१७

द्रोणचितं चिन्वीतेति विज्ञायते १

According to tradition, a fire-altar in the form of a trough is to be constructed.

द्रोणचितं चिन्वीतेति विज्ञायते १

द्वयानि तु खलु द्रोणानि भवन्ति चतुरश्राणि च परिमण्डलानि च । अविशेषात्ते मन्यामहेऽन्यतरस्याकृतिरिति २

The troughs are indeed of two types, e.g. the square-shaped and the circular. In the absence of any distinction between the two, both are taken into consideration and described.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FIRE-ALTAR IN THE FORM OF A SQUARE TROUGH

17.1-17.2. Fire-altars in the form of a trough (dronacit) are of two types, e.g., the square shaped and the circular, and both are used. In this chapter, the square type is described.

द्वयानि तु खलु द्रोणानि भवन्ति चतुरश्राणि च परिमण्डलानि च । अविशेषात्ते मन्यामहेऽन्य-तरस्याकृतिरिति २

अथाग्निं विमिमीते । चतुरश्र आत्मा भवति । तस्य त्रयः पुरुषास्त्रिभागोनाः पर्श्वमानी ३

Now the (area of the) fire-altar is measured out. The body is a square of side equal to 2 purusas.

अथाग्निं विमिमीते । चतुरश्र आत्मा भवति । तस्य त्रयः पुरुषास्त्रिभागोनाः पर्श्वमानी ३

पश्चात्त्सरुर्भवति । तस्यार्धपुरुषो दशाङ्गुलानि च प्राची । त्रिभागोनः पुरुष उदीचीति ४

Its handle lies at the western side (of the body) and is \((\frac{1}{2}\)) purușa and 10 añgulas (that is, 70 angulas) long towards east and \(\frac{2}{3}\) purușa (80 añgulas) broad towards north.

पश्चात्त्सरुर्भवति । तस्यार्धपुरुषो दशाङ्गुलानि च प्राची । त्रिभागोनः पुरुष उदीचीति ४

एवं सारत्निप्रादेशः सप्तविधः सम्पद्यते ५

Thus, with the addition of (two) aratnis and (one) prādeśa, the seven-fold (fire-altar of \(7\frac{1}{2}\) sq. purusas) is accomplished.

17.3.-17.5. Measurement and construction. The body ABCD of the trough is a square of side 2 purușas or 320 aṅg. (Fig. 64). The handle (tsaru) EFGH is fixed at the middle of the western side BC of the body. It is a rectangle such that EF= HG = 70 aṅg. and FG = EH = 80 aṅg. Clearly, BE = CH 120 aṅg. The area of the fire-altar is given by

\(\frac{1}{120^2} \left[ 320^2 + 70 \times 80\right]= 7\frac{1}{2}\) sq. pu.

Fig. 64. Fire-altar in the form of a square trough; also shows placement of bricks in the first layer.

Fig. 65. Fire-altar in the form of square trough; arrangement of bricks in the second layer.

एवं सारत्निप्रादेशः सप्तविधः सम्पद्यते ५

अथेष्टकानां विकाराः । पुरुषस्य षष्ठ्यस्ता एवैकतोऽध्यर्धाः । तासामर्ध्यास्तिर्यग्भेदाः पुरुषस्य चतुर्थ्य इति ६

The different types of bricks (required for this fire-altar) are as follows: bricks of side equal to 1/6 purușa (ṣaṣṭhi); bricks of side longer on one side by half (adhyardha), half bricks (of the saṣṭhi) transversely cut; and bricks of side equal to \(\frac{1}{2}\) puruṣa (caturthī).

17.6. Type of bricks. The following four types of bricks are used :

\(B_{1}\) — square bricks of side one-sixth pu, şaşṭhi — 20 × 20 sq. añg.

\(B_{2}\) — one-sixth brick longer by half, adhyardhā ṣaṣthi, also called bṛhati here — 30 x 20 sq. aṅg.

\(B_{3}\) — half bricks, that is, half of ṣaṣthi — 20 × 10 sq. añg.

\(B_{4}\) — square bricks of side one-fourth pu, caturthi — 30 x 30 sq. aṅg.

अथेष्टकानां विकाराः । पुरुषस्य षष्ठ्यस्ता एवैकतोऽध्यर्धाः । तासामर्ध्यास्तिर्यग्भेदाः पुरुषस्य चतुर्थ्य इति ६

तासां त्सरुश्रोण्यन्तरालयोः षट् षष्टीरुपधाय शेषमग्निं बृहतीभिः प्रच्छादयेत् । अर्धेष्टकाभिः सङ्ख्यां पूरयेत् ७

Of these, 6 șasṭhi bricks are placed on each of the two parts of the western side (of the body) between the handle and the corner, the rest of the fire-altar is to be covered with bṛhati (that is, adhyardha) bricks, and the number (of 200 bricks) is to be completed with half bricks.

