Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (study)
by K. Vidyuta | 2019 | 33,520 words
This page relates ‘1-2. Etymology and Definition of Prakara’ of the study on the Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (in English) with special reference to the characteristics of Prakara (temple-components), Mandapa (pavilions) and Gopura (gate-house). The Silpa-Sastras refers to the ancient Indian science of arts and crafts, such as sculpture, architecture and iconography. This study demonstrates the correlatation between ancient Indian monuments (such as temples and sculptures) and the variety of Sanskrit scriptures dealing with their construction.
1-2. Etymology and Definition of Prākāra
Etymology:
Prākāra is an essential part of architecture which is known to us as a component of a temple. During ancient times, the prākāras were not only part of a temple but also a city or town.
The Amarakośa (II. 2. 3) defines a prākāra as a rampart or an enclosure or a wall:
Mallinātha[1] commenting on the above verse says that the words vapra, sāla, prākāra and varaṇa are synonyms, drawing support from Abhidhāna Ratnamālā (II. 133):
prākāraḥ -sālaḥ | prākāranāmāni | ‘koṭa’ | dehalīdīpanyāyād vapramapi | ‘vapraṃ sālaṃ prākāramāhurararaṃ kavāṭaṃ ca’ iti halāyudhaḥ ||
Kāśyapa in his Śilpaśāstra, deals with the Prākāra lakṣaṇa in the forty-third chapter. He describes the various measurements involved in its construction, its utilitarian value and then explains in detail the various component structures of the prākāra.
Mānasāra in the opening verse of the chapter on the Prākāra has an optional reading as balyartham denoting its utility for bali, viz., offerings.
Definition:
Kāśyapa[2] prescribes that the prākāras are designed to serve the purpose of protection and decoration of śālās (rooms or houses) and sadanas (mansions) (XLIII. 1):
atha vakṣye viśeṣeṇa prākārāṇāṃ ca lakṣaṇam |
rakṣārthaṃ śobhanārthaṃ ca śālāyāḥ sadanasya ca ||
Similarly the other Śilpa texts like Mānasāra[3] and the Śilparatna[4] from the same School of architecture also define prākāras in the same way and emphasise that they are built for security, for enhancing the beauty and for accommodating the parivāras (attending deities).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Amarakośa with Amarapadavivṛti and Amarapadapārijāta, critically edited by Prof. A. A. Ramanathan, The Adyar Library and Research Centre, 1971, p. 196.
[2]:
Note: The verses quoted are generally from the Kāśyapa Śilpaśāstra edition of the Maharishi University of Management (web version). In case of omission of verses and unintelligible verses, better readings have been adopted suiting the context.
[3]:
XXXI. 1: balārthaṃ parivārārthaṃ śobhārthaṃ rakṣaṇārthakam | pañcaprākāraharmyāṇāṃ adhunā vakṣyate kramāt ||
[4]:
XXIV. 1: prāsādasadanādīnāṃ rakṣālaṅkārasiddhaye | vaprāṇi kramataḥ kuryāt pañcadvitryekasaṃkhyayā ||