- Yojana
A yojana (Hindi : योजन ) is a Vedic measure of distance used in ancient
India . The exact measurement is disputed amongst scholars with distances being given between 6 to 15 km (4 and 9 miles).In modern
Hindi "yojana" (Hindi : योजना ) also means "plan" or blueprint and has an interesting connection with the Cartesian notion of distance. Vedic texts are based onpsychogeography rather thancartography and prediction or plan is equated to space and distance.Variations on length
Religious scholar
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada gives the equivalent length of a yojana as 8 miles (13 km) [ [http://vedabase.net/sb/10/57/18/en1 Srimad Bhagavatam 10.57.18 (translation)] "one yojana measures about eight miles"] throughout his translations of thePuranic scriptures. The majority of traditional Indian scholars give measurements between 13 km and 16 km (8-10 miles) or thereabouts.Fact|date=February 2007Alexander Cunningham, in "The Ancient Geography of India", takes a yojana to mean 8 miles.
Usage
If the length of a "Yojana" is taken to be approximately 8 to 10 miles (13-16 km) then its subsidiary measurements are as follows:
*1 angula = 16 mm to 21 mm
*4 angulas = one dhanu graha (bow grip) = 62 mm to 83 mm;
*8 angulas = one dhanu musti (fist with thumb raised) = 125 mm to 167 mm - fist with thumb raised;
*12 angulas = 1 vitasti (distance between tip of thumb and tip of last finger when palm is stretched) = 188 mm to 250 mm
*2 vitastis = 1 aratni (cubit) = 375 mm to 500 mm
*4 aratnis = 1 danda = 1.5 to 2.0 m
*2 dandas = 1 dhanu = 3 to 4 m
*5 dhanus = 1 rajju = 15 m to 20 m
*2 rajjus = 1 paridesha = 30 m to 40 m
*100 parideshas = 1 krosha (or gorata) = 3 km to 4 km
*4 kroshas = 1 yojana = 13 km to 16 km
*1,000 yojanas = 1 Mahayojan = 13 Mm to 16 MmHowever - as mentioned in 5th Canto SB, the 'distance' to the sun and the 'distance' across jambadwip is the same 100,000 y - We therefore must look to the Summerians for the acurate science of metrology based on earth commensurate measurements.
ee also
*
Rajju
*Palya
*Religious cosmology
*Hindu cosmology References
* [http://www.valmikiramayan.net/bala/sarga5/bala_5_prose.htm Valmiki Ramayana]
Further reading
*"The Artha Shaastra of Kautilya",
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