तासां त्सरुश्रोण्यन्तरालयोः षट् षष्टीरुपधाय शेषमग्निं बृहतीभिः प्रच्छादयेत् । अर्धेष्टकाभिः सङ्ख्यां पूरयेत् ७

17.7. Placement of bricks in the first layer. 6 \(B_{1}\) bricks are placed on each of BE and HC, that is, along line between the two western corners and the points where the handle meets the body. The remaining space can be filled with 172 \(B_{2}s\) ,-160 in the body and 12 in the handle including part of the body. In this way 12 \(B_{1}s\) and 172 \(B_{2}s\) , totalling 184 bricks, can be placed. The deficit of 16 bricks can be met by using \(B_{3}s\) in place of \(B_{1}s\) and \(B_{2}s\) . According to Dvārakānātha, 4 \(B_{2}s\) at the end of the handle are replaced by 4 \(B_{1}s\) and 4 \(B_{3}s\) and 12 \(B_{1}s\) along BE and CH are replaced by 24 \(B_{3}s\). Now we have 4 \(B_{1}s\) , 168 \(B_{2}s\) and 28 \(B_{3}s\) . (asmin prastāre catasraḥ ṣaṣṭhyaḥ | aṣṭaṣaṣṭiśatamadhyardhāḥ | aṣṭāviṁśatirardhyāḥ |–D.)

अपरस्मि-न्प्रस्तारे दक्षिणेंऽसेऽध्यर्धामुदीचीमुपदध्यात् । तथोत्तरे ८

In the other layer, 1 adhyardhā is to be placed in the south-eastern corner and the same on the north-eastern.

अपरस्मि-न्प्रस्तारे दक्षिणेंऽसेऽध्यर्धामुदीचीमुपदध्यात् । तथोत्तरे ८

पूर्वस्मिन्न-नीके षड्भागीया उपदध्यात् ९

Şaşṭhi bricks are to be placed on the eastern front (between the 2 adhyardhās).

पूर्वस्मिन्न-नीके षड्भागीया उपदध्यात् ९

दक्षिणोत्तरयोश्चतुर्भागीयाः १०

Bricks of side equal to \(\frac{1}{4}\) purușa (caturthī) are to be placed on the southern and the northern side (of the body).

दक्षिणोत्तरयोश्चतुर्भागीयाः १०

त्सरोः पुरस्तात्पार्श्वयोर्द्ध्वे चतुर्भागीये उपदध्यात् । तयोरवस्तादभितो द्वे द्वे अध्यर्धे विषूची । तयोरवस्तान्मध्यदेशे द्वे षष्ठ्यौ प्राच्यौ ११

2 caturthī bricks are to be placed on each corner of the east side of the handle, 2 adhyardhā bricks turned towards north-south below them on each side, and 2 şaşṭhi bricks below them in the middle along east.

त्सरोः पुरस्तात्पार्श्वयोर्द्ध्वे चतुर्भागीये उपदध्यात् । तयोरवस्तादभितो द्वे द्वे अध्यर्धे विषूची । तयोरवस्तान्मध्यदेशे द्वे षष्ठ्यौ प्राच्यौ ११

शेषमग्निं बृहतीभिः प्राचीभिः प्रच्छादयेत् । अर्धेष्टकाभिः सङ्ख्यां पूरयेत् १२

The rest of the fire-altar is to be covered with bṛhati (adhyardhā) bricks turned towards east and the number (of 200 bricks) is to be completed with half bricks.

17.8-17.12. Placement of bricks in the second layer. The method of placement is very clearly explained in these sutras and is shown in Fig. 65. After placing 2 \(B_{2}s\), one on each of the two eastern corners, 13 \(B_{1}s\) can be placed on the eastern side of the body. 10 \(B_{4}s\) are placed on each of the southern and the northern side. The tail contains 9 bricks, -2 \(B_{1}s\), 5 \(B_{2}s\) and 2 \(B_{4}s\). The remaining space in the body can accommodate just 130 \(B_{2}s\). The total number of bricks thus used is as follows: \(B_{1}\) - 15; \(B_{2}\)- 137; \(B_{4}\) — 22; total 174. There is a deficit of 26 bricks, which is met by \(B_{3}\) bricks. According to Dvårakånåtha, after replacement of \(B_{2}s\) by \(B_{3}s\), the number of bricks of different types stands as follows : \(B_{1}\) — 15; \(B_{2}\) — 124; \(B_{3}\)- 39; and \(B_{4}\)-22; total - 200. Clearly 13 \(B_{2}s\) are replaced by 39 \(B_{3}s\).

शेषमग्निं बृहतीभिः प्राचीभिः प्रच्छादयेत् । अर्धेष्टकाभिः सङ्ख्यां पूरयेत् १२