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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.c15.s1: Measurements

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.c15.s1

Language
English

Measurements

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(*A*) The linear measurement is divided into six kinds¹.
(1) Māna, (2) Pramāṇa, (3) Parimāṇa, (4) Lamba-māna,
(5) Unmāna, and (6) Upamāna (M. LV. 3—9).

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¹ Measurement from the foot to the top of the head is called Māna (which is nothing but height). Pramāṇa is the measurement of breadth. Parimāṇa is the measurement of width or circumference (paritaḥ) Lambamāna is the measurement by the plumb-lines or the lines drawn perpendicularly through different parts of the body, the māna or the measurement of height being taken by the surface of the body. Unmāna is the measurement of thickness (nimna) or diameter. Upamāna is the measurement of inter-space (antara), such as that between the two feet of an image. Parimāṇa, unmāna and māna are also mentioned in the Śukra-nīti (I. 310), but their meanings are not quite clear.

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References to these measurements are met with also in non-architectural treatises, like the *Matsya-Purāṇa* (chapter 258, V 16), the *Suprabhedāgama* (paṭala, XXXIV. 35), as well as in the *Bimbamāna* (British Museum, Mss. 658, 5292, verse 9).

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(*B*) The primary measurement (ādimāna) refers to comparative measurements and is divided into nine kinds :

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The height of an image is determined by comparing it with the
(1) breadth of the main temple,
(2) height of the adytum,
(3) length of the door,
(4) measurement of the basement,
(5) cubit,
(6) tāla,
(7) aṅgula,
(8) height of the worshipper, and
(9) height of the riding animal (M. LV. 10—15).

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Each of the measurements is again divided into nine kinds (M. LV. 22).

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Under (1), (2), (3), (4), the proportions naturally vary on various occasions but the general methods are similar in these treatises; compare, for instances the *Suprabhedāgama* (XXXI 1—15).

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The aṅgula (finger breadth) and the hasta (cubit) (5?, 7) measures are in fact of the same class. The finger breadth, equivalent to ¾ inch, is perhaps the earliest unit of measurement invented by human brain. Though not liable to being lost in the course of time, it has its own defects, namely, the finger of two persons is hardly of equal breadth, and the finger of a person is liable to change owing to various natural causes. Apparently with a view to avoiding these defects finger-breadth is ascertained by the measures of certain other objects, atom, car-dust, hair-end, nit, louse, and barley-corn.¹ The largest size of finger breadth is stated to be equal to eight barley corns, the intermediate seven barley corns, and the smallest six barley corns. Again, for the same purpose, this standard measure is divided into three kinds—mānāṅgula, mātrāṅgula, and dehalabdhāṅgula. Of these, mānāṅgula, which is equal to eight barley corns, is meant to be the unit proper. Mātrāṅgula is the measure taken by the middle finger of the master who makes an image (or a building), dehalabdhāṅgula is the measure equal to one of the equal parts into which the whole height of a statue is divided for sculptural measurement.²

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¹ 8 atoms = 1 car-dust. 8 car-dusts = 1 hair-end. 8 hair-ends = 1 nit. 8 nits = 1 louse. 8 lice = 1 barley corn. 8 barley corns = 1 aṅgula

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² For further details see the writer's Dictionary under aṅgula.

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This aṅgula measure is practically the same in almost all the Indian works bearing upon measurement, for instance—

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(1) Mānasāra (II 40—45, 46—47, 48—52, 53—64, LXIV, 49—53, etc.).
(2) Bṛihat-saṁhitā (LVIII, 1—2).
(3) Siddhānta-śiromaṇi, ed. Bāpūdeva (p. 52).
(4) Rāja-vallabha-Maṇḍana, ed. Bhārati (Introduction)
(5) Brahmāṇḍa-Purāṇa (part I, section 2, chapter VII).
(6) Matsya-Purāṇa (chapter 258, verses 17—18).
(7) Vāstu-vidyā, ed. Gaṇapati Śāstri (I, 3—5f).
(8) Bimba-māna (Ms. British Museum, no. 558, 5292, verse 9f.)
(9) Suprabhedāgama (XX. 1—9, 10—16, 20—26, etc.).
(10) Kauṭilīya-Artha-śāstra, ed. Shama Śāstri (p. 106); compare also
(11) Manu-saṁhitā (VIII. 271).
(12) Rāmāyaṇa (VI. 20,22).
(13) Śata-patha-Brāhmaṇa (X, 2, 13, III, 5, 4, 5).
(14) Aitareya-Brāhmaṇa (VIII, 5).
(15) Chhāndogya-Upanishad (V, 18, 1, etc.).
(16) Śulva-Sūtra of Baudhāyana (J. R. A. S. 1912, 231-233, notes 1, 2).

