Chapter 44 - The couches (śayana), bedsteads (paryaṅka), and swings (mañca)

1-2. The description of the couches [viz., śayana] suitable to be bedsteads [viz., paryaṅka] of the gods, and the twice-born and the other castes will be stated now.

3-5. The breadth of children’s couches (bāla-paryaṅka) should begin from eleven aṅgulas and end at twenty-five aṅgulas, the increment being by two aṅgulas: these are said to be the eight kinds (of breadth of the couches) for the children of all castes.

6. The length (thereof) should be equal to the breadth or greater by one-half or three-fourths, or twice the breadth.

7. The height of the window-like openings (between balusters)^[1] on all sides should be one-half, or three-fourths of the breadth.

8. The height of the legs should be equal to that breadth or three-fourths of it.

9. The diameter (lit., width) of the legs should be three, four, or five aṅgulas.

10. It (the children’s couch) should be furnished with four legs, and at the fore-part of a leg there should be a wheel.

11. The width of the wheel is said to be equal to the width of the leg.

12. The depth (thereof) should be discreetly made one-half, one, or two aṅgulas.

13. There should be a recess (i.e., hole) at the fore-part of the leg, and (thereon) a horizontal device (lit., instrument) should be made (in order to adjust the frame).

14-15. The height (i.e., depth) of the frame (paṭṭikā) of the couch should be two or three aṅgulas; and its breadth should be twice that (depth); and its ends should be adjusted to the ear-like device at the fore-part of the legs.

16. In the middle (of the breadth) of the frames on all sides holes should be made (in order to overlay the board).

17-18. The cotton strip or the fibres of reed, palmyra, or hemp should be overlaid to fasten two boards (life., frames) from end to end in a straight line.

19-20. Small circles (i.e., circular knots at the ends of the strip) should be made all over on the outer side of the frame; it (the circular knot) should be at the one or both (ends of the strip); the projection (of the strip beyond the knot) may be manifold.

21. It (the projection of the strip) should be made to match with (lit., similarly coloured as) the circular (knots) and the selected legs.

22-23. All round the upper part of the frames should be fittingly made the openings (between the balusters) resembling the shape of the cow’s eye, or the elephant’s eye, otherwise it should be invisible (i.e., there should be no opening between balusters), and it should be ornamented with leaves and flowers, etc.

24. The small balusters (above the frames) should be connected all over the small projections (of the strip).

25. There may be furnished many rows of balusters ornamented with their base.^[2]

26. Thus should be (made) the couch for children, and it should be adorned with all ornaments.

27-28. The breadth of (the larger) bedsteads should begin, from twenty-one aṅgulas and and at thirty-seven aṅgulas, the increment being by two aṅgulas.

29. They should be of the smallest, (the intermediate), and the largest types; and should be furnished with balusters (aṅghrika), and (window-like) openings (antara, lit., inter-space).

30. Those (couches) are fit for men and especially for the gods.

31. The legs should end by the outside, and the breadth and length should be (as follows).

32-84. The length of the couches for the gods and the twice-born should be twice the breadth; or the breadth may be three parts and the length two parts more; (but) if it (i.e., the dimension) be greater or less than that it will be all defective.

35-37. The nine kinds (of breadth of the board) are said to be three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, and eleven aṅgulas: these breadths of the board (paṭṭikā) should comprise the smallest, (the intermediate), and the largest types.

38. The height (i.e., depth) of the surrounding boards (i.e., the frames) should be a half of its breadth.

39. All the couches are said to be quadrangular or rectangular (in shape).

40. The breadth (of all couchs) should be verified by all the six formulas beginning with the āya.^[3]

41. The circular cane pattern should be adorned on the outer side of the surrounding frames.

42. The (surrounding) frame should be raised in height by (erecting on them the balusters with) base and pedestal.

43-44. The Śrībandha (typo of) base should be made for the couches of the gods, the Brahmans, and the kings; and the Pādabandha (type of) base is suited to the couches of all (other) castes.^[4]

45-46. The Pratibhadra (type of) pedestal is suited to the couches of the gods, the Brahmans, and the Kṣatriyas (lit., kings); and the Vedibhadra pedestal is suitable for the couches of the Vaiśyas and of the Śūdras.^[5]

47. The pedestal and the base should be covered over with the balusters (nāṭaka)^[6], etc.

48-49. They (the couches) for the gods should be given the divine form and those for the man should bear human look; all the shapes may, however, be suitable for the gods but the human couches should be as said above.

