Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c74.s8.1

v2.c74.s8.1

There are three manuals of note which have treated the subject of Ābhuṣaṇa in connection with the general canons of Iconography. These are Mānasāra, Aparājita-pracchā and Śilparatna. The relevent portions of these texts have been gathered together in the writer’s ‘Pratimā-lakṣaṇa’, also appended with this work (cf. pp. 46-55). Amongst these, Mānasāra has devoted two chapters dealing with ‘Mauli’ and ‘Bhuṣaṇa’—the contents to be utilised ahead [cf. (c) headgear]. The second text, the Aparājita-pracchā, of Bhuvanadevācharya, has unique distinction to have treated very systematically all the traditional sixteen ornaments. Sodaśābhūṣaṇas, the sixteen types of ornaments, are also as famous as Sattrimśatiāyudhas, the thirty-six types of weapons (already dealt with). The third text, Śilpa-ratna, however, restricts its treatment to the general description of both the ornaments as well as other items of dress and decorations as well as weapons and implements, etc., etc. under the general heading ‘Kirīṭādilakṣaṇa’ the 16th Chap. All these contents as incorporated in Pr. Lak. (46-53) will be briefly made use of in the following exposition.