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) v7.c47.7203

v7.c47.7203

But the expression “versed in all śāstras” need not be taken in too literal a sense. What architects are expected to know can be inferred from the details given occasionally in many places in the *Mānasāra* and other works. The chapters on the selection of site and the minute examination of soil (*see* Bhū-parīkshā) will indicate an intimate knowledge of practical geology, which is essentially necessary for architectural purposes. The chapters on gnoman (*see* Śaṅku) and site plan (*see* Pada-vinyāsa) demand proficiency in mathematics (*see also* Jāla). The frequent references to the minute examination of trees and wood show a fair amount of knowledge in timber work (Botany). The examination of stones and bricks for building purposes, the preparation of different colours and mixtures of different materials for painting, and the testing of jewels, etc., for decorative purposes, point to an acquaintance with chemistry and other allied sciences.