Chapter 54 - The altar (śakti-lakṣaṇa)

I. The characteristic marks, complexions, and the other features of the female deities [viz., śakti-lakṣaṇa] will be described now.

2-3. Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī, Lakṣmī, Mahī, Durgā, Manonma (na-unmādi)nī (Rati), goddess of love), and Saptamātṛ will be described in order.

4. All (idols of) the female deities should be made with all the materials mentioned before.^[1]

5. She (Sarasvatī) should be placed on a lotus pedestal as seated in a padmāsana (cross-legged) posture.^[2]

6. She should be (white) like pure crystal, and be adorned with pearl ornaments.

7. She should be furnished with four arms, two eyes, the keśabandha type of crown^[3] (together with) the crest jewel.

8. Her fingers should be pure white, and she should put on crocodile-shaped ear-rings.

9. The bee-mark or a pearl fillet should be fixed on her forehead.

10. Her ears should be ornamented with flowers and the ear-garland made of pearls.

11. She should be ornamented with a chain over the neck and also with the pearl strings.

12. She should be furnished with the breast-bands and garlands for the arms.

13-14. She should be furnished with the keyūra and kaṭaka armlets, and with bracelets or bangles for the wrists, and the pearl band (for the root of the arm).

15. All her fingers from the root except the middle one should be ornamented with rings made of precious atones.

16. She should be ornamented with a knotted garment and a pendant (nivīlambana) furnished with pearl-fillets.

17. She should be adorned with serpont-shaped net-ornaments for the leg over the ankle.

18. Her feet should be adorned with anklets, and the toes with rings made of jewels.

19. She should be furnished with jewel scarf and adorned with all (other) ornaments.

20-22. She should hold a mirror (sandarśa,? vīṇā, lute) in her upper right hand and a book in her upper left hand; she should hold in the (other) right hand the rosary garland, and the goddess Sarasvatī should hold the pot in the other left hand.

23. As an alternative she may be made with two arms putting on the kuntala (type of crown).

24. The right hand should be in the boon giving posture and the left hand should hold a lotus.

25. She may otherwise put on the karaṇḍa type of crown and should be gracefully gold in complexion all over the limbs.

26. She should put on yellow clothes and similar jewels, and pearl ornaments.

27. Gold ear-rings (tāṭaṅka) famished with pretty strings should be put on the two ears.

28. She should have two eyes, a cheerful face, and be adorned with all ornaments.

29-32. She should be on the (right) side of Brahma in an erect or sitting posture, Sāvitrī being on the left side; she may be otherwise white, red, or bright blue in complexion; she should have two arms and two eyes, should be in an erect or sitting posture (as her consort), and be adorned with the karaṇḍa, or the keśabandha type of crown, and with crocodile earrings on the ears.

33. She should be clad in a fine silk garment or yellow clothes.

34-35, She should be adorned with all ornaments; her left hand should be in the boon-giving posture, and the right hand should hold a lotus; and the rest should be made as aforesaid.

37. Both Sarasvatī and Sāvitrī should be measured in the daśatāla system^[4].

38. There should be a red lotus on the pedestal upon which she (Lakṣmī) sits in a cross-legged (padmāsana) posture.

39. She (Lakṣmī) has four arms, and three eyes, and puts on the kuntala type of crown.

40. She should be of a cheerful (lit., peaceful, prasanna) face (look) and her complexion should be like pure gold.

41. She should be clad in yellow clothes or a red garment.

42. Her eyes should be large and broad with a face smiling from the corner of the eyes.

43-45. The upper right hand should be in the refuge-offering posture and the upper left hand should hold a small drum; the other right hand should hold either a lotus or the rosary garland, and the other left hand should hold up a blue or red lotus.

46. (The slope of) her breasts should be plump and full, and the bee marks should be made on her forehead.

47-48. She may otherwise put on jewel fillet (on the forehead), and gold rings (tāṭaṅka) on the two ears, or the crocodile ear-rings with gold string (garlands) may be put on the ears.

