Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c74.s2.88

v2.c74.s2.88

It may be noted that tāla-measure is not altogether a new thing—aṅgula is its constituent. The Vaikhänasāgama has laid down that a tāla is constituted of 12 aṅgulas and has its various synonyms such as Vitasti, Mukha, Yama, Arka, Rāśi and Jagatī. In some texts Vitasti is more common while in others Mukha—vide Matsya purāṇa (Ch. 258. v. 19.) Again in this relative measure of Tāla-māna, the different varieties pertain to a single tāla itself, e. g. uttama, madhyama and adhama daśa-tāla, uttama navatālas, satryaṅgula nava-tāla, etc. etc. Except Matsyapurāṇa, no other Purāṇas or the Śilpa-texts of purely Nāgara school like the Samarāṅgaṇa-Sūtradhāra give their iconometrical proportions in tāla-measure. It is a characteristic of Āgamas and the Dravidian texts like Mānasāra and Śilparatna, etc. Dr. Bannerjea makes a significant remark—p. 326—“Thus it is quite likely that the tāla of different measurements was a comparatively late feature in the iconometrical system of India. The earlier method of arriving at the smaller and higher units was a much simpler and practical one”.