Mahavira Jain Vidyalay Suvarna Mahotsav Granth Part 1

Author(s): Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya Mumbai
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 723

252 : SHRI MAHAVIRA JAINA VIDYALAYA GOLDEN JUBILEE VOLUME
(160). This indicates that the palace of Harsa was located outside the entrance of the Rajabhavana or royal palace proper. In the Rāmāyaṇa there is a detailed description of the palace of Rāvaņa (Sundarakānda, ch. 6–7). The whole area which is described as Alaya, contained the palace (bhavana) of Rāvaņa architecturally planned in several portions (Prāsāda). These three words correspond to Rajakula, Dhavalagpha and Väsabhavana which were placed one inside the other. Rāvana's Mahāśäla had a staircase. In the extensive palace (Mahāniveśana) or Rajakula of Rāvana there were several component parts, e.g., LatāgȚha, Citraśālāgrha, Kriļāgļha, Däruparvataka, Kāmagsha, Capaśālā (armoury), Candraśālā (moonlight house), Niśāgrha (night chamber), Puspagsha, etc. Several of these features correspond to those in the palace described by Bäna. The Candraśālā is common to both. The Citraśālā of the Rāmāyana was the same as the Vasabhavana of Harsa, where there was the Bed-Chamber with paintings on the walls and which was therefore justifiably known as Citraśālikā.
Ašvaghosa (1st century A.D.) describes the house of Nanda as Vimăna comparing it to Devavimāna. That house was divided into spacious courts. Once Buddha arrived at the entrance of Nanda's house, on his begging round. At that time Nanda was seated with his wife Sundari on the upper floor of his house. As soon as Nanda learnt about it he got down and passing through the wide courts ran to meet the Buddha. But the courts were so spacious that it took him a long time to pass through them and therefore he felt agitated as to why they were so expansive.. Ašvaghoşa has also mentioned that in the upper storey of his palace there were Gaväksa ventilators (4.28). This seems to be evidently a reference to the Prāsādakukși or the two galleries connecting the Pragrīvaka in front and the Candraśālikā at the back. These galleries were provided with carved latticed works as clearly mentioned by Bāņa. They were closed with shutters which could be opened to give a clear view of the outside (Vighatitakapātaprakațavātāyaneșu mahaprāsādakuksisu. Kādambarī, 58). These galleries were utilised for dance and musical performances.
In the Padatāditakam the large houses of the courtesans are stated to be divided into spacious courts well separated from each other (Asambaddhakakşāvibhāgāni. 1.12). They were well sprinkled with water (Sikta) and cleansed off their dust with air blown through hollow
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WHICHIEU Tart: sae CHETTI अतस्त्वरावानहमभ्युपेतो गृहस्य कक्षामहतोऽभ्यसूयन् ।। (५.८)