The Sanskrit term Śūlasthāpanavidhi can be transliterated into English as Sulasthapanavidhi or Shulasthapanavidhi, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Shilpashastra (iconography)

1) Śūlasthāpanavidhi (शूलस्थापनविधि) (lit. “regarding the placement of the śūla-frame”) is the name of 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 [śūlasthāpanavidhi]: An icon of clay should preferably be furnished with a śūla-frame made of wood. How to prepare a wood śūla-frame for the main image is given; the measurements, the sources of the pieces and their qualities, etc. (1-21). The number pieces in a śūla-frame is thirteen, and these together comprise the various parts of the icon (22-25). Since icons may alternatively be made of metal, a discussion follows of metal śūlas (26-33).

When śūlas are going to be placed in the sanctuary (for final finishing) certain preliminaries must be seen to the sanctuary must be cleansed; sections of the floor must be measured out so that marked-off spaces indicate where the main icon is to be placed if it is solitary, or in a group, or recumbent; the sanctuary itself is to be checked to see if it is proportionate to the doors leading it; and the garbhanyāsa requirements will have to be met (34-58). The pedestal must meet certain ideals of shape and size, always being in proportion either to the door or the idol, etc., and displaying a beauty in keeping with its function (59-68a); the vedikā-platform (68b-73) should be provided with a spout to guide the water to a trough (74-77a). Pedestals supporting icons in various postures are to be differently decorated (77b-96). Vehicles and pedestals also are briefly described (97-98).

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). Only a brahmin can supervise the first type of consecration, while any man may direct the other types. Śūlas in the form of pegs may also be installed in walls to hold icons in place, but (while it may be done in cases of necessity) placing a śūla in the wall or in the ground to secure an icon invariably results in the leakage of power out of the icon (105-113).

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).

2) Śūlasthāpanavidhi (शूलस्थापनविधि) (lit. “rules for installing the śūla-form”) is the name of 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 [śūlasthāpanavidhi]: 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. Strips of cloths and lengths of strings are (later? see śls. 73 ff., below) to be wrapped about it and, once in place, to be thought of as skin and sinews; and the whole is to be made ready for the subsequent application of clay which, once in place, is to be thought of as flesh. Taken to a special maṇḍapa-pavilion in front of the temple-site, such a rough-hewn śūla-form, after various ritual preliminaries are done, is to be given a jalādhivāsa-bath whereupon the Lord’s Presence is invoked into it.

Viṣvaksena points out here that the details for the subsequent snapana-rites are to be found in the latter half (uttarabhāga) of this work [see Ch. XVI, below]. He then turns to the śayana-rites wherein the (śūla-) forms of the Lord and those of His consorts are dressed, made to recline, and are thereupon worshipped. On the morning of the next day the Ācārya removes these śūla-forms from the maṇḍapa-pavilion to the sanctuary; installing there first the one representing the Lord and then the ones of His consorts, Śrī and Puṣṭi. All this is done to the accompaniment of mantras and invocations (1-72).

Only then, when the śūla-forms are thus installed, 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. Thereupon, clay is applied to represent the skin of the body, and once again strings are wrapped around the form—this culminating act being called rajjubandhana. After this is done the Ācārya and Śilpins are honored (73-81).

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

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: Shulasthapana, Vidhi, Vitti.

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

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Search found 1 books and stories containing Shulasthapanavidhi, Śūlasthāpanavidhi, Śūlasthāpana-vidhi, Shulasthapana-vidhi, Sulasthapana-vidhi, Sulasthapanavidhi; (plurals include: Shulasthapanavidhis, Śūlasthāpanavidhis, vidhis, Sulasthapanavidhis). 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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