Scientific Contents in Prakrta Canons

SR No.: 001670
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1996
Total Pages: 608
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Science, & Religion
File Size: 9 MB

Page 296

274 : Scientific Contents in Prākrta Canons
is also known as Sūcyāngula. It has, however, 2 or 3 dimensional units also.
(vi) One UY (Utsedha Yojana ) has 7,68,000 Angulas. Taking this as the last practical unit and assuming it as equal to 4ko (Kośa ) or 8 Miles ( 1 Mile = 1.66 Kms. = 1,66,000 cms.), 1 UA comes to be equal to 13, 28, 000/7, 68, 000 = 1.73 cms. Datta and Singh' have shown that one Anguliparva unit of the Buddhists is equivalent to 1.32" or 3.36 cms. The UA of Jaina has, thus, half the value of Anguliparva, i, e., it is equal to 1.68 cms. It is on this basis that 1 UY has been calculated to be equal to 8 miles or 13.28 kms. Thus, by interpolation of Yojana, Y or extrapolation of angula, the UA has a value of 1.68-1,73 or 1.70 cm on the average.
In contrast, G. R. Jain has assumed a Hasia, H = 24 UA = 45.70 cms. and hence 1 UA = 0.75" = 1.90 cms. This means a UY = 15.09 kms. or 100/11 miles instead of 13.28 kms as above. He has used this value to calculate the velocity of light based on its Vedic value of 4404 Y per nimesa ( 0.25 sec.) which is sufficiently close to the current value. It must, however, be said that there is no confirmed base for this value of Angula, though L. C. Jain 10 also agrees with this value. In contrast, Panini scales of length give the value of Y just about the half of it, i, e., 7.45 kms for UY which is quite close to the value suggested by a noted Jaina saint recently'. The acceptance of different values for the same basic unit creates doubt on the reliablity of calculations based on them.
Muni Candana12 has also discussed the equivalence of UA on the basis of height of Lord Mahāvira as 7 H. He maintains that the canonical height is based on UA which is equal to 3.5H in self measure. This is equal to 84 AA as 1 H = 24 AA and 1 UA = 0.5 AA. Hence, 7UA X 24/2 = 84 AA. If one assumes the UA as 1.70-1.90 cms., the Lord's height comes to be a minimum of 7 x 24 x 1.70 = 285.6 cms or 9.25 feet. This value seems to be inconsistent on all accounts for a man born in tropical Bihar area. Thus, he has questioned both