Chapter 62 - The bull (vṛṣabha-lakṣaṇa)

1. The characteristic features of the bull [viz., vṛṣabha-lakṣaṇa] will be now described fully according to rules.

2-3. He is placed facing the sky on an altar (pīṭha) or on the pedestal (of the idol of Śiva, utsava) in the temple (itself) or in the pavilion in a walking pose (cāra).

4-5. The largest size of the height of the bull should be equal to the height of the door; when three-fourths of that, it is of the intermediate size, and when a-half, it is of the smallest size: these are the three kinds of height of the bull.

6-7. The nine kinds of height, consisting of three in each of the three sizes, the smallest, etc., should begin from one cubit and end at nine cubits, the increment being by one cubit.

8-9. For the verification by the formulas of the auspicious āya, etc., it should begin from twenty-five aṅgulas (instead of twenty-four aṅgulas or one cubit), and end at thirty-one aṅgulas, the increment being by two aṅgulas.

10-11. The height in comparison with the idol (i.e., the utsava height) of the bull is said to be the largest when it is equal to the height of the main idol, the intermediate when it extends up to the ear of the idol, and the smallest when it reaches the arm of the idol.

12-13. One-third of the length of the altar, equal to its length, and three-fourths of it: these are the three kinds of height of the bull (in comparison with the pedestal).

14 The length from the foot to the crown of the head should be measured in the erect posture.

15-17. The best artist should carve him (the bull) in the erect or the sitting posture, solid or hollow, with the metallic substances^[1], stone, wood, glass, jewel, stucco, earth (terra-cotta), and planked grit.

18-24. Such should be the height of the bull, and it should be divided into fifteen aṅgulas (parts); the distance from the crown to the top of the neck should be preferably ten mātras (parts); below that, eight parts are known to be the height of the neck; below that, (the distance) down to the root of the thigh, should be sixteen aṅgulas (parts); the length of the thigh should be six parts, and the height of the knee two parts; the leg should be equal to the thigh in length, and the height of the hoof should be two parts; and the length from the neck to the root of the tail should be forty parts.

25-26, The length of the horn should be four parts and its width three parts; one-eighth of that should be the width at the forepart of the horn.

27-29. The breadth of the forehead should be nine parts, and the breadth of the face five parts; the height thereof should be equal to that, and the length of the eye two parts; and the height (of the eye) should be one-and-a-half parts, and the projection thereof should be half a part.

30. The length of the face between the eyes is known as eight parts.

31. Thence the distance to the end of the neck-joint (kṛkāṭikā)^[2] is said to be six parts.

32. The middle portion between the horns should be four parts, and the height of the forehead the same.

33. The distance between the eye and the root should be four parts.

34-36. The length of the ear should be five parts, and the root of the ear two parts; equal to that should be the breadth, and the breadth at the middle four parts, the breadth at the top one part, and the width of the tubular vessel (drum) should be half a part.

37-38, The length of the nose is said to be one-and-a-half parts, the width of the hole (nostril) should be one part, and equal to that the forepart of the nose.

39-41. The length of the face should be five parts, the upper lip (jaw) three parts, the lower lip three parts, and the length of the tongue (also) three parts, the breadth of that (tongue) should be two parts, and a half of that its thickness.

42-44. The breadth of the neck should be five parts and the breadth of the root three parts; but the thickness at the root of the back of the neck should be eight parts, and at the top six parts; and the vāsa (? hump) should be made of six parts.

45-17. The height of the lap of the neck should be made of four parts by the wise (sculptor); its breadth at the root, the middle, and the front should be four, four, and one part respectively; and the thickness thereof should be made eight parts.

48. The radius at the bottom of the rounded portion (bimba) in front of the neck should be two parts.

49. Its height from the heart to the soft portion (snigdha) should be eighteen parts.

50. The height of the back should be fourteen parts, and the breadth of the back twelve parts.

51-52. The width at the root of the back and the thigh should be preferably ten parts, that at the middle should be eight parts and at the front four parts.

53. The length of the thigh should be five parts, and the height of the knee one part.

54. The length of the leg should be five parts, and the height of the hoof two parts.

55. The breadth of the knee is said to be three-and-a-half parts,

56. The length of the hoof should be two parts, and (that at) the root of the tail (also) two parts.

57. Between the two thighs should be connected the testicles with the belly.

58-59. The breadth of the shoulder should be six parts, and below that should be the thigh, the width of which at the root is said to be four parts, and at the top three-and-a-half parts.

60. The breadth of the knee should be three parts, and the same should be the width of the leg.

61. Half a part should be the distance between two toes, and the hoof thereof should be equal to that (i.e., half a part).

62-63. The rest should be discreetly made; he (the bull) should be adorned with a white complexion: the elevated portion (bhadra,? hump over the neck) should be whitish, and the front portion smoky black.

64-65. The four legs, the four hoofs, and the two ears should be whitish-red, and the whole (body) beautiful.

66-37. He should be adorned with garlands made of conch shell of light red colour, and also with ear bands and the rosary garlands round the ears.

68-73. He should be also decorated with other things such as garlands of kiṃśuka flowers, and with the tiger’s skin over the backbone; he should be furnished with the bee-shape two fillets on the forehead, and also with various leaves, creepers, and jewels; and he should be adorned with chowries on the sides of the ears and the body, and with anklets on the feet.

Thus in the Mānasāra, the science of architecture, the sixty-second chapter, entitled: “The description of the bull.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

These include gold, silver, and copper (compare chap. LI[?], 2-4).

[2]:

Compare Suśruta, II.[?]345.