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) v6.c40.s12.t6: Chapter XII: The Foundation (Garbhavinyāsa-vidhāna)
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) v6.c40.s12.t6
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Chapter XII: The Foundation (Garbhavinyāsa-vidhāna)
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The foundation is classified under three heads, namely, for buildings, for villages, etc., and for tanks, etc. The last-named foundation is meant for a cistern, well or tank (*vāpī-kūpa-taṭāka*), etc.
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The depth of the excavation (*garbha-bhājana*) in case of a village, a town, or a fort (*grāma*, *nagara*, *pura*, *pattana*, *kharvaṭa*, *koshṭha*, *kola*, etc.) is stated to be of five kinds, and varies in accordance with the size of the construction. Similarly, for a building or a well suitable depth of the excavation is prescribed.
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The foundation of buildings is further divided into two classes as it may belong to temples or to human dwellings. Of temples, those of Vishṇu and Brahmā are dealt with, and the others are said to be like these.
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For human dwellings there are four classes of foundations according to the caste of the occupier, Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaiśya, or Śūdra. In the laying of a foundation, ritualistic prescriptions play a prominent part, the actual process apparently being the same in all cases.
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The depth of the excavation is equal to the height of the basement. The four corners and sides, built of brick or stone, are equal.
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'The depth of the excavation (*lit.* foundation-cave) should be as high as the basement of the building; the four sides (*lit.* corners or walls), made of brick or stone, should be equal; from its bottom should be removed water (if there comes out any), and all (kinds of) earth should be deposited therein. The floor of the excavation should be consolidated with seven kinds of earth, namely, from rivers and mountains, from ant-hills, crab-holes, sea-shores, from tops of trees (hills), and from near a cow-shed (*lit.* from the foreparts of cows' hoofs). Upon this (earth deposit) should be (further) deposited the root of the (white) lotus at the central part (of the excavation), to the east the root of the blue lotus, to the south the root of the water-lily, to the west *saugandhi* (grass), and to the north the *kākalī* (guñja) plant. Upon this should be placed, in order, the following eight sorts of corn : *śāli* (corn) should be placed to the north-east and *vrīhi* (grains) to the east, *kodrava* (*Paspalum scorbiculatum*) to the south-east, *kaṅgu* (panic seed) to the south, *mudga* (*phaseolus mungo*) to the south-west, *māsha* (bean, *phaseolus raditus*) to the west, *kulattha* (*dolichos uniflorous*) to the north-west and *tila* (*sesamum indicum*) to the north. Upon this (finally depositing the other usual materials, e.g. concrete) the foundation should be raised up to the (upper) surface of the excavation.
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As regard the measurement and the shape, it (the foundation) should be in conformity with buildings of one to twelve storeys. The twelve varieties of dimensions (of breadth and length) should begin respectively with three and four parts (*mātras*, i.e. *aṅgulas*) and end at twenty-five and twenty-six, the increment being by two. The depth of the excavation should be equal to its breadth and less by one-eighth or one-fifth, or similarly less by one-fourth. All these (measures) are stated to be (taken) in rods (of four cubits). The breadth of the excavation should be equal to the width of the (main) pillar of the building, or it may be made less by one-eighth, or be three-fourths of the breadth. The depth (of the excavation) should be made as aforesaid. The width of all the (four) walls should be one, two, or three parts out of the three parts into which the depth is divided. The depth of the excavation being divided into four parts one part is given to its base, two parts to its pillar and one part to the entablature. It (the excavation) should be shaped like a three-fold square pavilion at its entrance into the watery part (i.e. the bottom).
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The concluding lines of this chapter deal with the measurement of bricks, with which buildings of one to twelve storeys are preferably built, and also with the ceremonies in connexion with the laying of the foundation-stone (*lit.* first brick, *prathameshṭakā*). The breadth of a brick may be from 7 to 29 or 30 *aṅgulas*. The length is greater than the breadth by ¼, ½, ¾, or is twice the breadth. The thickness should be half of the breadth.
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THE PEDESTAL (*Upapīṭha-vidhāna*)
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The opening lines of the chapter describe the height of the pedestal as compared with the base. This height is said to be of nine kinds, which are worked out by nine proportions. Five of them are those expressed by the technical terms *śāntika*, *paushṭika*, *jayada*, *adbhuta* and *sarvakāmika* (⅓, ¼, ⅕, ⅙, and 1/7). Rām Rāz, on the authority of a Tamil manuscript, says that the height of the pedestal is to be reckoned from one-quarter to six times of the height of the base.
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The next topic of this chapter refers to the measurement of the projections (*nirgama*) of pedestals. The height of the pedestal is divided into 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 equal parts; of these 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 are given to the projection. The nine kinds of projection are 1, 1¼, 1½, 1¾, 2, 2¼, 2½, 2¾, and 3 *hastas*. The projections may be 1, 1½, 2, 2½, 3, 3½, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 *daṇḍas*.
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After this, the pedestals are divided into three classes known as *vedi-bhadra*, *prati-bhadra*, and *mañcha-bhadra*. Each of these is subdivided into four types. The measures of the mouldings of each of these twelve kinds of pedestals are given in detail.
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The remaining portion of the chapter contains the names and measurement of the various mouldings which are to be employed in each of the twelve kinds of pedestal.