Vitasti: 21 definitions
Introduction:
Vitasti means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi, Tamil. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Vitasti (वितस्ति): A unit of measurement of distance, according to the Vāyu Purāṇa (वायु पुराण). The following table gives some idea about their relations to each other:
|
8 Aṅgulas = Prādeśa (?); 21 Aṅgulas = Ratni; 24 Aṅgulas = Hasta; 2000 Dhanus = Gavyūti; |
12 Aṅgulas = Vitasti; 2 Ratnis or 42 Aṅgulas = Kiṣku; 4 hastas = Dhanus; 8000 Dhanus = Yojana. |
Vitasti (वितस्ति).—A measurement by the little finger, 12 aṅgulas;1 in connection with gṛhabalikuṇḍam.2
- 1) Matsya-purāṇa 58. 8; Vāyu-purāṇa 8. 104; 101. 122; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 7. 98.
- 2) Matsya-purāṇa 93. 7.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Vastushastra (architecture)
Vitasti (वितस्ति, “span”) is the Sanskrit name for a unit of measurement, used in Vāstuśāstra literature, according to the Mānasāra II.40-53. A single Vitasti unit corresponds to 12 Aṅgula units. It takes 2 Vitasti units to make a single Kiṣku unit.
Below follows a table of the different units of measurement in relation to one another:
- 8 Paramāṇu = 1 Rathadhūli, chariot-dust
- 8 Rathadhūli = 1 Vālāgra, hair-end
- 8 Vālāgra = 1 Likṣā, nit,
- 8 Likṣā = 1 Yūka, louse
- 8 Yūka = 1 Yava, barley-corn,
- 8 Yava = 1 Aṅgula, digit (finger-breadth),
- 12 Aṅgula = 1 Vitasti, span,
- 2 Vitasti (24 aṅgulas) = 1 Kiṣku, cubit,
- 4 Dhanurmuṣṭi (26 aṅgulas) = 1 Daṇḍa, rod,
- 8 Daṇḍa = 1 Rajju, rope
The smallest unit, which is paramāṇu, atom is stated ta be perceived (only) by the sages. For all practical purposes, aṅgula is the smallest unit of measurement. For this reason, it is seen to be treated in a special way in the text with regards to its universality that significantly downplays its semantic reference to the body.
Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.
Shilpashastra (iconography)
Vitasti (वितस्ति) refers to the “distance between the tips of the stretched out thumb and ring finger” and represents a type of measurement, as defined in the texts dealing with śilpa (arts and crafs), known as śilpaśāstras.—Besides the smaller units known as dehāṅgula there are other larger relative units of length, which are called prādeśa, tāla, vitasti and gokarṇa. The distance between the tips of the stretched out thumb and ring finger is vitasti.
Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Dietetics and Culinary Art (such as household cooking)
Vitastī (वितस्ती) is an important river whose water (jala) qualities are described in the Bhojanakutūhala (dravyaguṇāguṇa-kathana), and is commonly found in literature dealing with the topics of dietetics and culinary art, also known as Pākaśāstra or Pākakalā.—Different types of water (jala) and their properties are mentioned here [viz., in jala-prakaraṇa]. The text explains the qualities of the water of certain important rivers like [viz., Vitastī].
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Vitasti (वितस्ति) refers to a unit of measuring elephants (two of which represents about 18 inches), according to the 15th century Mātaṅgalīlā composed by Nīlakaṇṭha in 263 Sanskrit verses, dealing with elephantology in ancient India, focusing on the science of management and treatment of elephants.—A hasta = kara = aratni = 24 aṅgulas = 2 vitastis = about 18 inches.
Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
Ganitashastra (Mathematics and Algebra)
Vitasti (वितस्ति) refers to a “measure of length”, as occurring in the Gaṇitasāra-saṅgraha—an ancient Sanskrit text dealing with ancient Indian algebra and mathematical problems written by Mahāvīra (Mahāvīrācārya) in the 9th century.
Ganita (गणित) or Ganitashastra refers to the ancient Indian science of mathematics, algebra, number theory, arithmetic, etc. Closely allied with astronomy, both were commonly taught and studied in universities, even since the 1st millennium BCE. Ganita-shastra also includes ritualistic math-books such as the Shulba-sutras.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Vitasti; ancient Hindu unit of measurement of distance. 12 Aṅgulas make a single Vitasti and thus, 64000 Vitastis make up for a single Yojana.
If we consider a single Yojana to be 8 miles (~12.87km), one Vitasti would correspond to roughly 7.95 inches (~20.12cm)
If we consider a single Yojana to be 5 miles (~8.04km), one Vitasti would correspond to roughly 4.95 inc (~12.57cm)
A Tāla or a Mukha is another name for a measurement of distance which measures the same as a Vitasti.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
vitasti (वितस्ति).—m S A long span,--the measure of the thumb and little finger extended.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Vitasti (वितस्ति).—[vau taseḥ tiḥ Uṇādi-sūtra 4.189] A measure of length equal to 12 aṅgulas (being the distance between the extended thumb and the little finger); तेनेदमावृतं विश्वं वितस्तिमधितिष्ठति (tenedamāvṛtaṃ viśvaṃ vitastimadhitiṣṭhati) Bhāgavata 2.6.16.
