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Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (study)

by K. Vidyuta | 2019 | 33,520 words

This page relates ‘The Five Storeys and their Names� of the study on the Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (in English) with special reference to the characteristics of Prakara (temple-components), Mandapa (pavilions) and Gopura (gate-house). The Silpa-Sastras refers to the ancient Indian science of arts and crafts, such as sculpture, architecture and iconography. This study demonstrates the correlatation between ancient Indian monuments (such as temples and sculptures) and the variety of Sanskrit scriptures dealing with their construction.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

5. The Five Storeys and their Names

Dividing the height of the pillars from the first storey into 10, 9 or 8 parts, the height of the pillars of the second storey must be one part less that than the previous one. Similarly the other storeys must also be constructed.

Also, each storey must have a prastara and the bhitti above it must be the same measure of the pillars (XLIII. 51-2):

ūٲٲṃb󲹳ٳṅgٳ 岹ś-nandāṣṭabhājite |[2]
ekāṃśarahitāṃghriśca tathaivordhvordhvabhūmaya� ||
ٲ� ca tathā ⲹ� ekānekatalo'pi vā |
prastaropari 첹ٲⲹ� bhittimeva padodayam ||

The DZԲ or the ᲹԲ must always be shaped in the form of an umbrella or a (square shaped).

These DZԲ must be made of either mud lumps or strong wood; they must be endowed with ū貹 and ś and these must be constructed using assumed measures (XLIII. 53-55ab):

󲹳ٰ� śiropeta� kāramathāpi vā |
DZԲmathavā Ჹ� ṃkⲹԳٲ dvija ||
mṛṇmayai� loṣṭakairvātha sāradārumayaistathā |
DZԲṃcchādana� kuryāllūpopari śironvitam ||
[1]
kāramida� ٲ� ⲹٳṣṭ� teṣu kalpayet |

The five-storeyed construction is called پ, the four-storey is called Chanda, three-storeyed is Vikalpa and the two-storeyed and single storeyed is called as Ā.

Depending on the above types the -tala (storey of ) must be designed (XLIII. 55cd-56):

پ貹ñٲ� ٲ� chandavedatala� bhavet ||
첹貹� ٰٲ� vidyādābhāsa� dvyekabhūmike |
jātyadīnā� tu harmyāṇāṃ Dzⲹ� tala� kuru ||

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

ṃśuٰśⲹ岵, Muktabodha edition, 42. 59ab is taken here for better reading.

[2]:

Śī śⲹ貹 Ś貹śٰ, Vol. I, Pub. by K.S. Subramanya Sastri, Tanjore Maharaja Serfoji's Saraswati Mahal Library, Tanjore, 2016, p. 458, fn. 1 and 2.

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