Sambodhi 1978 Vol 07

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 48

46
Ganesh Thite
king would get diseases; if on a castle which is very much crooked, there would be numerous deaths; if on a castle of the shape like a plough, the king would be poor (Patala 32).
Other kinds of castles
We saw above the sub-kinds of castle of the first kind i.e. one on mountain. There are some other kinds of castles.
(2) Vanadurga (Forest-castle) - citadel which is surrounded by thick forest in which there live numerous wild animals, and many savage people and where there are deep lakes is called Vanadurga.
(3) Jaladurga (Water-castle) - A citadel which is surrounded by water in the form of river or lake, is ealled Jaladurga.
(4) Kardamadurga (mud-castle) - A citadel surrounded by mud of soft clay and water naturally coming out of the ground is called Kardamadurga.
(5) Miśra-durga (mixed castle) - A citadel surrounded by hills, forests and mud is called Miśradurga.
(6) Nara-durga (Men-castle) - A citadel guarded all-around by armed warriors is called Naradurga.
7) Koştha-durga (Store-castle) - A citatdel full of numerous useful'. things, grass, fire and hundred cannons, and protected by brave warriors is called Kostha-durga. It has many ramparts (Patala 33). This castle may be of four, five, six or eight corners or of circular size. A king should get built such a castle from good builders and reside therein, so that he will prosper. Before building this castle the king should, on an auspicious day, worship Ganeša and Viśvakarmā, gratify the builder and ask him to start the work. The castle is to be built on a high plac, in stones, bricks and earth. There should be ramparts around the castle (Patala 34). The doors of this citadel should be of the following type. The eastern door should face the south; the southern to the west; the western to the north, and the northern to the east. The doors should appear as mouths of leopard. There should be some provision for warriors to stand near the doors. Deities like Ganesa, Bhairava, Bhadrakāli, and Hanūmān should be established at the eastern, southern, western and northern doors respectively. There should be strong bolts to all the doors. The doors should be covered by iron plates. There should also be protruding iron peg on the doors (Patala 36). There should be a store of following things in this castle - bows and arrows of different kinds, spears, swords, clubs, stones, ghee, oil, wine, honey, salt, lead, various herb-products, horns, hides, copper, iron, bronze, armours, poison, mercury, betel-nuts, meat, rice, wheat, chick-peas, kidney-bean (Mudga), bean (Māsa), barely etc. (Patala 38).