50. They should (all) be decorated with paintings and carvings of lotuses, leaves, etc., and be adorned with all ornaments.

51. They should be decorated with small platforms and bud (-like ornaments) made of ivory, or wood.

52. The three kinds of height of the legs should be six, nine, and twelve aṅgulas.^[7]

53. The breadth (i.e., width) should be equal to the height or three-fourths, or a half of it.

54. If the width at the bottom be five parts it should be three parts at the top (of the legs).

55-58. The height should be divided into nine (equal) parts; (of these) the height of the base should be one part; the height of the lotus-pedestal (padma) should be two parts, and the height of the oarlike cornice (karṇa) one part; the pitcher (kumbha) should be made of one part, and the neck (kandhara) of two parts; the leaf-ornament (patra) above should be one part and a half, and the fillet (vājana) half a part.

59. Thus is described the Kumbhapāda (pitcher-legged bedstead); it should have an elevated entrance.

60-01. The same with lion-shaped cornice and cyma-fillets all over is called the Vairapāda (club-legged) couch; it should be discreetly made beautiful.

62-63. The same otherwise decorated with cyma-fillets at the fore-parts of the middle and upper cornices is called the Padmapāda (lotus-legged) couch; it is (also) adorned with all ornaments.

64. There should be four or six legs (in the couches) of the gods and the twice-born.

65. At the middle of the legs of the divine couches demons (bhūta) and lions may be carved optionally.

66. The couches of the kings should be furnished with lion-legs, and the legs in the couches of others should be made as before.

67. They should be adorned with all ornaments, and the rest should be made in accordance with one’s discretion.

68. Iron nails should be driven into the holes in the legs (in order to strongly fit the frame).

69. At the top of that should be adjusted the board (paṭṭikā), and the fore-parts of the nails should be without knobs (kabandhana, lit., headless trunk).

70-71. For the bed of the gods, the Brahmans, the Kṣatriyas and others, swings should be made with four chains by joining them with one another at the top.

72-74. Vakula, aśviniputra [aśvinīputra?], drākṣa (grape), red sandal, nimba, candana (sandal), cāpa, śākha, and śami: these should be the trees for the frame, etc., of the couches, as well as for their boards (lit,, seats).

76-77. The danta (tooth), kṣīriṇī (milk tree), tinduka, virala, and śāka: these trees are said to supply suitable timber for the legs of all (couches); all other soft wood, if less expensive, may as well be used.

78-79. The length and breadth of the legs as well as the decorations should be discreetly made as recommended by the architect (?author himself).

80-81. It would cause the loss of son, life, and wealth if eyelike openings (on the side of balusters) be made over couches (i.e., swings) which are kept on (hanging).

82-85. If all the other features of the swings (mañca), namely, its frames, boards, legs, etc., and also all other parts together with the lion legs, be made according to the rules of the science (of architecture), it would bring forth fortune, happiness, fruition, and pleasure (beatitude).

Thus in the Mānasāra, the science of architecture, the forty-fourth chapter, entitled: “The description of the couches, bedsteads, and swings.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Compare line 24.

[2]:

Compare lines 42-46.

[3]:

See pages 66-67, 285-286, etc., and the writer’s Dictionary, pp. 600, 609-611.

[4]:

For the details of the various types of the base see chapter XIV, 131-149.

[5]:

For the details of the various typos of the pedestal see chapter XIII, pages 125-129.

[6]:

A moulding or ornament generally used together with petals (see the writer’s Dictionary, page 316) But here it appears to have been used in the sense of balusters (kulikāṅghrika), compare chapter XVI, pages 53-55.

[7]:

Compare line 8 where the height of the smaller couches is given; for the larger type these heights appear to be too small.