| 8 trasareṇus | = | 1 likshá , or minute poppy-seed. |
|---|---|---|
| 3 likshás | = | 1 raja-sarshapa , or black mustard-seed. |
| 3 raja-sarshapas | = | 1 gaura-sarshapa , or white mustard-seed. |
| 6 gaura-sarshapas | = | 1 yava , or middle-sized barley-corn. |
| 3 yavas | = | 1 kṛishnala , or seed of the gunjá . |
But as we want to learn what was the actual usage of the Hindus, instead of dealing with the mere theoretic statements of late authors, I shall at once quote in full the tables given in the Līlāvati of Brahmegupta, who wrote his Algebra and Arithmetic about 600 A.D.8
Money (by tale). Twice ten cowries9 are a cácíní; four of these are a pána, sixteen of which must here be considered as a dramma, and in like manner a nishká as consisting of sixteen of these.
Weight. A gunjá (or seed of Abrus), is reckoned equal to two barley-corns (yavas). A valla is two gunjás and eight of these are a dharana, two of which make a yadyanaca. In like manner one dhataca is composed of fourteen vallas.
Half ten gunjás are called a másha by such as are conversant with the use of the balance; a karsha contains sixteen of what are called máshas, a pala four karshas. A karsha of gold is named suvarṇa.
This is quite in harmony with the weight of gold as given by the legislators:
| 5 kṛishnalas or raktikas | = | 1 másha . |
|---|---|---|
| 16 máshas | = | 1 karsha , aksha , tolaka , or suvarṇa . |
| 4 karshas or suvarṇas | = | 1 pala or nishká . |
| 10 palas | = | 1 dharana of gold. |
Yájnavalkya adds that according to some 5 suvarṇas = 1 pala.