4. Prākāra components (2): Pāda-māna

Kāśyapa Śilpaśāstra prescribes that for constructing multiple storeys, it is mandatory to design a wall over a wall and a pillar over a pillar; each storey must be endowed with prastaras (entablature) and an alpanāsikā (XLIII. 29)^[1] :

kuḍyasyopari kuḍyaṃ syāt pādasyopari pādakam |
talaṃ pratiprastaraṃ kuryāt pādaṃ pratyalpanāsikā ||^[2]

The height from the homa to the uttara (architrave) of the main temple (harmya) must be divided into 7 parts. Of these 7, 2 parts must be for the dharātala^[3] and the remaining 5 parts is the height of the pillars; this is how the first storey must be designed.

Furthermore, these pillars must be endowed with all types of ornamentations and the dharātala must be designed as mentioned before; it must be of perfect measure (XLIII. 30cd-32ab):

mūlaharmye tu homādi uttarāntaṃ yadunnatam ||
tanmānaṃ saptadhā bhajya pakṣāṃśaṃ tu dharātalam |
pañcāṃśaṃ pādadīrghaṃ tu pādaṃ sarvāṅgasaṃyutam ||
dharātalaṃ taduktaṃ vā ārjavaṃ vā prakalpayet |^[4]

The next storey should be designed with a height equalling the distance between the homa and uttara (of the mūla harmya) being divided into 9 parts; amongst the 9 parts as stated before 2 parts will be assigned for dharātala and the remaining 7 parts will be for the pillars (caraṇa) (XLIII. 32cd-33ab):

mūlaharmye tu homādi uttarāṃśaṃ navāṃśake ||
dharātalaṃ dvibhāgaṃ syātsaptāṃśaṃ caraṇodayam |^[5]

When the extent of the homa to uttara is made into 11 parts, 3 parts is reserved for the adhiṣṭhāna and the remaining gives rise to the pillars (pāda); this is the measure for the next storey (XLIII. 33cd-34ab):

uttarāntaṃ tu homādi rudrabhāgaṃ vibhājite ||
adhiṣṭhānaṃ guṇāṃśaṃ syāccheṣaṃ pādodayaṃ bhavet |^[6]

Thus the measure of the dharātala and the caraṇa remains the same as instructed while constructing the first storey. If the height of the pillar is divided into 6, 7 or 8 parts then 1 part among them is assigned to the circumference of the pāda. Moreover the pillars must be made out of either wood or stones and the expanse of the pillars must be 3 parts or 2 parts or three-fourth or half the height of the pillar.

In accordance with the above instructions, the pādas must be constructed in all places (XLIII. 34cd-36):

mūlaprāsādatulyaṃ vā caraṇaṃ ca dharātalam ||
pādasyotsedhamānaṃ tu ṣaṭsaptāṣṭau tu vā bhajet |
ekāṃśaṃ pādaviṣkaṃbhaṃ dārurvāśmamayaṃ tu vā ||
tattribhāgaṃ dvibhāgaṃ vā tripādaṃ vārdhameva vā |
kuḍyapādasya vistāraṃ sarvatra parikalpayet ||

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cf., Dīptāgama, XII. 30cd-31ab:
...  ... ... ... | bhitterupari bhittiḥ syātpādasyopari pādakam ||
talaṃ prati prastaraṃ kuryānnāsikābhiranvitam | ...  ... ... ... ||

[2]:

Cf., Aṃśumatkāśyapāgama, Muktabodha edition, 42. 35cd-36ab.

[3]:

See II. 4. (ii). (a). (2).

[4]:

Aṃśumatkāśyapāgama, Muktabodha edition, 42. 37-8.

[5]:

ibid., 42. 39.

[6]:

ibid., 42. 40.