Vastu-shastra (Introduction to Indian architecture)

by D. N. Shukla | 1960 | 196,891 words | ISBN-10: 8121506115 | ISBN-13: 9788121506113

Hinduism Vastushastra

Summary: This book deals with Vastu-Shastra (Indian architecture), the first part: Fundamental Canons (Literature). It discusses basic concepts such as the philosophy, cosmology, metaphysics, astronomy, astrology, geography, geology and history of Hindu Architecture. The definition of the Architect and his theoretical/practical experience are also mentioned.

The remaining chapters deal with canonical literature in which Vastu-Shastra can be traced as well as a detailed study of some of the prime works dealing with the science of Indian Architecture, such as the Samarangana-sutradhara, Vishvakarma’s work, Aparajitapriccha, Manasara, Mayamata and Shilparatna.

Source 1: exoticindiaart.com
Source 2: archive.org

Contents of this online book ( + / - )

The full text of the Vastu-shastra (Introduction to Indian architecture) in English is available here and publically accesible (free to read online). Of course, I would always recommend buying the book so you get the latest edition. You can see all this book’s content by visiting the pages in the below index:

Dedication to Lord Shiva

Expert Opinions

Acknowledgement

+ Volume 1 - Canons of Architecture

+ Chapter 1 - Introduction

. (i) General Introduction

. (ii) The Method of Treatment

. (iii) Method of Study

+ Chapter 2 - Scope and Subject-matter

. (i) Scope of Architecture (Vāstu)

. (ii) Subject-matter of Architecture (Vāstu)

+ Chapter 3 - The Architect and Architecture

. (i) The Architect (Sthapati)

. (ii) The Architecture (Sthāpatya)

+ Chapter 4 - An outline History of Hindu Architecture

. (i) Origin of Indian architecture

. (ii) Rise of the Śāstra and the place of Viśvakarmā

. (iii) Maya: The Founder of the Dravidian school of Architecture

. (iv) Other Ācāryas (chief preceptors) of Vastuśāstra

. (v) Vāstu literature (Introduction)

. (v,1) Vāstu in Vedic literature

. (v,2) Vāstu in Epic literature

. (v,3) Vāstu in Buddhist Literature (Jātakas and Pali Canons)

. (v,4) Vāstu in Kauṭilya’s Arthaśāstra

. (v,5) Vāstu in the Purāṇas

. (v,6-7) Vāstu in the Āgamas and Tantras

. (v,8) Vāstu in the Bṛhatsaṃhitā

. (v,9-10) Vāstu in the Pratiṣṭhā and Miscellaneous works

. (v,11) Vāstu in the Śilpa-texts

. (vi) Rise of Art

+ Chapter 5 - Study of Hindu Science of Architecture

. Introduction (A Study of Representative or Principal Texts)

. (i) Viśvakarmā’s Vastuśāstra (Summary)

. (ii) Samarāṅgaṇa-Sūtradhāra

. (iii) The Schools of Architecture and the Allocation of the Samarāṅguṇa

. (iv.a) Aparājitapṛcchā (Introduction)

. (iv.b) Aparājitapṛcchā (Subject-matter and Creation)

. (iv.c) Aparājitapṛcchā (Summary)

. (v) Mānasāra (Summary)

. (vi) Mayamata [Mayamatam] (Summary)

. (vii.a) Śilparatna (Introduction)

. (vii.b) Śilparatna (Summary of Chapters 1-13)

. (vii.c) Śilparatna (Temple-architecture—Chapters 14-43)

. (viii) Conclusion

+ Chapter 6 - Fundamental Canons of Hindu Architecture

. Introduction (the five fundamental pillars)

. (i) Orientation of Buildings (Diṇnirṇaya or Prācī-sādhana)

. (ii) The Site-planning (Vāstupada-vīnyāsa)

. (iii) Proportionate measurements (Māna, Aṅgula, Hasta)

. (iv) The Six Canons of Hindu Architecture (Āyādi-ṣaḍvarga)

. (v) The character of the building aspect etc. (Patākādi-ṣaṭ-chandas)

+ Volume 2 - Town Planning

. Chapter 1a - Antiquity of Town Planning in India

. Chapter 1b - Origin and Growth of Indian Towns

+ Chapter 2 - Villages, Towns and Forts in General

. Villages in ancient Indian town-planning

. Towns or Cities in ancient Indian town-planning

. Forts (Durga) in ancient Indian town-planning

+ Chapter 3 - Preliminaries of Town Planning

. Preliminaries (a): Regional Planning

. Preliminaries (b): Land and Landscape suited to an Ideal town

. Preliminaries (c): Geological Survey

. Chapter 4 - Road Planning in Ancient India

. Chapter 5 - Folk-Planning (Jātivarṇa-adhivāsa)

+ Chapter 6 - Deification and Beautification of Towns

. Beautification (a): Temples

. Beautification (b): Gardens, etc.

