच्छादयेत् १७

एष द्विशतः प्रस्तारो व्यत्यासं चिनुयाद्यावतः प्रस्तारांश्चिकीर्षेत् १८

This is (another) layer of 200 bricks. (With these two types) alternating with each other, as many layers as desired are to be constructed.

8.14-8.18 Placement of bricks in the second layer. The arrangement of bricks is shown in Fig. 34. After leaving 48 angulas at the end of the southern wing, 3 \(b_{3}s\) are placed at the western and the eastern side each towards north, and 3 \(b_{3}s\) in the middle; the space (that is, two rows, south-north) in between these three rows is filled with 4 \(b_{1}s\). D. explains this placement as follows: aratnidvaye’tite pakṣapaścimapārśva udīcyastisraḥ

TABLE 1. Bricks in different parts of the citi—first layer. Brick types

| Parts of the citi | Briks types | Total |

ṣaṣṭhyastataḥ purastāddakṣiņottare dve dve dvipade | tatastisraḥ ṣaṣṭhyaḥ | tato dve dvipade | tataḥ pūrvapārśve tisraḥ ṣaṣṭhyaḥ |

In the body, 9 \(b_{3}\), bricks are placed in a square 60 × 60 sq. angulas at each of the two western corners. On the eastern side of the body, 9 \(b_{3}s\), arranged in a square, are placed in each of the two eastern corners, one such set of 9 \(b_{3}s\) in the middle, and the two rows east-west, in between these 3 sets are filled by 4 \(b_{1}\) bricks, 2 in each row. The remaining space is covered with \(b_{2}\) bricks. Notice that the overlapping of edges of the bricks in the two layers has been clearly avoided (Bśl. 5. 14). The arrangement of different types of bricks in different parts of the fire-altar is shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2. Bricks in different parts of the citi-second layer.

| Parts of the citi | Briks types | Total |

एष द्विशतः प्रस्तारो व्यत्यासं चिनुयाद्यावतः प्रस्तारांश्चिकीर्षेत् १८