South Indian Bronzes: A Historical Survey of South Indian Sculpture with Iconographical Notes Based on Original Sources c6.24

c6.24

The next name in the art-history of South India is that of the sage Kasyapa celebrated in the *purāṇas* and the other sacred writings of great antiquity. He was probably the successor to Agastya in his mission of the aryanisation of the Dravidian countries, and was perhaps the same person as the father of Kanāda the great Hindu philosopher and founder of the Vaisesika system. He is one of the seven Rishis who are said to have survived the great deluge and to have peopled the earth after that great event. Kasyapa is very well known in South India as the reputed author of the most elaborate handbook dealing with South Indian sculpture which is known as the *Kāsyapiya*. (Lit. 'appertaining to or written by Kasyapa'). This work has attained universal authority amongst all the sculptors of South India up to the present time and the young pupils are even now taught to learn by heart the verses given in this book regarding the rules of construction and measurements of images. The available manuscripts of this work are far more clear and accurate than those of the other works on *silpasāstra*. His original work comprised also matters relating to architecture and the cognate subjects.