Chapter 22 - The four-storeyed buildings (catustala or caturbhūmi)

1. The setting up and the features of the four-storeyed buildings [viz., catustala or caturbhūmi] will be described now.

2. The breadth, the height, and the division (bhakti) (thereof) should be made as before.

3-11. Of the nineteen parts of the height, the height of the plinth (masūraka) should be one part and a half; twice that should be the height of the pillar, and half of that the height of the entablature; the height of the pillar above that should be one and three-fourths parts or two parts; the height of its entablature should be one part, and the pillar (above) one and three-fourths parts; the entablature (mañca) above should be three-fourths of a part, and the pillar above twice that; half of that (the latter) should be the height of the entablature, and the platform (vedikā) should be constructed of half a part; the height of the neck (gala) should be one part, and that of the head (śiras) two parts; half of that should be the height of the small dome (stūpi): from the bottom upwards should be made (these members); decorated with the side-tower (karṇa-harmya), etc., it is said to be the Viṣṇukānta.

12-23. The height being divided into forty-two parts, the plinth should be three parts, and twice that the height of the pillar; the height of the entablature should be three parts, and the pillar above six parts; the entablatures (mañca) should, be two parts and a half, and the height of the pillar (above) four parks and a half; half of that should be the height of the entablature (thereof), and the pillar (above) three and three-fourths parts; the entablature (thereof) should be three parts, and the height of the platform, (vedikā) half of that; the height of the neck (gala) should be two parts, and the height of the head (mastaka) four parts; and the height of the small dome (stūpi) should be two parts, and particularly at its (dome’s) bottom the surrounding balcony (alinda) should be constructed of one part of the width; beyond that it (the balcony) should extend by one part the top of the main pillar; it should be enriched with the basement, and the other features, and be decorated with the side-tower (karṇa-harmya), etc.; and it should be furnished with all ornaments: this is said to be the Catur-mukha.

24-32. The height should be divided into forty-one parts; (of this) the height of the plinth (masūraka) should be half a part; the height of the pillar should be five parts, and half of that the height; of the entablature; the pillar above should be four parts, and the entablature two parts; the pillar above should be four and a half parts, and half of that the height of the entablature; above that the pillar should be three parts, and the entablature (mañca) above one part and a half; the height of the platform (vedikā) should be one part, and that of the neck (grīva) twice that; tha spherical roof (śikhara;) should be four parts, and the remainder the height of the finial (śikhā); at the bottom should be made four doors and the other features as before; it should be decorated with all ornaments: this is called the Sadā-śiva.

33-42. The height of the building being divided into thirty-two parts, the height of the plinth should be two parts, and twice that the height of the pillar; the height of the entablature (mañca) should be four parts, and the base (masūraka) above one part; above that the pillar should be four parts, and half of that the height of the beam (or entablature) (gopāna); above that, the base (kuṭṭima) should be one part, and the height of the pillar two parts and a half; the height of the entablature should be one and one-fourth, parts, and the base (masūraka) above three-fourths of a parts; the pillar should be two and one-fourth parts, and the height of the entablature one part; half of that should be the height of the platform (vedikā), and the height of the neck (gala) one part and a half; the height of the spherical roof (śikhara) should be three parts, and half of that the height of the head (śiras); it should be decorated with the sidetowers (karṇa-harmya), etc., this is called the Rudrakānta.

43-45. Of this (i.e., Īśvarakānta) building (too), the lower partis (i.e, bottom) should be made as before; it should be furnished with four doors and a portico (bhadra) made of one part; and its plinth, etc., should be furnished in order: this is called the Īśvarakānta.

46-56. The height should be divided into fifteen parts; (of this) the plinth (masūraka) should be three parts; the height of fete pillar should be sis parts, and that of the entablature three parts; equal to that should be the upper entablature (mañca), and the cage-(pillar) (pañjara) above that one part; half of that should be the height of the entablature, and the upper entablature (mañca) two parts; the height of the platform (vedikā) should be one part, and that of the neck (gala) two parts and a half; the upper pillar should be four parts, and the height of the entablature two parts; above that the entablature (mañca) should be half a part, and the pillar four parts and a half; half of that should be the height of the entablature, and one-fourth of a part the entablature (mañcakā) above; the height of the platform (vedikā) should be one part, and that of the neck (gala) two parts and a half; the height of the head (mastaka) should be five parts, and the remainder should be the height of the pitcher (kumbha); in should be decorated with the side-tower (karṇa-harmya), etc.: this is called the Mañcakānta;

57-58. The same with a tower (vimāna) at the top (of the sanctuary) and a platform (vedikā), being decorated with all ornaments and the rest being made as before is (called) the Vedikānta.

