Distance measures
Distance measures were different in different countries in the past history. We compare here various units of measurement of distances used in the history.
Measures of distance
- Krosa : Krosa or cos is common Indian measure of distance.
- Li: Chinese
- Yojana: Yojana or Yojan is Indian measure of distance, 1 Yojana = 40 Chinese Li = 4 Cos = 8 Miles
Mention by Panini
Yojana (योजन) is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [1]
Measures of Distance, Yojana, Li, Krosa
Alexander Cunningham[2] writes....The measures of distance noted by the Chinese pilgrims are the Indian yojana and the Chinese li. The first is generally used by the elder traveller, Fa-Hian, and the other by the later travellers. Sung-Yun and Hwen Thsang.
The kroṣa or kos, which is the common Indian measure of length at the present day, is not used by any of them. Hwen Thsang mentions that the yojana, according to tradition, was equivalent to 40 Chinese li, but that the measure then in use was equal to only 30 li.1