Chapter 63 - The lion (siṃha-lakṣaṇa)

1. The characteristic features of the lion [viz., siṃha-lakṣaṇa], the riding animal of (the other) gods will be described now.

2-4. The height from the crown of the head to the hoof should be divided into twenty-five aṅgulas (parts): (of these) the height of the crown should be two parts, and the length (i.e., height) of the face seven parts; the (height of the) upper lip should be ten parts, and the distance therefrom to the feet six parts.

6. The length from the end of the upper lip (uttara,? mane) to the root of the tail should be fifteen parts.

6. The length of the hind leg should be discreetly made of five parts.

7. The breadth of the face up to the ends of the cheeks should be preferably nine parts.

8-9. The width at the root of the two ears is stated to be equal to the breadth of the face; equal to that should be the breadth of the forehead, and the breadth of the faoe should be five parts.

10. The height of the forehead should be one part and equal to that the height of the brow.

11-12. The breadth and the height of the eye should be one part each; the root of the nose (snout) should be one part, and the breadth (of the nose) equal to that, and the nostril should be one-and-a-half parts.

13-14. Two parts, it is stated, should be left out below the eyeline, then the length (of the face) should be made of five parts and the height thereat should be half a part.

15-16. The lower lip should be of half a part, and above that one part apart should be made the upper lip below the eye-lino.

17-18. The cheek should be of two parts and the length of the ear one part; the breadth of the ear should be half a part and the root of the ear equal to that (i.e., half a part).

19-20. The length of the tooth (fang) should be one part, and a half of that the breadth at the root; the teeth should be shaped like the quarter moon (crescent), and there should be six teeth in number.

21. Similarly (i.e., in conformity with the teeth) is stated to be the upper (jaw) (where) should be the blood passage (? vessel, lit., window).

22-23. The length of the tongue should be three parts and its width one part, and the thickness is said to be a half of the width; and equal to that should be the depth of the nose.

24. The breadth (i.e., distance) between the two eyes is said to be one part.

25-26. The root of the nose, the forepart of the yuga (lit., yoke, pair), the root of the ear, and the cheeks should be adorned with leaves and creepers, etc. Thus is described the lion’s face.

27. The wise intelligent (sculptor) should make bees at the region of the face.

28. A half part of the two breasts should be coated with long hair.

29. The breadth of the chest is said to be nine parts.

30-31. The breadth of the foot should be three parts; the length of the sole should be five parts, and its breadth three parts, and the length of the toes should be a half of the length of the foot.

32. The four legs should be shaped like those of the tiger.

33. The breadth of the back should be ten parts, and the height of the back six parts.

34. The width of the thigh should be five parts and its length ten parts.

35. The breadth of the belly should be five parts, and equal to that its depth,

36-37. The length of the tail should be equal to the height of the lion, and the breadth one part; the root and the tip of the tail should be half a part, and it should taper gradually from the root towards the tip.

38-39. The forepart of the tail should be furnished with hair; the length of the testicle should be three parts, and its breadth at the root should be one part and at the tip three parts.

40. The length of the sex organ should be three parts, and its width half a part.

41-42. The lion should have a whitish complexion but his mane should be red; the interior of the mouth as also up to the end of the ear it (the face) should have a thick redness.

43. The nails resembling the teeth should be shaped like the infant moon.

44-45. Thus is described the representation of the lion; it should be employed as the vehicle of men, gods, and goddesses.

46-47. The measurement (of the lion) should be as aforesaid; and he should be carved in the erect, the sitting, or the recumbent posture.

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