Early Indian Architecture: I. Cities and City-Gates, etc.; II. Bodhi-gharas c9.s6.2

c9.s6.2

Sanskrit *prāsāda*, Pali *pāsāda*, Prakrit *pāsāya*, is constantly employed to designate a mansion, typically of several storeys. More often than not the word denotes a palace or other pretentious dwelling; but elsewhere also a monastery or temple. The term applies always to an entire structure, not to a single storey or terrace. Here we shall consider the *prāsāda* primarily as a king's palace or the mansion of a wealthy merchant; but since we are concerned more with the structure than with the special usage, the data met with in connection with monastery or other *prāsādas* will not be excluded.²