Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c74.s2.149

v2.c74.s2.149

The sum and substance of this Viṣṇudharmottara's Śilāparīkṣā is that in the procurement of the Śilā for image-making the Sthapati, the sculptor, should go under auspicious stars. The colour would vary according to the devotees belonging to the four castes—white, red, yellow and black stones are recommended for the Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas and Sūdras respectively. It is further laid down that stone preferred should be of one colour. It should be “smooth, imbedded in earth, without any grains of sand in its layers, good to look at, washed by spiring water or merged in water, shaded by trees and hailing from sacred Tīrthas, of good length, breadth and thickness (āyāmapariṇahāḍhyām)..etc.”—Bannerjea’s translation. The further text prescribes various modes of testing the selected stone. They are, called Śilālepas. The details of Śilāparīkṣā as laid down in the Haribhakti-vilāsa are more or less in the line of those of the V. D. Here though they are more ritualistic, nevertheless embody certain very scientific statements. Its details of the different types of stones are worthy of mention. These are “yuvā (youthful), madhyā (of middle age), bālā (very young) and vrddhā (old) of which the first two only are to be used for images (these refer to the geological age of particular varieties); stone of masculine, feminine and neuter gender are to be destingushed with the help of their characterstic signs such as their ring and their glaze. The main image should be made of masculine stone, the pedestal of feminine, while the piṇḍikā (lowermost base) of the neuter (Pumlingaih pratimā Kāryā strīlingaih pādapīṭhikā । piṇḍīkārtham to sā grāhyā dṛṣtvā ya ṣaṇḍa-lakṣaṇā)”—Bannerjea’s translation. The further text goes on with the different varieties of the pedestal and they may not be enumerated here as they are common to what will folow when linga-icons along with their predestals are taken up ahead. With this general introduction to this substance of stone to be used in making images as gathered from the V. D. and H. V. let us now concentrate on the contents of S. R. and A. P.