Part 8.6 - Madhyamaṇḍapa-lakṣaṇa (Features of the central pavilion)

[Full title: Features of houses for the four classes (caturgṛha-vidhāna) (6) Features of the central pavilion (madhyamaṇḍapa-lakṣaṇa)]

The shape of the pavilion should be either rectangular or square of the land. It should match the shape of the land where it is to be constructed. The height of the pillars should be measured from five spans, gradually increasing to seven spans with the increment of three digits. At the button the diameter of the pillar start from five digits goes up to thirteen digits and on the top the diameter eight digits. Therefore, the pavilion's pillars are slightly thinner than those of the main building. The height of the base is to be measured at half the height of the pillars, or alternatively, at half the height minus a sixth or an eighth. Sometimes it should be calculated at a third or a quarter of the height of the pillars.

Regarding the shape of the pillar Maya says that:

…….caturaśraṃ ca vṛttakkaṃ |
vasvaśraṃ citrakhaṇḍaṃ ca stambhānāmākṛtiḥ smṛtā || (Mayamata 27.30)

Here vasvaśraṃ signifies the shape of a octagonal structure, the word vasu stands for the number eight, since eight vasus are famous in Indian culture. So, the shape of the pillars may be square, circular, octagonal, or of the chitrakhaṇḍa type. Specifically, octagonal and square shapes of pillars are known as viṣṇukānta and brahmakānta^[1], respectively. Citrakhaṇḍa is a different type of pillar that is defined in fifteen chapter of Mayamata. Citrakhaṇḍa pillar contains doucine-like features. 

Maya says that:

karmāyāmena cāgre tu caturasrasamanvitaṃ ||
tadadhastvardhadaṇḍena padmaṃ vasvasrasaṃyutaṃ |
tadadhastu vikārāsraṃ daṇḍenābjaṃ tu pūrvavat ||
tadadho daṇḍamānena madhyapaṭṭaṃ yugāsrakaṃ |
padmaṃ ca ṣoḍaśāstraṃ ca pūrvavatparikalpayet ||
mūle śeṣaṃ yugāsraṃ syāccitrakhaṇḍaṃ taducyate | (Mayamata 15.22-26)

[“A pillar of the citrakhaṇḍa type has a square element at the top two modules high beneath which is an octagonal element with a doucinelike profile half a module high; beneath that again is a sixteen sided element one module high and next a (second) doucine profile, as above, then a square section median band one module high, then a (third) doucine profile and a (second) sixteen sided element as above; at the bottom, the remaining part of the height is occupied by a square element.”]^[2]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

See. avove, p. 95

[2]:

B. Dagens, Mayamata. vol.1. p-185