Manasara Series (I. A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture; II. Indian Architecture according to Manasara-Shilpashastra; III. Manasara on Architecture and Sculpture: Sanskrit Text; IV. Architecture of Manasara: Translation; V. Architecture of Manasara: Illustrations; VI. Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad; VII. An Encyclopaedia of Hindu Architecture) v2.c14.s64: The Saṁgraha
Mānasāra Series (I. A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture; II. Indian Architecture according to Mānasāra-Śilpaśāstra; III. Mānasāra on Architecture and Sculpture: Sanskrit Text; IV. Architecture of Mānasāra: Translation; V. Architecture of Mānasāra: Illustrations; VI. Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad; VII. An Encyclopaedia of Hindu Architecture) v2.c14.s64
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The Saṁgraha
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This work is avowedly a compilation (*saṁgraha*). It bears the title *Śilpa-saṁgraha*, and to our great relief it expressly mentions the sources it has been compiled from.¹ In fact several of the architectural treatises compared above and many more not mentioned here are evidently compilations, although the authors have not acknowledged their debt, nor even mentioned the sources drawn upon. This point is convincingly illustrated in the following instance.
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¹ Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras, Cat. vol. XXII, no. 18058. It comprises 429 pages of 25 lines to a page of paper 13¼″ × 8″.
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The following chapters in the order found in the manuscript are ascribed to—
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I.—Mānasāra: Under 7, Gomukha-lakshaṇa—under this heading there is no separate chapter in the eleven manuscripts of the *Mānasāra* so far known to exist.
(13) Upapīṭha-lakshaṇa—pedestals, (M. XIII). Under 15, Vṛishabha-lakshaṇa—image of the bull, the riding animal of Śiva, (M. LXII).
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II.—Mayamata: Under 6, Dik-parichchheda—the cardinal points.
(23) Maṇḍapa-vidhāna—open courts.
(9) Grāma-vinyāsa—villages.
(20) Eka-bhūmi-rodhana—one storeyed buildings. Under 86, Sthapati-lakshaṇa—characteristics and qualifications of the architect.
(24) Gopura-vidhāna—gate houses.
(13) Upapīṭha-vidhāna—pedestals.
(1) Adhishṭhāna-vidhāna—bases.
(20) Dvi-bhūmi-vidhāna—two-storeyed buildings. Under 20, Tri-bhūmi-vidhāna—three-storeyed buildings.
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III.—Kāśyapa: Under 7, Prastara-lakshaṇa—entablatures. „ „ Adhishṭhāna-paṭala—bases. ’ „ Nāla-pramāṇotsedhālaṅkaraṇa—drains and canals. Under 24, Dakshiṇā-mūrti-paṭala - image of the goddess Dakshiṇā. Under 22, Nṛitta-lakshaṇa—image of dancing Śiva.
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Under 6, Gopura-lakshaṇa—gate-houses. Under 36, Śayana-lakshaṇa—bedsteads and couches.
(86) Sthapati-lakshaṇa—characteristics and qualifications of the architect.
(14) Āyādi-sampad-artha-vidhāna—the formula of Āya, etc
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V.--Agastya : Under 1, Māna-saṁgraha-viśesha—system of measurement. Under 2, Uttama-daśa-tāla—the large type of the ten-tāla measure. Under 3, Madhyama-daśa-tāla—the intermediate type of the ten-tāla measure. Under 4. Soma-skanda-lakshaṇa—image of Soma and Skanda. Under 5, Chandra-śekhara-lakshaṇa—image of Śiva. Under 6, Vṛisha-vāhana-lakshaṇa—image of the bull, the riding animal of Śiva.
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It is not known for certain whether or not the following, under 6 and 19, are to be ascribed to Agastya.
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Under 6, Tripurāntaka-lakshaṇa—image of Śiva. ” ” Kalyāṇa-sundara-lakshaṇa—image of Kalyāṇa-Sundara. ” ” Ardha-nārīśvara-lakshaṇa—image of Śiva. ” ” Pāśupata-lakshaṇa—image of Śiva. ” ” Bhikshāṭana-lakshaṇa—image of Śiva. ” ” Chaṇḍeśānugraha-lakshaṇa—image of Śiva. ” ” Dakshiṇā-mūrti-lakshaṇa—image of Dakshiṇā. ” ” Kāla-dahana-lakshaṇa—image of Śiva. Under 19, Pratimā-lakshaṇa—images in general.
