1S75.] G-. Thibaut — On the S'ulvasutras. 255 



The vakrapaksha s'yena itself could be constructed in different forms. 

 Two forms are described by Baudhayana, two by A'pastamba. And as two 

 different prastaras were necessary for each chiti, we have altogether eight 

 different prastaras for the vakrapaksha s'yena, each of them consisting of 

 two hundred bricks. The following extract contains A'pastamba's rules for 

 the first kind of the vakrapaksha s'yena. 



(Description and diagrams of all the other kinds will be given in the ' Pan- 

 dit'. A sketch of one prastara of the second kind of the s'yenachit is to be 

 found in Burnell's Catalogue ; it is, as we are informed there, taken from 

 an agni actually constructed and used. There is, however, an error in the 

 reference to the sutra according to which it is said to be constructed, this 

 sutra not being Baudhayana's, but A'pastamba's, patala VI.) 



He who wishes for heaven, may construct the altar shaped like a fal- 

 con ; this is the tradition. 



His wings are bent and his tail spread out. 



On the west side the wings are to be drawn towards the east, on the 

 east side towards the west. 



For such is the curvature of the wings in the middle of the birds, says 

 the tradition. 



rrrai fcre: te ?7r^^Tf4^w i 



Of the whole area covered by the sevenfold agni with aratni and pra- 

 des'a take the prades'a, the fourth part of the atman (body without head, 

 wings, and tail) and eight quarter bricks ; of those latter, six form the head 

 of the falcon ; the remainder is to be divided between the two wings. 



This sutra determines what portions of the legitimate area of the agni 

 have to be allotted to the different parts of the falcon construction. The 

 whole area of the saptavidha agni is seven purushas with the addition of the 

 two aratnis on the wings and the prades'a of the tail, altogether 1\ purushas. 

 Now the fourth part of the atman (of the primitive s^enachiti) = one 

 purusha and the prades'a, i. e., an oblong of 120 angulis by 12 angulis = 

 -j 1 ^ square purusha and eight quarter bricks, (i. e., square bricks the side of 

 which is equal to the fourth part of a purusha = 30 angulis, so that they 

 cover together an area of \ square purusha) are given to the wings in addi- 



