Manual of the Nine Planets Sacrifice

...the ritual should be performed. 18 One should perform the oblation in a fire pitoriginal: "kunda" — A specially constructed pit for the sacred fire, designed according to strict geometric rules. constructed using measurements based on the hand. For a ritual involving ten thousand offerings, it is said the pit should be doubled in size and be squareoriginal: "chaturasram" — A four-sided, equilateral shape, symbolizing stability and the four directions. on all sides. 19 For a ritual of one hundred thousand offerings, the pit should be one cubit; for ten million offerings, it should be eight cubits in size. The stepped rimsoriginal: "mekhala" — Literally "belts" or "girdles"; these are the tiered levels or borders surrounding the fire pit. of the beautiful fire pit should be two, three, or four finger-breadthsoriginal: "angula" — A traditional unit of measurement approximately equal to the width of a thumb or finger. wide. 20 For ten thousand offerings, there should be three tiers with a width of six; or for the two drainage channels, five or six rims may be made with two or three levels. 21 For rituals of one hundred thousand and ten million, the rims should be made around? from the wind. The depth of the pit? should be equal to the measurement of its width, including the rim. 22 Even for a perfectly square pit, by command of the master of ceremonies...?

Pit 1

...and it is equal to the span of the hands from the jeweled regions. 23 As long as the measurement of the ritual ropeoriginal: "rajju" — A cord used by ancient Indian architects and priests to ensure perfect geometric proportions. is, that is how far the divine presence arrives. From half of that measurement, the altar is known, and from half of that again is the cleansing area?. 24 In a square fire pit, a neckoriginal: "kantham" — The vertical section or "throat" that connects the fire pit to its upper rims. of one finger-breadth should be made. For ten thousand offerings, a neck of two finger-breadths? is described in the characteristics. The openingoriginal: "yoni" — Literally "womb"; the stylized, often leaf-shaped opening or spout through which offerings are poured into the fire. is seventeen in number, positioned at the highest rim. 25 It should be fourteen finger-breadths in length and nine finger-breadths in width. 26 For ten thousand offerings, the opening should be made facing the North, or even further. The protruding opening should look like a leaforiginal: "ashvattha-patra" — Specifically, the leaf of the Sacred Fig tree, which has a distinct pointed shape. and should be set in by one finger-breadth. 27