Significance of Brihatsamhita
Brihatsamhita is an important text compiled by Varahamihira in the sixth century A.D., encompassing various subjects such as architecture, astrology, and meteorology. It serves as a significant resource in the study of Vastushastra, containing guidelines for temple construction and discussions on master architects. The work integrates astronomical and astrological knowledge, contributing to the understanding of architectural practices and cosmology in ancient India. As a comprehensive text, Brihatsamhita remains influential in traditional Indian architecture and related fields.
In Dutch: Brihatsamhita; In German: Brihatsamhita; In Finnish: Brihatsamhita; In Spanish: Brihatsamhita
The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.
Hindu concept of 'Brihatsamhita'
Brihatsamhita, attributed to Varahamihira, is a significant ancient Sanskrit text in Hinduism encompassing astrology, architecture, and natural phenomena, providing guidelines for temple construction and discussing cosmic principles influencing human life.
From: Vastu-shastra (Introduction to Indian architecture)
(1) A literary work listed under Vastu literature that contains astronomical and astrological information.[1] (2) An ancient work that is referred to as a significant text in the study of architecture and Vastushastra.[2] (3) An important astrological and architectural treatise of ancient India that includes guidelines for temple construction.[3] (4) An astronomical work written by a leading astronomer of the Gupta period that also addresses architecture.[4] (5) A known text compiled by Varaha-mihira no later than the sixth century A.D., which references the works of ancient master-architects.[5]
From: Samarangana-sutradhara (Summary)
(1) One of the key treatises on architecture mentioned that contributes to the understanding of the twenty varieties of Nagara temples.[6] (2) Another work attributed to Varahamihira that contains differing figures and proportions than those discussed in the Samarangana-Sutradhara.[7]
From: Brihat Samhita
(1) A Sanskrit text that covers various aspects of astrology, natural phenomena, and human life.[8] (2) A significant text that discusses astrological and natural phenomena.[9] (3) An ancient Indian astronomical text attributed to Varaha-Mihira.[10] (4) A classical text from which the appendix is extracted, specifically from chapter 99.[11] (5) A text from which the appendix is extracted, specifically from chapter 29.[12]
From: Hayanaratna: The Jewel of Annual Astrology
(1) This is a work by Varahamihira, which is referred to as BS within the provided text, and provides another source for analysis.[13] (2) This is a work by Varahamihira, and one of the three statements attributed to the sage Garga may have been taken from it, adding to the range of sources.[14]
From: Manasara (English translation)
(1) A work that does not list all thirty-two names but gives summarized accounts primarily of the eighth and ninth plans.[15] (2) A semi-Purana that includes several chapters addressing notable architectural and sculptural matters, incorporating definitions and classifications of buildings.[16]
The concept of Brihatsamhita in local and regional sources
Brihatsamhita, authored by Varahamihira in the sixth century, is an encyclopedic text that encompasses diverse subjects like astrology and architecture, serving as a foundational source for later works like the Garudapurana and influencing natural astrology commentaries.
From: History of Science in South Asia
(1) Brihatsamhita, or BS, is a text from which chapters in the Garudapurana derive and which contains verses that were recast into a simpler metre for ease of memory and recitation.[17] (2) Brihatsamhita is a work that is considered the most comprehensive and authoritative on subjects discussed in the Gargiyajyotisha, and it was largely modeled upon the Gargiyajyotisha.[18] (3) This is a book composed by Varahamihira, which is described as a collection that contains a little bit of everything.[19] (4) The earliest datable model for these accounts is in Varahamihira’s sixth-century Brihatsamhita and the testimony of Garga on the Indradhvaja confirms the relative antiquity of Varahamihira’s source material.[20] (5) In the commentaries of Bhattotpala on the Brihatsamhita and the Brihajjataka, the two authoritative works on natural astrology and horoscopy composed by the sixth-century polymath Varahamihira, works attributed to Garga are among those most often cited.[21]
From: Triveni Journal
(1) An encyclopedic work by Varahamihira encompassing various subjects including astrology, meteorology, and architecture.[22]