49. She should be adorned with a pretty chain together with strings over the neck.

50 She should be adorned with jewels or gold fillet on the nipple of and round the breasts.

51. She should be clad in the channavīra^[5] jacket made of jewels and the scarf of gold and jewels.

62. She should be adorned with gold keyūra and kaṭaka arm-lets, and jewel ear-ring-like upper armlets (pūrima).

53. She should put on jewel bracelets on the wrists, and the bangles (kaṭaka) on the wrist-joints.

54. The jewel string should be put round the buttock, and she should be adorned with jewel garlands, etc.

55-56. She should be clad in clothes made of jewel and gold and hanging dowu to the ankle, and there should be three pendants up Co the knee-joint beautified with all the gems.

57-58. The serpent-shaped bracelets should be put on the two feet, at the top and bottom of which should be the jewel bauds, and the foot should be adorned with anklets and the toes with jewel rings.

59. The arms should be fully ornamented up to the root of the arm-pits, and she should be decorated with all ornaments.

60-61. As an alternative she may have two arms, holding a small drum in the loft hand and a jewel lotus in the right; and the rest should be made as before.

62. Thus is described the Mahā-Lakṣmī (great goddess of fortune) who should be installed in all edifices.

63. The ordinary Lakṣmī should be made with two arms and two eyes.

64. The two hands should be raised up holding red lotuses, and she should be adorned with all ornaments.

65-66. The rest should be made as before, but the peculiarity of her is that she has two elephants on the two sides: the wise (artist) should make her in this way, and worship her.

67. She should be installed at the gate and the middle courtyard (central theatre) of all dwelling houses.

68. The characteristic features of Lakṣmī on the side of Viṣṇu are also described (here).

69-70. She should have two arms and two eyes, and be furnished with the karaṇḍa or the keśabandha type of crown, and should hold a lotus with the uplifted left hand, and the right hand should be in the boon-giving posture or keep hanging downwards.

72. She should be placed on the right side of Viṣṇu in an erect or sitting posture.

73. All the Lakṣmīs should be measured in the intermediate type of the daśatāla system^[6].

74. She should be adorned with all ornaments and furnished with a bright gold complexion all over the limbs.

75. Thus are described the Indirās (Lakṣmīs). The Earth-goddess (Mahī-Śakti) will be described now.

76-77. She should have two arms and two eyes, and put on the karaṇḍa or the kuntala type of crown, and wear fine silk clothes.

78. She should be in an erect or sitting posture on the left (right) side of Viṣṇu.

79-80. Her right hand should hold up a lotus, and the left hand should be kept hanging or in the boon-giving posture; she should be adorned with a bright blue complexion all over the limbs.

81-82. She should be measured in the daśatāla system^[7]; she should put on the crocodile earrings (on the ears) and be adorned with all ornaments; and all the rest should be as before.

83. The features of the Earth-goddess are thus described. The characteristics of Gaurī (snow-white Durgā) will be described, here.

84. She should have two arms and two eyes, and be in an erect or sitting posture.

85. She should put on the karaṇḍa, the kesābandha, or the kuntala type of crown.

86-87. Her right hand should hold up a lotus, and the left hand should be in the boon-giving, the erect, or the hanging posture; and she should be in the attitude of a milk maid (?).

88. She should be clad in fine silk clothes or wear a yellow garment.

89. She should have long arms, large eyes, and a bright blue complexion, and a broad belly.

90. She should have plump breasts with high slope, and broad and well-marked buttocks.

91. Her hips and thighs should be large, and adorned with hanging girdle with small bells (kañcī) at the middle,

92. Her face should be broad, neck high (graceful), mouth prominent, and the whole face smiling.

93-94. She should put on the moon-lined (candrarekhā) earrings, and a garland surrounded with bees or a fillet on the forehead, and the crocodile ear-rings on the two ears.

95. There should also be flowers on the ears and also garlands, gold strings, and Sumaṅgali (lit., auspicious) chains.

96. She should be adorned with a chain over the neck, and garlands round the arms.

97. She should be adorned with. the kaṭaka girdle round the buttock, and the keyāra and purima [pūrima?] armlets.

98. She should put on scarfs made of red cloth as well as of pearls.

99. There should be bracelets for the wrists, and bangles for the wrist-joints.

100-101. The legs should be ornamented with the serpent-shape bangles and the foot with anklets, and all the toes should be adorned with jewel rings as said before.

