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India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c8.s9: Section 9. Dwellings

India as Known to Pāṇini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashṭādhyāyī c8.s9

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Section 9. Dwellings

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Pāṇini acquaints us with the principal architectural patterns of buildings found in a big city, *e.g.* *rāja-sabhā* (the king's council-hall, II.4.23), *geha*, *gṛiha* (houses, III.1.144), *nivāsa* and *nikāyya* (residential buildings or quarters, III.1.129), *chhātrī-śālā* (hostels for women, VI.2.86), words ending in *agāra*, like *koshṭhāgāra* (royal store-houses, IV.4.70), *nishadyā* (rest-houses, III.3.99), *dvāra* (city-gates, IV.3.86), *parikhā* (moats, V.1.17), *kapāṭa* (door leaves, III.2.54) and *parigha* (bolts, VIII.2.22).

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*ŚĀLĀ*—*Śālā* was used for a variety of buildings, *e.g.* *sabhā* (council-hall II.4.24, *Aśālā cha*); *chhātrī-śālā* (female hostel, VI.2.86); *gośālā* and *kharaśālā* (stables for cows and asses, IV. 3.35); the last one being also found in the *Atharvaveda* and *Brāhmaṇas* (*Vedic Index*, II.376). *Śālā* was also used for a granary room for storing corn with an opening called *śālā-bila* (VI.2.102). It was a Vedic word (*Vedic Index*, II.376).

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*HOUSES*—The Vedic word for home was *gṛiha*. Pāṇini also uses the term *gṛiha* (III.1.144) which the *Kāśikā* explains as *veśma* or homestead, or as the women in residence there (*tātsthyād-dārāścha*), implying that the women constituted principally the household. Three other terms were also used, *viz.* *geha* (III.1.144), *agāra* (III.3.79) and *kshaya* (VI.1.201; cf. Sabhāparva, 33.16, *ajāyata Yādukshaye*, Kṛishṇa born in the house of Yadu). *Agāra* occurs once in the *Kaushītaki Upanishad* (*Vedic Index*, 1.7).

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Pāṇini refers to officers (*niyukta*), in charge of buildings ending in *agāra* (IV.4.69-70), *e.g.* *bhāṇḍāgārika*, *devāgārika*, *koshṭhāgārika* (*Kāśikā*). *Agāra* indicated a larger building with several parts, one of which (*agār-aika-deśa*) was called *praghaṇa* or *praghāṇa* (III.3.79), explained by the *Kāśikā* as the rooms in the outer gateway of a building (*bāhya-dvāra-prakoshṭha*). (Cf. Pali *paghana*, a covered terrace before a house, *Vin.* II.153; *paghanaṁ nāma yaṁ nikkhamantā cha pavisantā cha pādehi hananti*, Buddhaghosha). In the *Udaya Jātaka* there is a reference to *koṭṭhaka* which the commentary translates as *dvāra-koṭṭhaka* (*Jāt.* Vol. IV. 106). Dr. Coomaraswamy understands *dvāra-koṭṭhaka* specifically as gatehouses, which formed part of the gateways in the wall of a city and of which several examples are found in ancient Indian art (Early Indian Architecture, 'Cities and City-Gates,' p. 209, *Eastern Art Annual*, 1930, Vol. 11; Skt. *alinda*).

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NISHADYĀ—In *sūtra*, III.3.99 Pāṇini gives *nishadyā* as a specific word (*saṁjñā*) meaning a rest-house. The *niṁsi (d) yās* (resting places) are referred to by Aśoka (Pillar Edict VII). The Nāgarjunī Hill Caves were built for providing shelter to monks during rains (*vāsa-nisidiyāya*=*varshā-nishadyāyai*).

