Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v1.c23.4

v1.c23.4

Now the trees having been selected, the operation of cutting with an axe consists of certain rites and rituals of the Śāntika, and offering (Bali) together with the worship of gods in the night, is also enjoined upon before cutting. The offerings are made to propitiate the trees and their presiding spirits with the mantras quoted in the text. In the cutting operation if some unfavourable signs, such as flowing of blood honey, milk and clarified butter are noticed, the trees should be deemed unfit for employment in construction and they bring misfortune. On the other hand, if during the operation a profusion of the blackish, sweetish, fragrant or kaṣāya liquid comes out, it is deemed fit. Similarly the falling of a tree in a particular direction say East, or North or its falling at a distance making sounds and producing air, is considered good, otherwise it is abandoned after offering Śāntika. Similarly the infant and old (Bāla and Vṛddha) trees are also to be avoided. The colour, the oil and the bark are the criteria by which the age of the trees is ascertaind. For example, the age of the Śāla tree is three hundred years. It can be used only when it attains the age of sixteen and upto one hundred fifty. Hence trees of unfit age should be abandoned and also those which are fit in age but otherwise unfit, should be abandoned. Next is given another list of fit and unfit trees. In the end, certain technicalities called the maṇḍalas observed during the cutting operations and indicative of the animals and insects underneath the trees are described.