102. The right leg should be bent and the left leg straight (lit., hanging).

103. The left hand should hold up flowers and be in an erect or sitting (bent) posture.

104. The right leg should be in the cross-like (svastika) posture, and extend to the left hand.

105. The left leg should be bent and so also the right (leg).

106. The long (hanging) hand should hold up a flower and should be in an erect posture in three parts.

107. Her limbs should be measured in the intermediate type of the daśatāla system.

108-109. Both the stationary and movable Gaurī (the white ṇurgā) should be placed on the loft side of the phallus or the idol of Śiva.

110. Gaurī who is the same as Pārvatī (Maid of the Mountain) is thus described. Manonma (na-unmādi)nī (Encentress [Enchantress?] of the mind, the Love-goddess) will be described now.

111. She should have four arms, three eyes, and be adorned with the jaṭā type of crown.

112. Her legs should be equally in erect posture, and the goddess is measured in the daśatāla system.

113-114. The upper right hand should be in the refuge-offering posture and the upper left hand in the boon-giving posture; the other right hand should hold a lotus and the other left hand a water-lily.

115. She should have a reddish white or bright blue complexion all over the limbs.

116. According to some, she should put on a prominent kuntala type of crown like (befitting) the looks of her hair.

117. A young hare should be on the left and a horse cm the right.

118. She should be clad in fine silk clothes, and adorned with all ornaments.

119. She should sit occupying three-fourths of the back of her own bull (riding animal, vehicle).

120. Her right leg should be in the cross-like (svastika) posture, and the left leg bent.

121. The tip of her upper left hand should rest over the head.

122. The remaining features of this goddess should be as before; she should be optionally in the sitting posture; the upper right hand should be in the refuge-offering attitude and holding up a blue lotus.

123-124. Of the other two hands the left one should hold up a red lotus, and the right one a rosary garland: she should be thus made as stated by the ancients.

125. The goddess (Śakti), known as Manonma (na-mādi)nī (Encentress [Enchantress?] of the mind) of this description, should be placed in the Śiva temple.

126-127. Vārāhī, Kaumārī, Cāmuṇḍī, Bhairavī, Māhendrī, Vaiṣṇavī and Brahmāṇī: these are the seven mother goddesses.

128. All these goddesses should be measured in the nine tāla system^[8].

129. The seven mother goddesses should be placed upon the Bhadra pedestal^[9].

130. Their legs should be in the recumbent posture, the left being crossed over the right.

131. They should have four arms, three eyes, and be adorned with all ornaments.

132. Like the goddesses, Cāmuṇḍī and Rudrāṇī should have three eyes.

133. Brahmāṇī and Rudrāṇī should be furnished with the jaṭā type of crown.

134. Vārāhī should have a face like the snout of a hog, and should put on the kirīṭa type of crown.

135. Kaumārī should put on the karaṇḍa type of crown, and Vaiṣṇavī the kirīṭa crown.

136. Cāmuṇḍī should put on the jaṭā type of crown, and Bhairavī a prominent alaka type of crown.

137-138. The two upper and lower right bands should hold the pike and the wind-followers respectively; the upper of the other (left) two hands should hold up the skull and the other hand the net.

139. Both Cāmaṇḍī and Bhairavī should similarly hold up an arrow.

140. Cāmuṇḍī should have a dark-bluish complexion, and Bhairavī a red complexion.

141-142. According to some, the two upper hands of Bhairavī should be in the boon-giving and refuge-offering postures; and the other right and left hands should hold up a pike and a drum respectively.

143. She should be clad in a red garment, and the two breasts on the sides should be covered with red bodices.

144. Cāmuṇḍī should put on a garland on the head, and be adorned with all ornaments.

145. Bhairavī should be clad in dark (black) clothes, and have long and dark locks of hair.

146. Both Vaiṣṇavī and Vārāhī should have a bright blue complexion.

147-148. The lower right hand should hold up the disc and the (opposite) lower left hand a conch; of the upper two hands the left one should be in the boon-giving posture and the right one in the refuge-ring posture.

149-150. She should be clad in reddish yellow clothes, and should be adorned with all ornaments; thus is described Vaiṣṇavī.

