The Sanskrit term Pratimāprāsādalakṣaṇakathana can be transliterated into English as Pratimaprasadalaksanakathana or Pratimaprasadalakshanakathana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts (vastu)

Pratimāprāsādalakṣaṇakathana (प्रतिमाप्रासादलक्षणकथन) (lit. “chapter concerning the description of temples and icons”) is the name of chapter 24 of the Sāttvatasaṃhitā: one of the most ancient of Pāñcarātra Āgamas consisting of roughly 3500 verses which stresses the theological standpoint of the oneness of God despite his various vyūhas (modes of existence), vibhavas (manifestations) and avatāras (incarnations).

Description of the chapter [pratimāprāsādalakṣaṇakathana]: This chapter deals with the construction and iconography of icons, and the preparation and description of the temple which will be used to house those icons. Icons can be of the form of painted pictures on wall, wood and cloth (4-5), or else fashioned of clay (9, 12-13, 21-32), wood (6b-8), stone or metal (10); they are not to be made with precious jewels both because these are out of the reach of common folk and because they tend to distract one from his religious meditation. Furthermore, they are difficult to fashion, etc. (11, 15-17). After telling briefly about the selection of proper clays, the narrative then turns to the selection and collection of wood and stone materials for icons—these matters being treated together (12-13, 33-91a). Then comes a long section on the measurement of the pedestals of different designs for the different mūrti-forms they support (237-279).

Then the chapter turns to a consideration of the structure which will house the icons: construction begins on an auspicious day by digging foundations. A hole is dug and refilled, God is worshipped, Vāstupuruṣa is satisfied, and other preliminary rites are attended to (280-305). The first stones (either bricks or stones, with no explicit reference to number or “sex”) are prepared and worshipped where one [mahāśilā] is placed in the previously filled pit; after other ceremonies (to 357) the construction begins (306-357). Measurements of the temple and its parts are then given, using the size and measurements of the pīṭha as the standard for proportional measurements: garbhageha (358-391), the maṇḍapa (392-408), along with pratiṣṭhā-directions (since the maṇḍapa may be sanctified even before the icon is dedicated); the prākāra-courtyards with their embellishments, making for some seven different types of temples [anantabhuvana, jagatīka, caturāyatana, pañcāyatana, aṣṭāyatana, daśāyatana, dvādaśāyatana], each with particular characteristics (409-430a). There are promising rewards for those who build one or another of the different types of temples (430b-432a).

context information

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Kathana.

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