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Sources of Architectural Canons
251 presents the architectural subjects viz., Vāstu, Bhūparīkņā and Bhūmisamgraha (Selection of site and examination of soils ), Dvāras and Stambhas (position of doors and pillars), Padavinyāsa
Siteplans), Ayādinirņaya (Astrological consideration), structures and component parts of houses, palaces and temples, Sarkusthāpana (calculation of cardinal points) and Hastalaksana (units of measurements ) either in crude or developed forms, which in later works like Purāṇas, Āgamas and silpa texts have been found elaborately treated.
(i) PURĀŅAS.
The Purāņas contain some casual references to architecture, but some of them devote several adhyāyas to architecture, sculpture and other fine arts and give a systematic and eleborate treatment of the subject.
The Purūņas seem to have been composed at different times and their period can be fixed only approximately.
The following Purāņas give a special treatment to the subject.
The Matsya Purāņa* ( 300 A. D.-600 A. D.)79 contains a special section on architecture styled “Vāstuprakaraṇa' which consists of eight comprehensive adhyāyas 8 0 ( chapters) dealing with the different aspects of architecture and sculpture in detail.81 In one of these chapters (ch. CCLII) accounts
* Published in Anandāsram Sanskrit series no. 54 and Trans. into English in SBH ( Panini office, Allahabad ). Vol. 17. 79. Chro-Kane, Some portion of the Purāņa is as old as 3rd Cent. A. (D., D. K. Shastri, “Purāņa Vivecan' p. 180.) 80. MP. chapters CCLII, CCLV, CCLVII, CCLVIII, CCLXII, CCLXIII, CCLXIX and CCLXX. 81. Brhat Samhitā of Varāhmihira approximately belongs to the period of MP. The subject of architecture treated by it displays some affinity with that of MP.
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