(3) Upapīṭha-vidhāna—pedestal.
(9) Śūla-māna-vidhāna—pikes.
(10) Rajju-bandha-saṁskāra-vidhi—preparation of ropes.
(11) Varṇa-saṁskāra—preparation of colours.
(12) Akshi-mokshaṇa—chiselling the eyes of an image.
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VI.—Bhṛigu : Under 7, Ratha-nirmāṇa—construction of chariots.
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VII.—Paulastya : Under 22, Dakshiṇā-mūrti-nirmāṇa—the image of that deity.
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VIII.—Nārada : Under 14, Kṛishṇa-lakshaṇa—image of Kṛishṇa.
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IX – Nārāyaṇa : Under 20, Rāma-Lakshmaṇa—the images of Rāma and Lakshmaṇa.
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X.—Maushalya : Under 7, Ratha lakshaṇa - chariots.
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XI—Śesha-bhāshya : Under 36, title missing. Under 22, Ekatāla-vidhāna—one storeyed buildings.
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XII.—Chitra-sāra : Under 14, title missing.
(7) Pratimāsāra (?).
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XIII.—Sārasvata : Under 28, Chaṇḍeśvara-vidhāna—the image of Chaṇḍeśvara.
(23) Garuḍa-lakshaṇa-paṭala—the image of the garuḍa bird ; Rāma-Lakshmaṇa-paṭala—the images of Rāma and Lakshmaṇa. (The term ‘paṭala’ usually used in the Āgamas, indicates that these chapters may have been borrowed from some Āgamas). Under 20, Gopura-māna—gate-houses.
(1) Māna-saṁgrahādi—the system of measurement.
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XIV.—Viśva-sāra : Under 20, Aśva-māna-vidhi—image of the horse. ” ” Vīra-bhadra-lakshaṇa—image of Vīrabhadra. ” ” Skandha—image of Skanda. ” ” Tripurī—image of Tripurī. ” ” Pratimādi—images, etc.
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XV.—Chitra-jñāna : Under 20, Dhvaja-daṇḍa-paṭa-lakshaṇa—flag, staff and banner. ” ” Jīrṇoddhāra—repairs.
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XVI.—Kapiñjala-saṁhitā : Under 20, Garuḍa-lakshaṇa—image of the Garuḍa bird.
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XVII.—Kaumudī : Under 29, Pratimā-lakshaṇa—images in general.
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XVIII.—Brahma-śilpa : Under 15, Śayana-lakshaṇa—bedsteads and couches.
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XIX.—Brahma-yāmala : Under 5, Chāmuṇḍī-dhyāna—characteristics of the demoness Chāmuṇḍī. Under 20, Daśāvatāra-lakshaṇa—images of the ten incarnations of Vishṇu.
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XX.—Dīpta-tantra : Under 15, Liṅga-lakshaṇa—Phallus
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XXI.—Dīpti-sāra : Under 8, Gopura-lakshaṇa—gate-houses.
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Of these, it will be noticed, numbers one to five refer to treatises discussed above, six to ten refer to authors whose treatises are not mentioned here, and the rest refer to treatises and not to their authors. In fact it is practically impossible to trace the authors of these latter treatises, as is the case with several others dealing with architecture and cognate arts.
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The brief sketch of this compilation as well as the other illustrative *Śilpa-Śāstras* presented above incidentally substantiate two theories. Most of the architectural treatises, whether or not ascribed to an author, historical or mythical, are but compilations. Some of these have actually acknowledged the sources drawn upon while others have not. This practice of misappropriating somebody else's property is prominently shown in works like the *Purāṇas* and the *Āgamas*, which in most cases are undeniably huge compilations gathered together from various sources dealing with heterogenous subjects. The second theory is that the *Mānasāra*, though itself a compilation, because the author seems to have consulted some thirty-two authorities on architecture, appears to be the standard work on the subject, inasmuch as it is the most complete, scientific, and probably the oldest extant record. This last impression is, further, strengthened by comparison of the *Mānasāra* with the architectural portions of the *Purāṇas*, the *Āgamas* and the *Brihat-saṁhitā* in detail.¹
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¹ See section III, pp 110—133.
Linked texts (1)
- Mānasāra — Sanskrit