Chapter 64 - The comparative measures of images (pratimā)

1-2. The measurement from the head to the foot of the group of sixteen images [viz., pratimā] (situated) all over the Viṣṇu temple, as well as of other images, will now be described briefly.

3-8. In comparison with the measurement of the Phallus (of Śiva), and next in order of the principal idol of Viṣṇu, of the largest and the intermediate sizes, with regard to the breadth of half the adytum (central hall), to the breadth of the temple, to the door, to the base, and to the pillar, in cubit, in the tāla system, of nine varieties in comparison with the worshipper, in the finger (pact) of the main idol or of the Phallus, and in the standard aṅgula unit: these are the twelve kinds of (comparative) measurement.

9. The six measurements beginning from the measurement of the Phallus are conducive to enjoyment, salvation, wealth, and success (? religion).

10. The measurements beginning with that in cubit are preferred for enjoyment and salvation.

11. The measurement in aṅgula is meant for those who are desirous of salvation. Whatever measurement is liked by the master should be used.

12. Therefore (of those), the measurement beginning from the principal Phallus, etc., will be described in order.

13. The Phalli are divided into two (main) classes: namely, the self-revealed (Svayambhu) and the man-made (Mānuṣa).

14. In case of the self-revealed (Svayambhu) Phallus, the measurement of the head should be the standard of measurement as compiled (from the extant examples).

15. The breadth should be measured by the broadest part of the width.

16. In case of the man-made (Mānuṣa) Phallus, the measurement of the head should be set aside as the unit.

17. The breadth and width (of this Phallus) may be ascertained by any part of the body.

18. With regard to the height of these two Phalli the wise (architect) should exclude the measurement of the altar.

19-23. The height of the Phalli proper, and their width may be equal; according to some that (the width) may be three parts out of sixteen parts (of the height); these proportions may be increased or decreased according to the different: countries and times; or (in other words) these parts may be decreased by three, five, seven, nine, eleven, or thirteen parts (out of the sixteen parts of the height).

24. This is said to be the measurement in regard to the Phallus. Now will be described the measurement in comparison with the idol of Viṣṇu.

25-27. Equal to the full length of main idol (of Viṣṇu), extending to its eye, nostril (tip of the nose), chin, root of the arm, breast, heart, navel, and the sex organ: these are the nine kinds of utasava height (of the sixteen subordinate deities of Viṣṇu).

28. The nine kinds, consisting of three in each of the three types, namely, the smallest, etc., are (called) the kautuka height when measured in a hall unit of that (utsava height).

29-31. The height of the central hall (adytum) proper may be divided into eighty-one parts, and together with the those (above mentioned) nine measures it may thus be of ninety kinds: thus should be made the measurement in comparison with the adytum (central hall).

32. The measurement in comparison with the breadth of the temple (lit., main edifice, prāsāda) should be the same as in the. case of the adytum.

33-35. It (the height of the family deities of Viṣṇu) may be equal to the height proper, the breadth or the length of the door (of the temple), or may be a quarter part more or less in the three units: thus should be (ascertained) the nine kinds of height in comparison with the door (of the Viṣṇu temple).

36-37. Then with regard to the two (units), namely, the height of the base and the height of the pillar (of the temple): each of these may be divided into nine parts (each of which may be the height of the family deities of Viṣṇu): these are said to be (another two sets of) nine measurements.

38. The nine kinds of height in cubit should be from oṇe to nine cubits.

39. The measurement in the tāla system should be from one to nine tālas^[1].

40. The nine kinds of height in the fist unit (muṣṭi) should be from one to nine fiats^[2].

41-43. Equal to the height of the master, extending (from the foot) to the eye, the nostril (tip of the nose), the chin, the shoulder, the breast, the heart, the navel, and the sex organ: these should be the nine kinds of height (of the deities) in comparison with the measurement of the master.

44, Of these, the (first) eight should be employed for the Jāti class (images).

46. The wise sculptor should consider the auspicious six formulas^[3], namely, the āya, etc. (with regard to this measurement).

46-47. What is known as the inauspicious āya, etc., being divided into thirty parts, and increased by one would become the auspicious, āya, etc.

48. All the (varieties of the) comparative measures of the subordinate images (utsava) should be verified by those (six formulas) ending at aṃśa.

49. The aṃśaka verification of the measurement is thus stated. The aṅgula measurement will be described now.

50-52. What is taken as the height of the Phallus being divided into one hundred and twenty-four parts, each of these is called a Liṅga aṅgula; when the height of the idol is divided according to the tāla unit, each part is called a Bera aṅgula.^[4]

52-55. The māna (standard) aṅgula is stated here: the breadth of eight yavas (barley corn) makes one aṅgula; this should be in the finger (aṅgula) of the gods (and the largest type); in the intermediate size seven yavas make one aṅgula, and six or five (yavas make a small aṅgula): thus is stated to be the māna (standard) aṅgula; the same should be (what is called) the dehalabdha aṅgula (i.e. the finger of the idol or the worshipper).

