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Sources of Architectural Canons
253 CCLXIII) are devoted to sculpture under the headings of Navatālalaksana '(i. e. proportionate measurement of an image,)' Linga-lakṣaṇa and ‘Pithikālakṣaṇa.' It describes twenty varieties of temples under three heads.
The Vayu Purāņa* ( 300 A. D.-600 A. D.)83
It has a single chapter (Pt. I Ch. XXXIX) about the construction of temples on mountains.
The Brhmanda-Purāņa* ( 300 A. D.-600 A, D. 184 likewise treats the construction of temples and other buildings in one chapter ( Ch. VII ) Vişnudharmottara Purāņa* ( 6th cent. A. D.)88
This Purāņa forming an appendix of the great Vişņu Purāņa is a store-house on the arts of architecture, sculpture and painting. It is divided into three Khandas, of which the third Khanda or part is a unique contribution on painting. It also imparts instruction to sculptors making images of Gods and to architects constructing temples, The Chapters LXXXVI-VIII, of this part give a geneological account about a hundred temples, * Bombay edition. 83. Chro Kane. Parjitar ascribes Ist. cent. A. D. to this Purāņa. * Bombay edition. 84. The said Purāņa, according to some scholars, is a detached portion of the Vayupurāna and hence is placed with the Vayu PurāņaParjitar, also Shastri D. K. Purāņa Vivecana p. 174. * Bombay ediiion (Vyankateśvara Press) 85. Shastri D. K. Purāņa Vivecana' P. 188.
The age of the portion i. e. Khanda Ill, of this Purāņa ascertained by Dr. ( Miss ) Priyabala Shah is between the first or rather second half of the 5th cent. A. D. and the first half of the 7th cent. A. D. i, e. circa 450 and 650 A. D. (Dr. Priyabala Shah 'Vişnudharmottara Purāņa G. O. S. No. CXXX (1958), Introduction p, XXVI ) But as the said Purāņa forms an appendix to Vişņu Purāņa, which is dated 6th Cent. A. D. it may also be ascribed to 6th cent. A. D.
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