Yantras or Mechanical Contrivances in Ancient India c2.147

c2.147

In the course of the Madanamañcukā story in VI. 3, Somadeva narrates in his *Kathāsaritsāgara* the episode of Somaprabhā, the daughter of Maya, who takes a fancy to Madanamañcukā and becomes her great friend; Somaprabhā and Svayamprabhā, of *Rāmāyaṇa* and *Pañcāpsaras* fame, were two daughters of the Asura architect Maya. One morning Somaprabhā calls on Madanamañcukā with a wonder-box full of various kinds of mechanical dolls. Maya himself had taught Somaprabhā how to make these yantras, mechanical wooden toys.