Chapter 60 - The goose (haṃsa-lakṣaṇa)

1-3. Now I shall describe the characteristic features of the riding animals (vehicles) of the Triad, namely, the characteristic features of the goose [viz., haṃsa-lakṣaṇa], the Garuḍa-bird, the bull, and the lion (will be described in order).

4-5. The throe kinds of height of the goose, consisting of the largest and other (the intermediate and the smallest) sizes, are said to be equal to the height of Brahmā (the rider), one-half, and one-third thereof.

6. The (limbs of the) goose should be measured lengthwise in the largest type of the two tāla system.

7. The height of the head should be four parts, and the length of the neck eight parts,

8-9. (Thence) the height up to the heart (i.e., the middle portion) should be eleven parts, below that the length of the thigh one and three-fourths parts, and the knee is said to be one part.

10. The length of the leg should be equal to the height of the thigh, and the height (i.e., length) of the foot one part.

11. The length of the face should be three parts, and at the back of the head two parts.

12. The breadth (width) of the face should be four parts, and (that of) the neck at the root one part.

13. The width of the neck should taper from the root towards the top where the faoe should be bisected into two beaks.

14. The breadth of the belly should be eight parts, and the chest ares equal to that.

16. From the fore part thereof and proceeding from the root (of the tail) the length of the tail should be sixteen parts.

16-18. The breadth of the eye should be five aṅgulas (parts), and the length of the wing eight parts, its breadth two parts, and the forepart should be one aṅgula (part) and the thickness one aṅgula (part); and the length of the arm should be eight parts.

19. The elbow should be one part, and the length of the hand (wing) up to the end six aṅgulas (parts).

20. The two hands (wings) should be shaped like the plough at the joint (lit,, entrance) of the end of the wing.

21-22. The width of the quite circular root of the thigh should be two and a half parts; the breadth at the fore part should be one part and a half, and the breadth of the knee one fourth part.

23. The length of the leg should be one part, and the breadth of the sole two parts.

24. The length of the (middle finger) up to the tip should be four parts.

25. To each side of that (middle finger) should be two fingers preferably of two parṭs each.

26-27. The length of the root (main) finger at the back should be preferably two parts; the breadth at the front should be one part and at the back equal to that.

28. The width of the (main) finger should be one and a half arts, and a half of that should be the (width of the) other fingers.

29. The length of the face should be three parts, and the breadth one part.

30. The length of the eye should be half a part, and the breadth should be discreetly made.^[1]

31. The expert (sculptor) should mark the eye at the middle of the length of the face.

32. The distance between the eyes along the ear-line should be two yavas (i.e., one-fourth part).

33. The height of the crest (stūpi) above the head should be two parts, and the thickness (thereof) one part.

34-35. Its length ending at the back of the head should be six parts, and the breadth four parts; the rest should be discreetly made.

36-37. The riding bird (goose) of Brahmā should be made white all over the limbs, but the legs should be mixed with red, and the beak should be goldish.

38. For all the images the vehicles should be made movable (? as well as stationary).

39-42. The feathers of variegated (lit., all) colours should be charmingly fixed at the two wings of the goose, at its tail, back, and rows of feathers at the crest; and feathers should be made coating the elongated belly.

43-46. Rows of geese should be discreetly carved as ornaments at the different parts of the buildings of the gods, the Brahmans, and the Kings, (namely) at the entablature, the top of the crowning fillet, the pinnacle, the nest (recess), the neok, and all over.

Thus in the Mānasāra, the science of architecture, the sixtieth chapter entitled: “The description of the goose in connection with the vehicles.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Compare line 16 where the breadth is stated to be five parts.