6. Allocation of the Śālās

Kāśyapa Śilpaśāstra, besides enumerating the rules and measurements for constructing the pañcaprākāras now delineates the position of the various structures like rooms, houses, maṇḍapas, etc., that are to be constructed next to the fourth prākāra (maryādā). Based on the vāstupada vinyāsa^[1] of the plot the construction of various structures in the ordained directions or in the places presided by the various deities are explained as follows.

(i). Primary positions for the śālās

The text suggests that near the maryādasāla (fourth prākāra) or in the south-east (āgneya) of the madhyahāra (third prākāra) one must construct the kitchen.

The weaponry in the south-west (nairṛttya) direction, bedroom in the north-west (vāyavya) direction and yāgaśāla in the north-east (śāṅkara i.e. īśa) or in the anterior, are also to be constructed (XLIII. 57-8)^[2] :

maryādisālamāśritya pārśvakepacanālayam |
athavā madhyahārāyāṃ āgneyyāṃ pacanālayam ||
nairṛtyamāyudhasthanaṃ vāyavyāṃ śayanārhakam |
śāṅkare yāgaśālā syādbhṛśabhāge'tha vā budhaḥ ||

Between the south-east and south direction, the maṇdanālaya or alaṅkāra maṇḍapa for people is to be constructed. Amidst the east and north-east directions the bathroom must be designed.

Near this or in the position of bṛṅgarāja (i.e., between south-west and south) the granary must be placed and just between the south-west corner and the western direction the library must be situated (XLIII. 59-60):

āgneya-yāmyayormadhye kartavyaṃ maṇḍanālayam |^[3]
śakraśāṃkarayormadhye majjānālayameva hi ||
dhānyasthanaṃ ca tatpārśve bhṛṅgarājapade'pi vā |
nirṛti-varuṇayormadhye pustakārakṣakālayam ||

Besides the library, construction of a cow-shed (vyañjanālaya) is favourable and wardrobe for clothes must be positioned in the midst of north and north-west.

Moreover, a shrine for Goddess Gaurī must be established in between the directions of north and north-east and besides that a bedroom along with a bed must be designed (XLIII. 61-2):

tatpārśvayoḥ prakartavyaṃ vyañjanālayamuttamam |^[4]
somavāyavyayormadhye vastrāṇāmālayaṃ kuru ||
somaśaṃkarayormadhye gauryāvāsaṃ prakalpayet |
tatpārśve śayanasthanaṃ paryaṅkena samanvitam ||

Kāśyapa Śilpaśāstra further adds that the puṣpamaṇḍapa must be constructed either in the place of (the vāstupada devatā) Puṣpadanta (western direction) or in the place of Mahendra (eastern direction). Also, the granary must be built in the place of Gṛhakṣata (south).

All these must be surrounded by mālikā (gallery) and within the mālikā, a well (kūpa) must be dug in the north^[5] (somāṃśa) (XLIII. 63-4):

puṣpadantapade vā'tha māhendre puṣpamaṇḍapam |
gṛhakṣatapade kuryāt dhānyālayaṃ dvijottama ||
parito mālikāyāṃ ca evameva prakalpayet |
mālikānte tu somāṃśe kūpasthanamudāhṛtam ||

(ii). Alternative positions for the śālās

In addition to the above enumeration of the positions for constructing various structures inside the prākāras, Kāśyapa Śilpaśāstra suggests a set of alternate rules for positioning of the component structures of the prākāra as follows.

The study centre (vidyāsthāna)^[6] must be established in between the east (śakra or Indra) and north-east (śāṅkara) directions; also between north-east (īśānya) and northern (Kubera's place) direction, the positioning of the treasury^[7] is suggested.

Furthermore, the maṇḍapa for flowers can be constructed between south (place of Yama) and south-east (āgneya) directions (XLIII. 65-6):

athavā'nyaprakāreṇa vakṣye'haṃ deśanirṇayam |
śakraśāṃkarayormadhye vidyāsthanamudāhṛtam ||
śaṃkaraśrīdayormadhye dhanasthanamudāhṛtam |
yāmyapāvakayormadhye puṣpamaṇḍapamucyate ||

Amidst south and south-west directions, one must design a bathroom and between south-west and western direction a maṇḍapa for hearing discourses on Dharma.

The weaponry can also be built in between west (varuṇa) and north-west (vāyusthāna) and within north-west and northern direction a bedroom can be constructed (XLIII. 67-8):

yāmyanairṛtayormadhye snānāṃbukoṣṭhamucyate |
nirṛtivāruṇayormadhye dharmaśravaṇamaṇḍapam ||
vāyuvāruṇayormadhye āyudhasthanamucyate |
vāyavyasaumyayormadhye śayanasthanamucyate ||

The position of a yāgaśālā must be made between north-east and northern side.

Also, the shower room must be established in the place of Jayanta (east) and the kitchen in the place of Agni (south-east) (XLIII. 69):

īśānasaumyayormadhye yāgārthaṃ maṇḍapaṃ kuru |
jayante majjānāgāramāgneye pacanālayam ||

The primary and alternative positions of various śālās as per the vāstu devatās are given below in a tabular form for easy understanding:

Śālās	Primary position	Alternate positions
Pacanālaya (Kitchen)	South-east	South-east
Āyudhasthāna (Weaponry)	South-west	Between W and NW
Yāgaśālā (sacrificial altar)	North-east	Between NE and N
Maṇḍanālaya (for alaṅkāra)	Between SE and S	—
Snānāmbukoṣṭha or Majjanāgāra (Bathroom)	Between E and NE	Between SW and W or E
Dhānyasthāna (Granary)	Between SW and S	—
Pustakarakṣakālaya (Library)	Between SW and W	—
Cow-shed (Vyañjanālaya)	Next to the Library	—
Vastrāṇāmālaya (Wardrobe)	Between N and NW	—
Goddess Gaurī shrine	Between N and NE	—
Śyanārhaka (Bedroom)	North-west	Between NW and N
Puṣpamaṇḍapa	West or East	South
Kūpa (Well)	North	—
Vidyāsthāna (Study Centre)	—	Between E and NE
Dhanasthāna (Treasury)	—	Between NE and N
Dharmaśravaṇa maṇḍapa	—	Between SW and W

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

The vāstupuruṣa maṇḍala that is followed here in this section is given in the Appendix II.

[2]:

Aṃśumatkāśyapāgama, Muktabodha edition, 42. 63-4 is taken here for better reading.

[3]:

Aṃśumatkāśyapāgama, Muktabodha edition, 42. 65ab.

[4]:

This reading vyañjanālaya from the Tanjore and Mahrishi editions means a cattle shed, for Vaijayanti Kośa (III. 6. 33) says: vyañjanāḥ paśuḥ saṃskārāḥ |

[5]:

The Muktabodha edition gives the position of the kūpa (well) inside the mālikā as north-east (īśāna), 42. 71cd:
mālikābhyantare caiśe kūpasthanamudāhṛtam ||
Cf. Kāmikāgama (I. 71. 125) and Ajitāgama (XXXVIII. 49) also assign the north-east for the construction of kūpa.

[6]:

Aṃśumatkāśyapāgama, the Muktabodha edition of this text places the rice store in this direction instead of the study-centre, 42. 72cd: śakraśaṃkarayormadhye śālisthanamudāhṛtam ||

[7]:

ibid., 42. 73ab: śakrasyānalayormadhye dhanavāsamudāhṛtam || –thus this edition suggests the direction between east and south-east as the place for a treasury; Cf. Kāmikāgama (I. 71. 126cd) suggests the same.