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The *tāla-māna* (under 6) is a sculptural measure. The length of face inclusive of head is taken as the unit of measurement.¹ But it seems more convenient to have the particular span, namely, the distance between the tips of the fully stretched thumb and middle finger, which is technically called *tāla*, as the unit.² It admits of many varieties: ten *tāla* measures are mentioned in the Mānasāra³, while the Bimba-māna has reference to twelve kinds⁴. Each of these ten or twelve varieties is again divided into three types, namely, uttama or large, madhyama or intermediate, and adhama or small. Thus an image is of the ten (*daśa*) *tāla* measure when its whole length is ten times the face. In the large type of the ten *tāla* system, however, the whole length is divided into 124 equal parts which are proportionately distributed over the different parts of the body; in the intermediate type the whole length is divided into 120 equal parts, and in the small type into 116 equal parts. In the nine (*nava*) *tāla* system, the whole length would be nine times the face, in the eight (*ashṭa*) *tāla* eight times, and so forth.

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¹ Matsya-Purāṇa, chapter 258, verse 19. Mukhamānena kartavyā sarvāvayava-kalpanā.

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² Aṁśumadbheda of Kāśyapa, fol. 251. (Ms. Egg. 3148, 3012).

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³ One to ten tāla (M. LX. 6—35, etc.).

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⁴ One to twelve tāla (Appendix).

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The principle of the *tāla* measure is fundamentally the same in all the works dealing with the subject, although certain differences in matters of detail are noticed, compare, for instance,—
(1) Mānasāra (LX, 6—35, LVII, LIX, 14—64; 67—100; LXVI, 2—78; LXV, 2—179).
(2) Bimbamāna (verses 17—72, 91—138, and appendix X).
(3) Suprabhedāgama (XXXIV, 30—34; XXX, 31—40).
(4) Bṛihat-saṁhitā (LVIII, 4).
(5) Aṁśumadbheda of Kāśyapa (fol. 251, Eg. 3148, 3012).
(6) Bramhāṇḍa-Purāṇa (Part I, Anusaṁga-pāda, VII, 97).
(7) Matsya-Purāṇa (chapter 258, verse 19).

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The details of the *tāla* measures from the following authorities are given by Mr. Rao⁵:
(8) Śilpa-ratna.
(9) Aṁśumad-bhedāgama.
(10) Kā(?ki)raṇāgama.
(11) Vaikhānaśāgama.
(12) Kāmikāgama.

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⁵ Elements of Hindu Iconography by T. A. Gopīnāth Rāo, Appendix B, pp, 9—28.

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Another exclusively sculptural measure is that mentioned under (8), (9), namely, the height of an image is compared with the height of the worshipper (yajamāna), and the height of the riding animal (vāhana) is compared with the height of the main idol. Each of these admits of nine varieties. The height of an image may be equal to the full height of its worshipper, and may extend up to his hair-limit on the forehead (sometimes it is stated to be the eye-line), nose-tip, chin, arm-limit (to the shoulder), breast, heart, navel, and sex-organ. The height of the riding animal is in the same manner compared with the height of the main idol.¹

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¹ Mānasāra, LV, 30-33 etc.

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Corresponding to the abovementioned sculptural measures there are exclusively architectural measures also.

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The architectural *ganya-māna*² or the comparative heights of the component members of a structure corresponds to the sculptural *tāla-māna* or the comparative heights of the component limbs of a statue

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² See the writer's Dictionary, and compare the Mānasāra, XXVII, 36-40; XXIX, 35-38; XXXIII, 134-145, 216-117, 248; XLV, 86, 97-101; LIII, 29-34; XIII, 36-40, etc.

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The *ghana-māna* or the measurement by the exterior, and the *aghana-māna* or the measurement by the interior, of a structure-is also exclusively architectural³

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³ See the writer's Dictionary, sub voce.

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In another architectural measure the height of a structure is compared with its breadth. It admits of five proportions, technically called, Śāntika, Paushṭika, Jayada, Sarva-kāmika or Dhanada, and Adbhuta, the height being respectively equal to breadth, 1¼, 1½, 1¾, and twice of the breadth.⁴

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⁴ See the writer's Dictionary, under *Utsedha*. When a large number of absolute measures are prescribed for the one and the same object, the right proportion is selected by the test of six formulas technically called, āya, vyaya, ṛiksha, yoni, vāra, and tithi or aṁśa (see details in the writer's Dictionary under Shaḍ-varga).

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These latter items, highly technical and extremely minute in detail, are found in no other treatises under observation than the *Mānasāra*. Thus in respect of at least purely architectural and sculptural measurement the *Mānasāra*, of all these works, should occupy the first place.

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