Derivable forms: vitastiḥ (वितस्तिः).
Vitasti (वितस्ति).—f.
(-stiḥ) A long span measured by the extended thumb and little finger, considered equal to twelve fingers. E. vi apart, tas to throw, Unadi aff. ktic .
Vitasti (वितस्ति).—i. e. vi-taṃs + ti, m. and f. A long span, measured by the extended thumb and little finger, Āśvalāy. Gṛhyas. iv. 1, in Journ. of the German Oriental Society, ix. i. 8.
Vitasti (वितस्ति).—[feminine] span (as a measure of length).
Vitasti (वितस्ति):—[=vi-tasti] f. (once in [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi] m.; [probably] [from] √tan) a [particular] measure of length (defined either as a long span between the extended thumb and little finger, or as the distance between the wrist and the tip of the fingers, and said to = 12 Aṅgulas or about 9 inches), [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa; Gṛhya-sūtra and śrauta-sūtra] etc.
Vitasti (वितस्ति):—[vi-tasti] (stiḥ) 2. f. A long span equal to 12 fingers.
Vitasti (वितस्ति):—(wohl von 1. tan mit vi) [Uṇādisūtra 4, 181] (oxyt.). m. f. (das m. nicht zu belegen) Spanne, als Maass verschieden definirt: wirkliche Spannbreite; Länge vom Handgelenk bis zur Fingerspitze; zwölf Aṅguli [Amarakoṣa.2,6,2,35.3,4,1,7.] [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa.2,2,3.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 595.] [Halāyudha.2,383.] [HIOUENTHSANG] [?I,60. The Śatapathabrāhmaṇa 10,2,2,8.3,11. 14. ĀŚV. GṚHY.4,1,11. Kauśika’s Sūtra zum Atuarvaveda 85. CARAṆAVYŪHA in Weber’s Indische Studien.3,280. MAHĀNĀR. Upakośā ebend.2,92. Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 26,9. Rājataraṅgiṇī.4,600. Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 49,38. fg. Bhāgavatapurāṇa.2,6,15. PAÑCAR.3,12,3. Oxforder Handschriften 93,b, Nalopākhyāna] Accent eines auf vi ausgehenden comp. mit vorangehendem Zahlworte [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 6, 2, 31.]
Vitasti (वितस्ति) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Vihatthi.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Hindi dictionary
Vitasti (वितस्ति):—(nf) a hand-span.
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Kannada-English dictionary
Vitasti (ವಿತಸ್ತಿ):—[noun] the distance between the tips of the extended thumb and little finger, used as a unit of linear measure; a span.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Tamil dictionary
Vitasti (விதஸ்தி) noun < vitasti. A measure of 12 māṉāṅkulam; 12 மானாங்குலம் கொண்ட நீட்டலளவு. [manangulam konda nittalalavu.] (சிற்பரதசாஸ்திரம்். [sirparath.] 19.)
Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.
Nepali dictionary
Vitasti (वितस्ति):—n. a measure of length equal to 12 angular (being the distance between the extended thumb and the little finger);
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches (+0): Tashti, Vi.
Starts with (+0): Vitastideshya, Vitastimatra.
Full-text (+35): Angula, Vaitastika, Vitastideshya, Vitastimatra, Kishku, Vitasta, Kudishti, Hasta, Pradesha, Vihatthi, Aratni, Deshya, Khanabal, Yoni, Zha shou, Dhanus, Vidatthi, Gavyuti, Sandran, Lidar.
Relevant text
Search found 55 books and stories containing Vitasti, Vi-tasti, Vithasthi, Vidasdi, Vidhasdhi; (plurals include: Vitastis, tastis, Vithasthis, Vidasdis, Vidhasdhis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Ganitatilaka (Sanskrit text and English introduction) (by H. R. Kapadia)
Page 184 < [Sanskrit Text of the Ganitatilaka]
Part 17 - Four kinds of Pramana (measure) < [Introduction]
Kautilya Arthashastra (by R. Shamasastry)
Chapter 20 - Measurement of Space and Time < [Book 2 - The duties of Government Superintendents]
Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (study) (by K. Vidyuta)
4. Technicalities (a): Mānāṅgula Measurements < [Chapter 2 - Author and his Works]
Ganita-sara-sangraha by Mahavira-Acharya (by M. Rangacharya)
Appendix 4 - Tables of measures
Chapter 1 - On Terminology (samjna-adhikara) < [Part 1 - English translation]
Appendix 2 - Sanskrit words used in the Translation and their explanation
Paumacariya (critical study) (by K. R. Chandra)
1. Economic conditions of ancient India < [Chapter 9 - Economic, Political and Religious conditions]
Manasara (English translation) (by Prasanna Kumar Acharya)