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.s30: The Āgastya
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.s30
- Language
- English
The Āgastya
v6.c40.s30.1
Āgastya is a name frequently cited, we have seen above, as an authority on architecture. Unfortunately, the manuscripts discovered are incomplete and devoted solely to sculpture. One of the manuscripts bearing the title *Āgastya-Sakalādhikāra* contains the following chapters :
v6.c40.s30.2
(1) *Māna-saṁgraha*—system of measurement, *Mānasāra*, II, LV.
(2) *Uttama-daśa-tāla*—large type of the ten-*tāla* measure, *M.*, LXV.
(3) *Madhyama-daśa-tāla*—intermediate type of the ten-*tāla* measure, *M.*, LVI.
(4) *Adhama-daśa-tāla*—small type of the ten-*tāla* measure, *M.*, XLI.
(5) *Pratimā-lakshaṇa*—general rules on images, *M.*, LXIV.
(6) *Vṛishabha-vāhana-lakshaṇa*—bull, the riding animal of Śiva, *M.*, LXII.
(7) *Naṭeśvara-vidhi*—image of Naṭeśvara (dancing Śiva), *M.*, LI.
(8) *Shoḍaśa-pratimā-lakshaṇa*—sixteen images, *M.*, LXIV.
(9) *Dāru-saṁgraha*—collection of wood, cf. *M.*, XV.
(10) *Mṛit-saṁskāra*—preparing earth for images, mentioned in various places, cf. *M.*, LXVIII.
(11) *Varṇa-saṁskāra*—preparation of colours, mentioned in various places in *M.*
v6.c40.s30.3
In a Madras manuscript the following topics are described¹ :
v6.c40.s30.4
¹ In the Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras, there are two fragmentary MSS. ascribed to Āgastya (Cat., Vol. XXII, nos. 13046, 13047). They deal with astrological matters bearing upon architecture. In the same library (Cat., Vol. XXII, no. 13058) there is a large manuscript of 429 pages, of 25 lines to a page, of paper 13½" × 8". Two large portions of this compilation are ascribed to Āgastya.
v6.c40.s30.5
(1) *Māna-saṁgraha-viśesha*—specially on measures, *M.*, II, LV.
(2) *Uttama-daśa-tāla*—large type of the ten-*tāla*, *M.*, LXV.
(3) *Madhyama-daśa-tāla*—intermediate type of the ten-*tāla*, *M.*, LXVI.
(4) *Somaskanda-lakshaṇa*—image of Soma and Skanda, *M.*, not specified.
(5) *Chandra-śekhara-lakshaṇa*—image of Śiva, *M.*, LI, LII.
(6) *Vṛishabha-vāhana-lakshaṇa*—image of the bull, *M.*, LXII.
v6.c40.s30.6
Chapters 7 to 18 seem to be missing. It is not clear whether or not the following 7–14 (which numbers are not found in the compilation) are to be attributed to Agastya :
v6.c40.s30.7
(7) *Tripurāntaka-lakshaṇa*—image of Śiva, cf. *M.*, LI, LII.
v6.c40.s30.8
(8) *Kalyāṇa-sundara-lakshaṇa*—image of Kalyāṇa-Sundara.
(9) *Ardha-nārīśvara-lakshaṇa*—image of Śiva, *M.*, LI, LII.
(10) *Pāśupata-lakshaṇa*—image of Śiva, *M.*, LI, LII.
(11) *Bhikshāṭana-lakshaṇa*—image of Śiva as a beggar, *M.*, not specified.
(12) *Chaṇḍeśānugraha-lakshaṇa*—image of Śiva, *M.*, LI, LII.
(13) *Dakshiṇā-mūrti-lakshaṇa*—image of Śiva, *M.*, LI, LII.
(14) *Kāla-dahana-lakshaṇa*—image of Śiva, *M.*, LI, LII. (15–18) Apparently missing.
(19) *Pratimā-lakshaṇa*—images, *M.*, LXIV.
v6.c40.s30.9
In another portion of the compilation the following chapters are numbered, as shewn in parallel column :
(20) (3) *Upapīṭha-vidhāna*—pedestal (for image), *M.*, XIII, LIII.
(21) (9) *Śūla-māna-vidhāna*—measurement of pikes for images, cf. *M.*, LXVII.
(22) (10) *Rajju-bandha-saṁskāra-vidhi*—making ropes, *M.*, II.
(23) (11) *Varṇa-saṁskāra*—preparation of colours mentioned in various places in *M.*
(24) (12) *Akshi-mokshaṇa*—chiselling of the eye, *M.*, LXX.
v6.c40.s30.10
We have seen above that Āgastya is mentioned, together with Maya, as one of the authorities on which Viśvakarma's treatise is based. Āgastya was, therefore, presumably known to Viśvakarman. Owing to the incomplete nature of Āgastya's extant works the connexion of Āgastya with *Mayamata* and with the *Mānasāra* is not clear at present. It is true, however, that several chapters of *Āgastya* are strikingly similar to, if not taken from, the corresponding chapters of the *Mānasāra*.