रूपमण्डन एवं देवमूर्त्ति-प्रकरणम् (मण्डन सूत्रधार - प्राचीन मूर्तिकला एवं देव-प्रतिमा लक्षण सटीक)

CONCLUSION As has been clearly pointed out, the Devatā-mūrti-prakara- ṇam of Sūtrabhṛt Maṇḍana, the Ātmaja, son of Śrikṣetra, is a compilation. The author has used many Texts which he has freely modified, that is, at his will he altered their readings. Such changes, as far as they concern the Dhyāna ślokas, are not authorised by the Tantra or Upāsana Śāstras. We can, therefore, take these verses at best, only as mere descriptions of images, for the guidance of artists and they are not to be taken too rigorously, or to be followed too literally. The work demonstrates a striking spirit of rapprochement or mutual assimilation on the part of the different sects; even the Jaina deities are allotted a conspicuous place. Thus we have not only the well-known Hermaphroditic Umā-Maheśvara and the Ardha-Nārīśvara forms but also such composite forms as the Kṛṣṇa-Śaṅkara, the Kṛṣṇa-Kārtikeya. Not only, we have such deities as Śiva-Nārāyaṇa, Hari Hara-Pitāmaha, (Sūrya ?) Hari-Hara-Pitāmaha, Candrāṅka- Pitāmaha, Hari-Hara—revealing close admixture of Śiva, Viṣṇu, Brahman, Sūrya and Candra; but we are told of thirty-two different images formed by the combination of Kṛṣṇa and Śaṅkara—which have not, unfortunately, been described (for fear of prolixity but they must be learnt from Brāhmaṇas). It is, however, doubtful if all the described images were actually wor- shipped. Sadāśiva Worship seems already to be extinct by the time. Finally, my thanks are due to the learned Editor and the Publishers of this well-known Series, who invited me to write out this Introduction to the DMP. I have tried to do my work, as best as possible, in spite of the limitations of time and resources etc., at my disposal. I shall. be highly gratified if it will be of any service to students of the subject. 31st Chaitra, 1341 B. E. ; } HARIDAS MITRA SANTINIKETAN }