. Chapter 7 - Fortification

. Chapter 8 - Inauspicious Towns

. Chapter 9 - Conclusion

+ Volume 3 - House Architecture

. Chapter 1 - Preliminaries In House-Construction

. Chapter 2 - Buildings in General

. Chapter 3 - Origin and Development of Human Houses

. Chapter 4 - Śālā-houses

. Chapter 5 - Planning of Śālās: The House Plans and Building Byelaws

. Chapter 6 - The Construction of the Śālās

. Chapter 7 - The Principal Components

. Chapter 8 - The Pillar and other Members

. Chapter 9 - House-decorations and other Equipments

. Chapter 10 - The Defects of the House

. Chapter 11 - Concluding Remarks

+ Volume 4 - Palace Architecture

. Chapter 1 - Palace-Architecture

. Chapter 2a - Accessory Structures: Sabhā (pillared hall architecture)

. Chapter 2b - Accessory Structures: Aśva-śālā (royal stable)

. Chapter 2c - Accessory Structures: Gaja-śālā (stables for elephants)

. Chapter 3a - Yantras (mechanical contrivances): Introduction

. Chapter 3b - Yantra and its Elements (Yantra-bījas)

. Chapter 3e - Dhārāgṛha and Dolāgṛha (or Rathadolā)

. Chapter 3d - The varieties of Yantras (mechanical devices)

. Chapter 3c - The Qualities of a Yantra and its Functions

. Chapter 3f - The Aeroplane (Vimāna-yantra)

. Chapter 3g - Conclusion (the science of machines in India)

. Chapter 4 - State or Public Buildings (The cognate structures)

+ Volume 5 - Temple Architecture

. Chapter 1 - Denotation of the term ‘prāsāda’—the hindu temple

. Chapter 2 - The Origin of the Prāsāda-vāstu

. Chapter 3 - The Development of the Prāsāda-vāstu

. Chapter 4 - Prāsāda styles (A): Nāgara

. Chapter 4 - Prāsāda styles (B): Drāviḍa

. Chapter 4 - Prāsāda styles (C): Vesara

. Chapter 4 - Prāsāda styles (D): Vāvāṭa (Vārāṭa)

. Chapter 4 - Prāsāda styles (E): Bhūmija

. Chapter 4 - Prāsāda styles (F): Lāṭa

. Chapter 5 - Pre-Samarāṅgana Classification of Temples

. Chapter 6 - General remarks (on temple-classification)

. Chapter 6 - Group A: Early Lāṭa Temples

. Chapter 6 - Group B: Later Lāṭa Style

. Chapter 6 - Group C: Nāgara Prāsādas

. Chapter 6 - Group D: Dravida Prāsādas

. Chapter 6 - Group E: Regional Styles (The mixed ones)

. Chapter 7 - Planning of Prāsāda—The Hindu Temple

. Chapter 8 - Prāsāda Maṇḍapa

. Chapter 9 - Prāsāda Jagatīs

. Chapter 10 - Vimāna-Vāstu

. Chapter 11 - Correspondence of the Prāsādas with Monuments

+ Chapter 12 - History of Hindu Temples (Prāsādas and Vimānas)

. Layanas, Guhādharas and Guhārājas

. Layanas—Early Mauryan Specimens

. Guhādharas (Buddhist rock-cut architecture)

. Cave Temples of Ajanta

. Guhārāja Cave-Temples

. Temples at Ellora and Elephanta

. Temples of Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram

. Stūpas (Shrines for Devotion)

. Chādya-prāsādas and Sabhā-maṇḍapas (Flat-roofed and Hall-temples)

. Gupta-temples

. Chalukyan Temples

. Bhaumika Vimānas (Temples of South India, Decan and Greater India)

. Pallava Phase (Circa 600 A.D. to 900)

. Kailāśa-nātha and Vaikuṇṭha Perumal

. Chola Temples (Circa 900-1150 A.D.)

. Pāṇḍya Prākāras and Gopuras

. Vijayanagara Style (1350—1565 A.D.)

. Temples of Madura, the final phase (from 1600 A.D.)

. Śikharottama Prāsādas (Nāgara Temples)—The evolution of Śikhara

. Temples of Orissa (1): Bhuvaneśvara

. Temples of Orissa (2): Puri

. Temples of Orissa (3): Koṇārka

. Temples of Khajuraho

. Temples of Rajasthana and Central India

. Temples of Gujrat (Gujarat) and the West

. The Temples of Deccan (1100-1300 A.D.)

. Temples at Gwalior and Brindabana

. Vāvāṭa-Prāsādas (Vāvaṭa and later Chalukyan or Hoysal style)

. Temples in Mysore State

. Belur temples

. Hoysaleśvara [Hoysaleswara] temple at Halebid

. Bhumija Temples

. Temples of Mayūrbhañja

. Temple architecture in Kashmir

. Temple architecture in Nepal

. Temple architecture in Burma

. Temple architecture in Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

. Temple architecture in Cambodia

. Temple architecture in Siam (Thailand)

. Temple architecture in Champa (central and southern Vietnam)

. Temple architecture in Java and Bali

. Temple architecture in Boro Budur [Borobudur]

. Temple architecture in Prambanam [Prambanan]

. Temple architecture in Bali

. Hindu Architecture in outer India

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Last Updated: 24 September, 2024

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