Ayurvedic Measurements
Dr. Jagdev SinghMarch 16, 2016
Ayurvedic classical texts have described weights and measures in ancient system. Many people are now not known with them. For your reference, we are sharing information about ayurvedic metrics and their modern metric equivalents.
Weight & Measures
| Ayurvedic Metric Units (Classical Units) | Modern Metric Equivalent |
| 1 PARAMANU (परमाणु) | 0.0016 mg |
| 1 DHAVANSHI (VANSI & TRASRENU) (वंशी/ध्वंशी) | 0.05 mg |
| 1 MARICHI (मरीचि) | 0.32 mg |
| 1 LAL SARSHAP (सर्षप) | 1.95 mg |
| 1 TUNDAL | 15.62 mg |
| 1 DHANYAMASH | 31.25 mg |
| 1 YAVA | 62.5 mg |
| 1 RATTI | 125 mg |
| 1 ANDIKA | 250 mg |
| 1 MASHAK (MASA) | 1 gram |
| 1 SHAAN | 3 grams |
| 1 KOL | 6 grams |
| 1 TOLA | 12 grams |
| 1 KARSHA (1 KARSA) | 12 grams |
| 1 SHUKTI | 24 grams |
| 1 PAL (1 PALAM) | 48 grams |
| 1 CHHATANK | 60 grams |
| 1 PRASRTIS (1 PRASRTI) | 96 grams |
| 1 CHHATAAK (CHHATAK) | 186 grams |
| 1 KUDAV (1 KUDAVAS) | 192 grams |
| 1 PAV (पाव) | 240 grams |
| 1 MANIKA (MAANIKA) | 384 grams |
| 1 PRASTHA (PRASTH) | 768 grams |
| 1 SER (SERA or SEER) | 960 grams |
| 1 ADHAKA (AADAK) | 3 Kg 73 grams |
| 1 TULA | 4 Kg 800 grams |
| 1 DRONA (DRON) | 12 Kg 228 grams |
| 1 SURPA (SHOORP) | 24 Kg 576 grams |
| 1 DRONI | 49 Kg 152 grams |
| 1 BHARA | 96 Kg |
| 1 KHARI | 196 Kg 608 grams |
Accepted measurements are given according to Charak Samhita based on TOLA equivalent to 12 grams. There are slight differences in SARNGADHARA SAMHITA and other classical texts.
Measurement of Time in Ayurveda
| Ayurvedic Metric Units (Classical Units) | Modern Metric Equivalent |
| 1 KSANA | 0.38 seconds |
| 1 LAVA | 0.77 seconds |
| 1 NIMESHA | 1.55 seconds |
| 1 KASTHA | 4.66 seconds |
| 1 KALA | 2 minutes 20 seconds |
| 1 GHATI | 24 minutes |
| 1 MUHURTA | 48 minutes |
| 1 YAMA (याम or पहर) | 3 hours |
| 1 AHORATRA | 24 hours (8 YAMA) |
| 1 PAKSA | 15 days |
| 1 MASA | 30 days (1 month) |
| 1 RITU | 60 days (2 months) |
| 1 AYANA | 6 months |
| 1 SAMVATSARA | 12 months (1 year) |
| 1 YUGA | 5 years |
The first Yama (याम) or Pahar (पहर) of the day starts from the Dawn. Dawn is a time of the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise.
The first Yama (याम) or Pahar (पहर) of the night starts from the sunset.
Linear Measurement
| Ayurvedic Metric Units (Classical Units) | Modern Metric Equivalent |
| 1 YAVODARA | 2.4 millimeter |
| 1 ANGULA | 1.95 cm |
| 1 BITAHASTI | 22.86 cm |
| 1 ARATNI | 41.91 cm |
| 1 HASTA | 45.72 cm |
| 1 RAJAHASTA (NRIPAHASTA) | 55.88 cm |
| 1 VYAMA | 182.88 cm |
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