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Measurement of Distance in Ancient India-2
 See also      Measurement of Distance in Ancient India-1

[2/54]
1 Krosh or Kos = 2 miles, 
30 Krosh or Kos = 60 miles. 

Since the commentator counts ten three times, it becomes 30 Krosh. According to the latest measurements, the distance is calculated as 80 miles.

[Taken from Valmiki Ramayan 2/54/29]

The Ancient Indian measures for distance, as per Kautilya's Arth Shaastra, a republication of Penguin, are: 

1 Angul (finger wide space) = 3/4 of present day inch; 
4 Angul    = Dharnugrah (bow grip) = 3 in; 
8 Angul     = 1 Dhanurmushti (fist with thumb raised) = 6 in; 
12 Angul   = 1 Vitastaa = 9 in
      (span-distance of stretched out palm between the tips of a person's thumb and little finger);
4 Vitastaa = 1 Aratni or Hast (cubit or Haath) = 18 in; 
                   [I don't understand that when 1 Vitastaa is 9" then how 4 Vitastaa can be only 18"?]
4 Aratni (Haath) = 1 Dand or Dhanush (bow) = 6 ft; 
10 Dand or Dhanush = 1 Rajju = 60 ft; 
2 Rajju      = 1 Paridesh = 120 ft; 
2000 Dand (Dhanush) = 1 Krosh or Gorut = 4000 yards or 2 1/4 miles - nearly 3.66 km; 
4 Krosh = 1 Yojan = 9 miles - nearly 15 km; 

and this being so, the British revenue measured a Yojan as a 5 mile distance and Chambers and Oxfords have this 5 mile figure in their dictionaries, while traditionally a Yojan (4 Krosh or Kos) is said to be as a distance of 10 miles.

[Taken from Valmiki Ramayan 3/69]

"Yojan" is a measure of length in ancient India like the modern mile. However its value does not seem to be a standard even within India. Some consider it as six miles, some as eight miles and some as two and half miles. Hence it is difficult to have an accurate conversion from Yojan to miles.

[Taken from Valmiki Ramayan 5/1/76]

Note: 
All passages are taken from Valmiki Ramayan, but all do not match among themselves, as you can see.

Agni Puraan, p 40 gives these measurements in reference of building "Agni Kund" for Yagya

8 Paramaanu = 1 Trasarenu
8 Trasarenu = 1 Renu
8 Renu = 1 Baalaagra
8 Baalaagra = 1 Likhyaa or Likshaa
8 Likhyaa - 1 Yookaa
8 Yookaa = 1 Yava
8 Yava = 1 Angul (width of 1 finger)
21 Angul = 1 Ratni
24 Angul = 1 Haath

In this one if somebody wants to build a 24-Angul Kund, then take 48-Angul thread, and put a mark at each 12 Angul point. Tie it in four nails placing the marks on nails. Its area will be 24 x 24 Angul = 576 Angul.

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 3/15/06
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 06/09/11