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NIKĀYYA AND NIKĀYA—These are synonymous of *nivāsa*, a dwelling place (III.1.129; III.3.341), and are in this sense peculiarly Pāṇinian words. It is not certain whether they were used to denote only the residence of monks. In the *Manu Smṛiti* we find the word *deva-nikāya* (I.36), taken by the commentators as *deva-nivāsa-sthāna*. *Nikāya* occurs once in the *Yajurveda*, but as the name of a *chhanda* denoting Vāyu (*Śatapatha*, VIII.5.2.5, commenting on *Yaj.*, XV.5). The *Arthaśāstra* also uses *nikāya* once, but in quite a different sense, *viz.* *saṅgha* (Text. II.4, p. 55).

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EKAŚĀLIKA—The word *eka-śālika*, or its optional form *aikaśālika*, was of some practical importance. Pāṇini derives it as *eka-śālā iva*, 'that which is like one (man's) building' (V.3.109). It did not mean the owner of a single house, but it denoted a dwelling-place, which in respect of its use was reserved as one man's building, *i.e.* not intended for public use. The Tinduka-vana of queen Mallikā, wife of king Prasenjit, in the vicinity of Śrāvastī (*Dīgha Nikāya*, I. p. 278) was formerly *eka-sālaka* used as her own pleasance or for her guests. Such a residence was called *rājāgāraka* (Brahmajāla Sutta). Subsequently this park-house was thrown open to the Buddhist community (*bahū sālā katā*; *Sumaṅgala-Vilāsinī*, II. p. 365). It was a matter of some consequence in the social life of that period whether a park-residence of some rich man was of the nature of *ekaśālika*, i.e. reserved for personal use, or was thrown open for public use. We know from the story of Anāthapiṇḍika how he converted the garden of Prince Jeta which used to be *eka-śālika* (i.e. reserved for his own use) into a public residence for the use of the entire Buddhist Saṁgha.

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MATERIALS—Pāṇini refers to bricks among building materials in the phrase *ishṭaka-chita*, denoting something constructed with bricks (VI.3.65). The Pāli literature also mentions *iṭṭhakā-vaḍḍhaki* or brick-layers. (Dr. Coomaraswamy, City and City-Gates, p. 211; *Jāt.* VI. p. 333).

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The roof of a house is called *chhadis*, probably denoting the thatched covering known as *chhappar*. The word *chhādisheya* refers to the material with which the *chhadis* was made (V.1.13). The actual doorway (*dvāra*) opened or closed with a pair of leaves called *kapāṭa*. Reference is made to daring burglars (*kapāṭaghna chaura*) battering against the leaves of a door-way to secure entrance (III.2.54). The *Mahākaṇha Jātaka* refers to battering against the palace-door (*kavāṭe ṭhapetvā*, IV.182). The closed door panels were secured from inside by a bar drawn across called *parigha* or *paligha* (VIII.2.22), which meant an iron bolt (*Vedic Index*, I.494).

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Besides the residential and public buildings, there were market-places (*āpaṇa*, III.3.119) where commercial commodities (*paṇya*) were stocked and saleable goods (*krayya*, VI.1.82) were displayed.

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Pāṇini also refers to the old Vedic god Vāstoshpati (IV.2.32), the presiding deity of *vāstu* or homestead. Two older words, *kshaya*, 'abode' (VI.1.201) and *āvasatha* (V.4.23), are also mentioned. The precise sense of *āvasatha* appears to be a place for the reception of guests, especially Brāhmaṇas and others on the occasion of feasts and sacrifices (*Vedic Index*, I.66). According to Pāṇini: 'One who lives in an *āvasatha* is called *āvasathika*' (IV.4.74). The religious guest-house was identical with that part of a householder's dwelling in which the household fire (*āvasathya agni*) was established.¹

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¹ We are indebted to Patañjali for preserving two important architectural terms, viz., *āmalakī* and *valabhī* (Bhāshya, VI.2.82; III.132) denoting the pinnacle and the cornice-mouldings respectively, which figure so prominently in the earliest representations of buildings in the sculpture of Bharhut and Sanchi.

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