Essay name: Architectural data in the Puranas
Author:
Sharda Devi
Affiliation: Himachal Pradesh University / Department of History
This essay studies ancient Indian architectural science as found in technical treatises and the Puranas, with special reference to the Matsya, Garuda, Agni and Bhavishya Puranas. These texts detail ancient architectural practices, covering temple and domestic designs, dimensional specifications, and construction rules.
Chapter 1 - Introduction
36 (of 40)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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68 69 36
For griha, dh膩ma or dh膩man, pasty膩 and harmya in the sense of
the whole compound, see RV, III, 53.6; IV, 49.6; VIII, 10 1
Atharvaveda, VII, 83.1, X, 6 4; AB, VIII, 21
Dv膩r and dv膩ra, RV 1.136, AV, VIII 3.22; XIV 1.63 V膩jasaney墨 鈥�
Sa峁僪it膩, XXX, 10 SB, XI, 1 1.2; XIV, 3 1 13.
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70 71.
72 73.
74 Wilson, Rgveda, vol III, notes on IV 30 If ancient Mohenjodaro
people are identified with Asuras of the Vedas, it indicates the
existence of brick built and perhaps also stone built buildings in the
Rgvedic period
Compare RV, II 415, V. 62 6, VII. 88 5; AV, III.12; IX 3 which
contains prayers for the stability of a house at the time of its
construction
Muir, Sanskrit Texts, V, 455. Compare R.L Mitra, Indo-Aryans,
127: 'Pillars, spacious doors and windows, though frequently
mentioned are not decisive indications of the existence of masonry
buildings: but bricks could not possibly have originated unless
required for such structures, for it would be observed to suppose
that bricks were known and made and yet they were never used in
the construction of houses'
For detailed study see, 膧pastamba-Sulva-S奴tra, ed. and trans. by
Satya Prakash, New Delhi, 1968.
P.K Acharya, Indian Architecture According to M膩nas膩ra
Silpa艣膩stra, rpt, New Delhi, p. 8.
