A Summary of the Shilpa-samgraha

This work is avowedly a compilation (samgraha). It bears the title Silpa-samgraha, and, to our great relief, it expressly mentions the sources from which it has been compiled.¹ In fact, several of the architectural treatises compared above, and many more not mentioned here, are evidently compilations, although the authors have not acknowledged their debt, nor even mentioned the sources drawn upon. This point is convincingly illustrated in the following instance. The following chapters in the order found in the manuscript are ascribed to I. Manasara : Under 7, Gomukha-lakshana-under this heading there is no separate chapter in the eleven manuscripts of the Manasara so far known to exist. (13) Upapitha-lakshana-pedestals (M. XIII). Under 15, Vrishabha-lakshana--image of the bull, the riding animal of Siva (M., LXII). II. Mayamata : Under 6, Dik-parichchheda-the cardinal points. (23) Mandapa-vidhana-open sheds. (9) Grama-vinyasa-villages. (20) Eka-bhumi-ro(vi)dha(a) na-one-storeyed buildings. Under 86, Sthapati-laksha na-characteristics and qualifications of the architect. (24) Gopura-vidhana-gate houses. (13) Upapitha-vidhana-pedestals. (1) Adhishthana-vidhana--bases. (20) Dvi-bhumi-vidhana-two-storeyed buildings. Under 20, Tri-bhumi-vidhana-three-storeyed buildings. III.-Kasyapa : Under 7, Prastara-lakshana-entablatures. Under 7, Adhisthana-patala-bases. Under 7, Nala-pramanotsedhalankarana-drains and canals. Under 24, Dakshina-murti-patala-an image of the god Siva. Under 22, Nritta-lakshana-image of dancing Siva. Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras, Cat., Vol. XXII, no. 13058. It comprises 429 pages of 25 lines to a page of paper 13}"*8". 182

IV.-Visvakarman : Under 6, Gopura-lakshana-gate-houses. Under 36, Sayana-lakshana-bedsteads and couches. SAMGARHA (86) Sthapati-lakshana-characteristics and qualifications of the architect. (14) Ayadi-sampad-artha-vidhana --the formula of Aya, etc. V.-Agastya : Under 1, Mana-samgraha-visesha-system of measurement. Under 2, Uttama-dasa-tala-the large type of the ten-tala measure. Under 3, Madhyama-dasa-tala-the intermediate type of the ten-tala measure. Under 4, Soma-skanda-lakshana-images of Soma and Skanda. Under 5, Chandra-sekhara-lakshana-image of Siva. Under 6, Vrisha-vahana-lakshana-image of Siva, riding on the bull. It is not known for certain whether or not the following, under 6 and 19, are to be ascribed to Agastya. Under 6, Tripurantaka-lakshana-image of Siva. Under 6, Kalyana-Sundara-lakshana-image of Kalyana-Sundara Siva. Under 6, Ardha-narisvara-lakshana-image of Siva. Under 6, Pasupata-lakshana-image of Siva. Under 6, Bhikshatana-lakshana-image of Siva. Under 6, Chandesanugraha-lakshana-image of Siva. Under 6, Dakshina-murti-lakshana-image of Siva. Under 6, Kala-dahana-lakshana-image of Siva. Under 19, Pratima-lakshana-images in general. (3) Upapitha-vidhana-pedestal. (9) Sula-mana-vidhana ---pikes. (10) Rajju-bandha-samskara-vidhi-preparation of ropes. (11) Varna-samskara-preparation of colours. (12) Akshi-mokshana-chiselling the eyes of an image. VI.-Bhrigu : Under 7, Rathu-nirmana-construction of chariots. VII.-Paulastya : Under 22, Dakshina-murti-nirmana-image of Siva. VIII. Narada : Under 14, Krishna-lakshana-image of Krishna. 183

IX.-Narayana : HINDU ARCHITECTURE IN Under 20, Rama-Lakshana-image of Rama. X.-Maushalya : Under 7, Ratha-lakshana--chariots. XI. Sesha-bhashya : Under 36, (title missing). Under 22, Ekatala-vidhana-one-storeyed buildings. XII. Chitra-sara : Under 14, (title missing). (7) Pratimasara (?). XIII. Sarasvata : Under 28, Chandesvara-vidhana-image of Chandesvara. (28) Garuda-lakshana-patala-image of the Garuda bird ; RamaLakshmana-patala-the images of Rama and Lakshmana. (The term patala, usually used in the Agamas, indicates that these chapters may have been borrowed from some Agamas.) Under 20, Gopura-mana-gate-houses. (1) Mana-samgrahadi-the system of measurement. XIV. Visva-sara : Under 20, Asva-mana-vidhi -image of the horse. Under 20, Vira-bhadra-lakshana -image of Virabhadra. Under 20, Skanda -image of Skanda. Under 20, Tripuri-image of Tripuri. Under 20, Pratimadi--images, etc. XV. Chitra-jnana : Under 20, Dhvaja-danda-pata-lakshana-flagstaff and banner. Under 20, Firnoddhara-repairs. XVI.--Kapinjala-samhita : Under 20, Garuda-lakshana-image of the Garuda bird. XVII.-Kaumudi : Under 29, Pratima-lakshana-images in general. XVIII. Brahma-silpa : Under 15, Sayana-lakshana-bedsteads and couches. XIX.-Brahma-yamala : Under 5, Chamundi-dhyana-characteristics of the goddess Chamundi. Under 20, Dasavatara-lakshana-images of the ten incarnations of Vishnu. 184

XX.-Dipta-tantra : Under 15, Linga-lakshana-Phallus. XXI.-Dipti-sara : Under 8, Gopura-lakshana--gate-houses. SAMGRAHA Of these, it will be noticed, numbers I to V refer to treatises discussed above, VI to X refer to authors whose treatises are not mentioned here, and the rest refer to treatises and not to their authors. In fact, it is practically impossible to trace the authors of these latter treatises, as is the case with several others dealing with architecture and cognate arts. The brief sketch of this compilation, as well as the other illustrative Silpa-sastras presented above, incidentally substantiate two theories. Most of the architectural treatises, whether or not ascribed to an author, historical or mythical, are but compilations. Some of these have actually acknowledged the sources drawn upon, while others have not. This practice of misappropriating somebody else's property is prominently shown in works like the Puranas and the Agamas ; which in most cases are undeniably huge compilations gathered together from various sources dealing with heterogeneous subjects. The second theory is that the Manasara, though itself a compilation, because the author seems to have consulted some thirty-two authorities on architecture, appears to be the standard work on the subject, inasmuch as it is the most complete, scientific, and probably the oldest extant record. This last impression will be further strengthened by comparison of the Manasara with the architectural portions of the Puranas, the Agamas, and the Brhat-samhita in detail. 185