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Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v1.c36: Chapter LXI.

Vāstu-śāstra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v1.c36

Language
English

Chapter LXI.

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Mervādi-Viṁśikā-Nāgara-Prāsāda (The twenty Nāgara Temples).

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These twenty varieties of the Nāgara temples are the ‘twenty temples’ as described in the earliest of the treatises on Architecture as Viśvakarma-Prakāśa, Bṛhatsaṁhitā, Matsya-Purāṇa, and Bhaviṣya-Purāṇa. It is these which formed a nucleus of the later development of so many styles and types of temples within Nāgara school culminating in their most profound development in the Samarāṅgaṇa-Sūtradhāra where in chapter 57th as noticed before these varieties represent a tall architectural development. Though, as it would be evident from the perusal of these varieties, they are of various shapes, a selection was made and five basic shapes were to ramify in the several schools of medieval architecture, cf. 45 varieties of Agnipurāṇa and also sixty four varieties of the Samarāṅgaṇa-Sūtradhāra. Thus the Samarāṅgaṇa-Sūtradhāra, the most authoritative compendium of medieval architecture, while dealing with all this ramification and off-shoots of the Nāgara style into so many temple types and the manifold varieties thereof, has not forgotten these progenitors (fathers) of the temples representing a liberal assortment of architectural shapes. There too Meru, the Prāsādarāja, so much glorified in this text heads the list. The most characteristic feature of these temples is not only the cluster Śikhara but also super-structure so developed as to form one to 16 storeys; Prāsādarāja Meru having as many as 16 storeys, 100 Śṛṅgas and four doors.

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CHAPTER LXII.

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Śrīkūṭādiṣaṭtriṃśat Prāsādas (36 Prāsādas beginning with Śrīkūṭa).

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Here in this chapter the text in the very first line indicates the style of the temple architecture to which they belong. Though from the point of view of style an exhaustive survey has been done in chapter VI Part V, and all these Prāsādas described in this text are so arranged but it is helpful to allocate these Prāsādas at least for which the text itself offers the designation. All these varieties are technically arranged in six ṣaṭkas each an aggregate of six, viz.,

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1. Śrīkūṭādiṣaṭka
2. Antarīkṣa-ṣaṭka
3. Saubhājña-ṣaṭka
4. Sarvatobhadraṣaṭka
5. Citrakūṭaṣaṭka
6. Ujjayantaṣaṭka.

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It may be noted that in the last saṭka i. e. Ujjayanta from which Meru, Mandara, Kailāsa and Kumbha are said to have been born are only so hinted and not described perhaps for the simple reason that these Prāsādas (Meru heading the list) are so many times described. Another point to note is that all these 36 principal varieties of Nāgara temples (with Śṛṅgas, Aṇḍakas, Śikharas etc.) characterised by Chādya etc., with their sub-divisions into superior, middle and inferior types assume the total one hundred and eight. The criterion however, of these superior, middle or inferior types being a slight difference hither and thither in the architectural planning. Lastly a particular mention which may be made of these temples as enumerated here in this list is that their proportions, as enjoined by the text are too small to fit with great temples of the towns. The text further lays down that these are fit abodes of Yakṣas, Nāgas and Rākṣasas. Thus in my opinion these are little shrines fit to be built in hamlets and other small human settlements (the specimens of which abound everywhere in the country side).

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*N. B.* Another equally notable temple style is Drāvida style (the second member of the triad, Vesara, the third member conspicuous by its absence and substituted by Vāvāṭa). The ternary has been developed into Pañcāyatana here—Nāgara, Lāṭa, Dravida, Vāvāṭa and Bhūmija with so many other sub-styles and types of temples.

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