56-59. For the verification by the formulas of the auspicious āya, etc., an additional height, except in the Jāti class, may be given (to the image) and it should begin from two or three aṅgulas (in the small size), from five aṅgulas in the intermediate size, and from seven aṅgulas (in the large size), and end at one hundred and twenty-five aṅgulas, the increment being by two aṅgulas.

60-62. (To work out the six formulas), it (the measure of length, etc.) should be multiplied by eight, nine, three, eight, nine, and four or three respectively; and the (six) products should be divided by twelve, ten, eight, twenty-seven, seven, and nine respectively, the remainders would indicate the āya, vyaya, yoni, nakṣatra, vāra, and aṃśa, respectively.

63-65. Poverty, death of the wife, achievement of fortune, victory, agreeable surprise (adbhuta), fruition, salvation, enjoyment, acquisition of wealth, acquisition of the two, namely, fame, and plenty (abundance): these are the respective fruits of the twelve āyas.

66-68. Achievement of success, victory, and fortune, loss of wealth, enjoyment, destruction of the enemy, disease of the eye, acquisition of wealth, happiness, and friendship: these are the respective fruits of the ten vyayas,

69. In the formula of āya when there is no remainder left, it is conducive to religious merit, and it is conducive to happiness when there is no remainder in the formula of vyaya.

70. It is always conducive to all prosperity when the āya is greater and the vyaya is less.

71-72. The fruit which is auspicious becomes defective (i.e., inauspicious) when the āya is less (than the vyaya), that is when the vyaya is greater (pūjya); but there is no defect if it (the vyaya) be equal (to the āya).

73. (Of those eight yonis) the horse, the lion, the bull, and the elephant are the auspicious yoni.

74-75. (Of the twenty-seven stars), the birth-star (under which one is born), the second, the fourth, the eighth, and the ninth: these are the auspicious ṛkṣas: the name, the birth, and the ninth planet should be (particularly) taken into consideration in counting.

76-78. In the former calculation should be included the rāśi (sign of zodiac) of the master including the mīna (the last one) and ending at the second (vṛṣa), or excluding the mina [mīna?] and including the third (mithuna): thus up to the third, the stars are auspicious^[5].

79. (Of the seven vāra or week days) Thursday, Friday, Wednesday, and Monday are the auspicious days.

80. (Of the aṃśa) excluding taskara (thief), dhana (wealth) and ṣaṇḍa (bull) all others are auspicious aṃśa.

81. All the rāśis except the sixth and the eighth are auspicious^[6].

82. The elephant (gaja) is said to be all auspicious (among the yonis); but the mānuṣa (man) and the āsura [asura?] (demon) yoni should be (particularly) avoided.

83. One eye, two eyes, or the combination of aṃśa should be avoided (particularly among the aṃśa).

84. The auspicious yoga (conjunction) brings in prosperity, and the inauspicious yoga causes death (in all cases).

85-87. Where there is more merits than demerits, there is no defoot in it, but if the demerits be more than the merits, it would be all defective; therefore, the learned (sculptor) should avoid (the defective calculation) and follow the custom prevalent among the people.

88-89. Therefore, the height in the mātra (standard) aṅgula should be used (in measuring the idol) for personal worship, but the best artist should verify (the measure) by the formulas of the āya, etc., in each ease as aforesaid.

90. All others should be accepted by the best artist as said before.

91-93. Those comparative measures of the idols of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Buddha, Jina, and (all) other images, similarly of the subordinate images (utsava), in the stationary or the movable types, have been compiled (from the extant objects).

Thus in the Mānasāra, the science of architecture, the sixty-fourth chapter, entitled: “The description of the comparative measures of images.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See the writer’s Dictionary, pages 221-222, and the note under lines 51-52 of this chapter.

[2]:

This would be an extra unit and is not included in the twelve units, compare lines 3-8.

[3]:

That is, āya, vyaya, ṛkṣa, yoni, vāra and aṃśa (see lines 60-02, pages 603-604, and the writer’s Dictionary, page 600).

[4]:

Tāla ordinarily means a span, but in sculptural measure it is taken to imply the length of the face up to the crown of the head. The number of the tāla indicates the number of parts into which the total height of the image is divided, e.g., in ten tāla if the measure of the face be twelve parts the total height should be divided into 10x12 or 120 parts: each of these is stated here to be a Bera (idol) aṅgula.

[5]:

Compare chapter IX, 88-93, and the writer’s Dictionary, pages 600, 609-611.

[6]:

This formula is an alternative to the aṃśa formula (see the writer’s Dictionary, page 600).