Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c74.s2.148

v2.c74.s2.148

A special feature of the Vāstu-texts, where the examination of stone is dwelt upon, is an elaborate procedure of its manifold tests—Śilāparīkṣā. These tests are both ritualistic and scientific as well. The earlier texts like Bhaviṣyapurāṇa, Bṛhatsaṁhitā and Matsyapurāṇa have special preference for wood. The Viṣṇudharmottara, however, lays down elaborate rules not only for the selection of the proper wood to be employed in making images, its expationations on the examination of the stone are also very elaborate and they more or less closely follow those enjoined in connection with Dāruparīkṣā. Dr. Bannerjea (cf. D. H. I. pp. 217-18) has taken full notice of the chapter on Śilāparīkṣā (the 19th) of the V. D. He has also given the extracts from Haribhaktivilāsa (the 18th) as taken from Haya-Śīrṣapañcarātra and has duly translated and commented upon them. There are however, some other texts like Śilparatna and Aparājita-pracchā which also have very rich discourse on this topic, a detailed notice of which will be taken here for the first time. A succinct summery of the contents of the first two texts will however introduce the topic and may be complimentary to the exposition of the matter from the S. R. and A. P.