Mayamata and Building Construction (study)
by Ripan Ghosh | 2024 | 61,593 words
This page relates ‘Meaning of Shala (House)� of the study dealing with Mayamata—an ancient Indian architectural treatise dealing with building construction (bhavana-nirmana). It forms part of “Vastuvidya�: a stream of Sanskrit technical literature encompassing village and town planning, temple architecture and other aspects like site selection, orientation, and structural arrangements aimed at promoting harmony and prosperity.
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Part 7.1 - Meaning of Ś (House)
[Full title: Details regarding Houses (ś屹Բ) (1) Meaning of Ś]
Meaning of �ś� may create some ambiguity. According to Apte dictionary the word �ś� can determinate twofold meaning, viz.
a. An apartment, a room, saloon, hall.
b. A house, an abode.[1]
ṣa records the word ś as follows�
vāsa kutī dvayo ś sabhā sajavana� tvida� |
ٳḥśāl munīnā� tu parṇaśālotajyo'straiyā� || (ṣa 2.6)
In ٳܱ �ś� may refer to the house, building and even to room. In the present context by the word �ś� B. Dagens indicates Houses. Therefore, ś-Բ�� means prescriptions for house construction.
At the beginning Maya classified houses into six categories. They are�
a. Houses with single main building.
b. Houses with two main buildings.
c. Houses with three main buildings.
d. Houses with four main buildings.
e. Houses with seven main buildings.
f. Houses with ten main buildings.