Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (study)
by K. Vidyuta | 2019 | 33,520 words
This page relates ‘Prakara components (5): Measure of the Uttara (architrave)’ 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 (5): Measure of the Uttara (architrave)
The uttara or the architrave must be one, three-fourth or half a daṇḍa in height and these correspond to the uttama, madhyama and adhama measures.
If the length of the uttara is equal to the length of the base of the pillar then it is uttama; if the length equals the measure of the pillar's middle, then it is madhyama and if it equals the measure of the head of the pillar then it is classified as adhama (XLIII. 41-2):
daṇḍaṃ tripādamardhaṃ vā kramācchreṣṭhāntarādhamam |
uttarotsedhamākhyātaṃ vistāraṃ mūlapādavat ||
madhyapādasamaṃ vātha agrapādasamaṃ tu vā |
uttaravyāsamākhyātaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ madhyādhamaṃ kramāt ||[1]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Aṃśumatkāśyapāgama, Muktabodha edition, 42. 46.