Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v1.c28.3

v1.c28.3

Yantras consist firstly of the recreational type, such as Śayyā-prasarpaṇa from the first floor to upper floors; dolls’ Nāḍīprabodhana, the display of the wonders—such as fire in water etc; microscope-like Golakabhramaṇa machine, showing the movements of the heavenly bodies; wooden-man going a distance of as many as eight miles (one yojana); the dancing doll pouring oil in the lamps; wooden elephant drinking water in profusion; the wooden parrots, singing dancing etc.; Jalayantras bringing water from the vāpis, wells, etc. and depositing the same, so on and so forth; secondly those service-machines like wooden bird machine travelling in the sky, wooden vimāna-machine, i.e. the aeroplane, door-keeper machine, soldier machine, servant machines and maid servant machines; thirdly the machines of warfare like Śataghnī (100 killer) and Cāpayantras are also described. Fourthly, the most characteristic of the medieval yantras, the water machines are described. The Vāriyantras have four varieties (see Study). Another variety of water machines is the five-fold Dhārāgṛha. Lastly the five Rathadolās, the swinging machines (see ibid) are also enumerated.