160-152. Vārāhī should hold the plough with the (lower) right hand; her upper left hand should hold the net and the (upper) right hand should be in the refuge-offering posture, and the (other) left hand in the boon-giving posture; and she should be adorned with all ornaments.

163. She should be clad in yellow clothes; Kaumārī should have a red complexion.

154-165. The two right hands should be in the boon-giving and the refuge-offering postures, and the left hands should be placed as if on the door (?); there should be a skull in the right hand and missiles in the two left hands.

156-157. She should be clad in bright blue clothes, and adorned with all ornaments; thus are described the features of Kaumārī.

157-159. Brahmāṇī should have four faces; the two loft hands should be in the boon-giving and the refuge-offering postures; and a pot and a rosary garland should be held in the two upper right hands respectively.

160-161. She should be clad in pure red clothes, and adorned with all ornaments; thus is described Brahmāṇī.

161-163. Rudrāṇī should have a white complexion; her two upper right and left hands should be in the boon-giving and refuge-offering postures (respectively); the deer should be in the other left hand and the net in the other right hand.

164. She should be clad in leather (skin) clothes, and adorned with all ornaments.

165-166. The conch leaf (śaṅkhapatra) should be put on the left ear and earring on the right: thus are described the features of Rudrāṇī.

166-167. Cāmuṇḍī should put on a coach leaf (śaṅhkapatra) on the left ear and a conch earring on the right.

168. All other goddesses should be adorned with crocodile-shape earring on the ears.

169. She (they) should be adorned with a chain over the neck and also with the keyura [keyūra?] and kaṭaka armlets.

170. She (they) should put on bracelets and bangles, etc., on the wrists, and all the fingers should be adorned with jewel rings.

171. She (they) should be adorned with garlands on the arms, and put on a bodice.

172. All the aforesaid goddesses should be adorned with all ornaments.

173-174. On the upper surface of the bhadra pedestal should be placed the severed head of a buffalo and upon that should stand quite erect the goddess Tārakā.

175. She should have four arms, two eyes, and be adorned with limbs of a dark blue complexion.

176. She should put on the kirīṭa type of crown, and be adorned with all ornaments.

177-180. Her upper right hand should be in the refuge-offering posture and the other hand should hold the disc; the upper left hand lying by the thigh should be in the boon-giving posture, and the other left hand should hold a conch; she should be clad in yellow clothes: thus is described Kātyāyanī, the rest being made as said before.

180-184. The (plumb) Hues should be drawn by the middle of the crown, the forehead, and the tip of the nose, the centre (lit., moon-like part) of the navel, and the middle of the ankle along the two legs from top to bottom of an image (of those goddesses) in the comfortable sitting posture.^[10]

185-188. The similar lines should be drawn in the bent or the erect posture on the body at long the middle of the two thighs, the two knees, and the two legs.

189-192. In the two-flexioned posture, the similar (straight) lines should be drawn by the middle of the crown and the forehead, through the nostrils (holes of the nose), by the middle of the right eye, and by the left leg placed on the left side of the navel.

Thus in the Mānasāra, the science of architecture, the fifty-fourth chapter, entitled: “The description of the female deities.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See Chapter LI. 2-4, p. 516.

[2]:

See Chapter VII. 4; Cf. Matsyapurāṇa, 262, 7, see the writer’s Dictionary, p. 351; and Chapter XLV. 11-16.

[3]:

See Chapter XLIX. 13-16, 21, etc.

[4]:

Compare note under line?8, Chapter LI, and Chapter LXV.

[5]:

A kind of jacket worn over the shoulders and hips crossing and fastening in the middle of the breasts and the back. (See Rao’s Elements of Hindu Iconography, I, p. XXXI, M. F. A. Bulletin, no. 152, page 90, quoted by Coomaraswamy, J. A. O. S. 48, 3, page 255)

[6]:

For details see Chap. LXVI, and the writer’s Dictionary pp. 230-233.

[7]:

See lines 28 and 37 of Chap. LI, and Chap. LXV.

[8]:

For details see Chap. L1X, and the writer’s Dictionary, pp. 225-230.

[9]:

Of which there are three classes, vedibhadra, pratibhadra, and mañcabhadra (see details in Chap. XIII, pp 125-129).

[10]:

See chapter XLVII, where a more detailed account is given of the plumb-lines