The Sanskrit term Śūlasthāpana can be transliterated into English as Sulasthapana or Shulasthapana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Open Editions: The architectural teachings of Ajitagama and Rauravagama

Śūlasthāpana (शूलस्थापन) [=śūlasthāpanam] is the name of chapter 58 of the Kriyāpāda of the Ajitāgama, an important Śaiva Siddhānta treatises dealing with detailed descriptions of the architecture of Śiva temples.

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Shilpashastra (iconography)

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

1) Śūlasthāpana (शूलस्थापन) (lit. “installation of the wood frame for a plaster or clay icon”) is the name of chapter 6 of the Mārkaṇḍeyasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra text comprising some 2200 Sanskrit verses mainly dealing with temple-building, iconography, pūjā (worship procedures), utsava (festivities) and prāyaścitta (expiatory measures).

Description of chapter [śūlasthāpana]: There are several steps that are involved in the so-called “śūlasthāpana-ceremonies” (1-5). A piece of wood of a certain size should be procured, along with the acceptable kinds of clay [see preceding chapter]. After the clays are properly mixed, they are put in pots with some bark from trees and mixed with the drippings of raw meat. This mixture is set aside for one month (6-13а). To the piece of wood which has been procured certain places are measured off and assigned as parts of (the intended idol’s) body-face, thighs, wrists-and in so far as this is done a good image [pratimā] will result (13b-18). Śūlādhivāsa-rites are then prepared for, and as part of these preparations a maṇḍapa is to be constructed in front of the prāsāda, decorated, and purified (20-47). In this maṇḍapa the Ācārya will prepare a dais bearing a maṇḍala-design-which design may be either of the “bhadra” or of the “svastika” pattern. The Ācārya should also attend to some other preparatory measures, including sprinkling the maṇḍapa and sprouting some seedlings [aṅkurārpaṇa]. After these things have been done he may place the śūla there (48-55). Śūlādhivāsa itself requires that the Ācārya meditates upon the Lord of Lords as in the center of the śūla before he undertakes to perform the numerous bathing-rites and other rituals that may take, collectively, as long as from one to three days—e.g. jalādhivāsa (56-80a), snapana (83b), procession of the “Lord”.—[note that the śūla is now referred to as “deva” in 82a, 84b] to the temple (84-85), snapana (86b), a śayana for the śūla Lord and His consort (87), and other forms of worship. One of the final actions relating to this śūla-frame is to enjoin [viniyojayet] the presence of the tattvas into the śūla as it is lying recumbent on the śayana, whereupon a bath [snāna] is given to the 25 tattvas in the order of their importance (89). The śūlādhivāsa-rites end with a homa-ceremony (90 ff.).

The following day the Ācārya takes the decorated śūla-frame to the garbhageha and he installs [sthāpayet] it there (viz., Viṣṇu, with Śrī and Bhū on either side, as well as Varāha, et al. 100-106b). Cakra, etc., are then to be prepared by an expert śilpin with all attention to details and according to the rules of śilpaśāstra (107).

2) Śūlasthāpana (शूलस्थापन) refers to the “placement of the śūla-frame”, as discussed in chapter 13 (Kriyāpāda) of the Padmasaṃhitā: the most widely followed of Saṃhitā covering the entire range of concerns of Pāñcarātra doctrine and practice (i.e., the four-fold formulation of subject matter—jñāna, yoga, kriyā and caryā) consisting of roughly 9000 verses.—Description of the chapter [śūlasthāpana-vidhi]: [...] The ceremonies of “installing” the śūla-frame commence with an abhiṣeka (34-35); this is followed by a circumambulation of the sanctuary with the śūla-pieces before they are taken into the readied interior of the sanctuary (99-100). The actual consecration itself is called sthāpana when śūla-frames are installed in a standing image; āsthāpana when installed in a seated image; saṃsthāpana in a recumbent image; prasthāpana in the vehicle of the Lord; when installation ceremonies are done to the pīṭha only it is called simply pratiṣṭhā (101-104). [...] Having placed the śūlas where they are to go, “mahākumbhādiprokṣaṇa” is done with mūlamantra—this being the central rite of sanctifying the śūlas. After this has been done, the director is rewarded along with the artisans, etc. Then a mason [kulāla] is directed to cement over the śūlas in their places. Who attends carefully to śūlasthāpana will be richly rewarded (114-121).

3) Śūlasthāpana (शूलस्थापन) refers to “installing the śūla-form”, as discussed in chapter 5 of the Viṣvaksenasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra text comprising 2800 Sanskrit verses dealing with theological matters, image-worship, iconography (relating to pratimā-icons) and the construction of temples.—Description of the chapter [śūlasthāpana-vidhi]: Viṣvaksena speaks now of the śūla-form to be used as a kind of skeletal frame for an icon (made of plaster?). It is a roughly hewn shape in the form of the desired icon. [...] Only then, when the śūla-forms are thus installed [śūlasthāpana], is the pratimā-icon to be fashioned there in the sanctuary. The śūla-forms are wrapped in cloths representing the flesh, coloured and then wrapped in strings to symbolize the sinews and veins of the body. [...]

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Sthapana, Cula.

Starts with: Shulasthapanavidhi.

Full-text: Cula, Shuladhivasa, Bandhana, Rajju, Asthapana, Sthapana, Prasthapana, Samsthapana, Shulasthapanavidhi, Pratishtha, Rajjubandhana.

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Search found 1 books and stories containing Shulasthapana, Shula-sthapana, Śūla-sthāpana, Sula-sthapana, Śūlasthāpana, Sulasthapana; (plurals include: Shulasthapanas, sthapanas, sthāpanas, Śūlasthāpanas, Sulasthapanas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)

Page 110 < [Volume 25 (1924)]

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