Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (study)
by K. Vidyuta | 2019 | 33,520 words
This page relates ‘Prakara components (3): Pankti-mana’ of the study on the Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (in English) with special reference to the characteristics of Prakara (temple-components), Mandapa (pavilions) and Gopura (gate-house). The Silpa-Sastras refers to the ancient Indian science of arts and crafts, such as sculpture, architecture and iconography. This study demonstrates the correlatation between ancient Indian monuments (such as temples and sculptures) and the variety of Sanskrit scriptures dealing with their construction.
4. Prākāra components (3): Paṅkti-māna
Kāśyapa Śilpaśāstra next lays down the rules for designing a row of pillars. It says that the paṅkti[1] must be of length 3, 4 or 5 hastas and in the form of a mālikā (gallery) on all sides. Else, the measure must be 2 to 5 hastas and thus adding three aṅgulas each time there results twenty-five varied measures for the paṅkti.
Further, the wise would place the row of pillars equally on all sides, (i.e.) it may contain either odd or even number of pillars (XLIII. 37-39ab):
tricatuṣpañcahastaṃ vā parito mālikākṛti |
hastadvayaṃ samārabhya pañcahastāvasānakam ||
guṇāṅgulapravṛddhyā ca paṅktayaḥ pañcaviṃśatiḥ |
bhedena kathitaṃ vipra sarvatra samapaṅktayaḥ ||
yugmāyugmāthavā paṅktiḥ sarvatra parikalpayet |[2]