History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c35.s1.1

v1.c35.s1.1

The ancient Indian literature abounds with references to the furniture known through the ages. The common Indian term to denote furniture in Pali, Senāsana and Sanskrit, Śayanāsana. The Śayanāsana or Senāsana is a compound consisting of two words — Śayana and āsana. When furniture is meant to be denoted in a collective sense we have the use of the form Senāsanam or Śayanāsanam and where it is meant to be denoted in detail, we have the use of the plural form Śayanānyāsanāni¹ (Shastri, 1969, p. 250). Thus, furniture was technically known as Śayanāsana or Sayyāsana corresponding to Pali Senāsana.