Book Title: Devta Murtiprakaranam tatha Rupmandanam
Author(s): Upendramohan Sankhyatirtha
Publisher: Metropolitan Printing and Publishing House Limited
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[ 17 ]
Regarding the Silpa Sāstras, Rám Ráz says51 :
"It is true that the Hindus were in possession of numerous treatises on architecture, sculpture, &c., which collectively are called the Silpa Sastra, but unfortunately few traces of them remain. There appears to have been, according to some, thirty-two, and according to others sixty-four, standard treatises on the abovementioned arts.
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
In a series of memorial verses preserved among the artists, are recorded the names of the authors or titles of the above mentioned sixty-four treatises. Of these, thirty-two are called Muc'hya, or principal, and thirty-two Upa or subordinate.
They (verses) contain little more than titles mostly patronymics of the deities who revealed the particular art or
temperaments. But like unto the rivers, which take direct routes or run along circuitous courses, and yet, ultimately, find their ways and merge into the sea- even, like unto that, indeed, O! my Lord, you alone are the sole Refuge of the human beings.
These three most important references to the ancient MastersBhagavan Ganapati, Bhima and Kasyapa the first two references being especially striking, are to be found in Prasthana Thraya Madhusudana Saraswati Smriti. Reproduced by Pandit T. Subraya Sastri of Bangalore. Transl. into Eng. by the Late Ratanlal M. Mody and G. Venkatachala Sarma of Bangalore. V. B. Soobbiah & Sons. Bangalore, 1931.
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Though there are some anachronisms in the edition, as regards Sri Madhusudana's date etc., there are the strongest grounds to suppose that the learned Pandita's wonderful edition is absolutely genuine. As, many of the Texts, mentioned are actually traceable and one, even, published by the same-viz. the Amsu-bodhini of Bharadvaja Ṛsi with Comm.
As regards the time etc. of Sri Madhusudana Sarasvati, a few words would be not out-of-place. He flourished before Sri Caitanyadeva, in Bengal and was the author of several works of great erudition, among which are Bhaktirasayanam (Ed. Acyutagranthamālā, Benares) and Advaitasiddhi (Ed. Rajendra Ghosh, Calcutta).
51. Rám Ráz: Essay on the Architecture of the Hindus, London,
M. DCCC. XXXIV.
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