59-87. The (whole) height being divided into twenty-six parts, the height of the plinth (masūraka) should be one part and a half; the height of the pillar should be eleven parts, and half of that the height of the entablature; the base should be one and one-fourth parts and the height of the pillar two parts and a hall; half of that should be the height of the entablature, and the base (masūraka) above that one part; the height of the pillar should be two parts, and that of the entablature (mañca) one part; the pillar should be two parts minus one-fourth, and half of that the height of the entablature; the height of the pillar should be one and one-fourth parts, and half of that the height of the entablature; above that the pillar should be one part, and the height of the entablature half a part; equal to that should be the height of the platform (vedi), and the height of the neck (grīva) one part; the height of the spherical roof (śikhara) should be two parts, and the remainder the height of the dome (stūpi). The (images of) gods should be installed at the bottom, middle, and top. On the top of that (edifice) should be made the roof resembling a sphere (śikhara) in the fourth storey. Of the suitable width four external parts at the bottom should be covered; or this (covered portion) may be half of ox equal to the (whole) width; that should be decided in accordance with one’s discretion. The base, the pillar, and the entablature: these three (principal) members, as well as the pinnacle over the pavilion on the attic (śālā-kūṭa) and the chain (hārā) should be fittingly made in their own place; it should be decorated (all over) from the bottom (upwards) with all kinds of ornaments befitting the main edifice; it (the building) should be furnished with the side-tower (karṇa-harmya), etc., made of two parts at the top; optionally, with the half of the width an enclosure may be made around; the side-tower (karṇa-harmya) should be made of one part, and inside that should be the reservoir of water; optionally, the expert (architect) should make the balcony (alinda) cohering two parts; the two parts above (that) beyond the breadth, should be covered as before; the end of that should be made as before; the parts are thus ornamented; it should be furnished with the side-tower (karṇa-harmya), etc., made of one part around; the balconies (alinda) should be made around with one part, and at their top should be the reservoirs of water; beyond that also all the limbs should be furnished with, the side-tower (karṇa-harmya), etc.; the length of the pavilion (śālā) at the middle (of the attic) should be made of two parts; the pinnacles (kūṭa) should be made of one part each, and with the remainder the chain (hārā) together with the window (pañjara): this is called the Indrakānta of the smallest, the intermediate, and the largest types.

88. It should be furnished with pavilions (maṇḍapa) in the front as well as at the right side.

89-90. The staircases should be made from the middle of the front ascending towards the top in. the case of human dwellings; they should be attached to the rest of the wall at its middle (proceeding) upwards.

91. The rest is directed to be as before; these are said to be the eight kinds (of setting of the four-storeyed edifices).

92. The temples of all gods should be (made) in the smallest, the intermediate, and the largest types.

93. In cases of others (i.e., residential buildings) the aforesaid measures should be fittingly made: such has been directed by the ancients.

94-97. With various bases, pillars, and roofs of many kinds; with pinnacles, nests (niches), pavilions, porticoes, and various sanctuaries supported by eight columns; with many small vestibules various attic windows, platforms, arches, large vestibules and windows; with (various) compartments, the (images of the) gods who are the masters of the sanctuary, (as well as) the heavenly anchorites (Vidyādhara) the decoration should be completed.

98-101. In the smallest, the intermediate, and the largest types of temples of Śiva, Viṣṇu, Jina, and others, the images of Dakṣiṇā, Nārasiṃha, and all other gods mentioned above should be made.

102-105. All these images, namely, of Dakṣiṇā and others, should be made at the bottom of the buildings of one and more storeys, and (also) at the neck because of its prominence the wise (architect) should discreetly make the images of all gods.

Thus in the Mānasāra, the science of architecture, the twenty-second chapter, entitled: “The description of the four-storeyed buildings.”