वास्तु मण्डन (मण्डन सूत्रधार - गृह, राजप्रासाद, दुर्ग एवं नगर-वास्तु सटीक)

INTRODUCTION xxvii Before starting any construction, one has to be very careful not to deviate from prescribed measurement to ensure entire fabrication devoid of defects. Water reservoirs – Water body plays an extremely pivotal role in habitation. At initial stage civilizations started by the river banks only. In the later period people started finding out other sources of water by digging well, tank, ponds, jheels, etc. It was regarded very auspicious to dig a water reservoir and deemed as part of the essential duty of a king or landlord of that locality. In this book, we find Śrīkṛṣṇa advising Yudhiṣṭhira regarding the beneficial impact of digging water reservoirs. Here we find description of different types of water reservoirs with various numbers of projections. Dimensions and shapes of different types of kuṇḍas and wells are also provided. Garden – As is said earlier, the author of this book was much concerned on the ecological balance and as an architect he took extreme and overall solicitude on this noteworthy and momentous issue while designing a city or township. Even in palaces and forts, he felt the necessity of gardens everywhere. In the third chapter, author advised creating a pleasure garden/park either inside or outside of a city. For a house, the garden will be either on right or on left side. Prescribed measurements are also provided. These gardens will be bedecked with varied and specific trees and creepers, playgrounds, water reservoirs, bathing places with showers, etc. Doors – Any construction entails proper placing of the entrance door. Here in this book, while describing different arrangements of a house, the author writes thirty ślokas (46-76) in the fourth chapter. Here he writes about different types and parts of the door, their measurements, and types of doors whether they are auspicious or inauspicious, etc. According to him there may be three types of doors in a house as per the height. Particular measurement is given for each and every component of a door and there is definite instruction as to which part is to be bejeweled or not. There is a fixed position of the door for different types of houses, stables etc. If it is done otherwise there will be disorder in the construction. In addition to door, we find description of the location of side doors, a door adorned with latticed window as well as revolving door. In this book, author has enumerated the measurement of a main gate, which may be of three types and will be well decorated. There are different doorways of pratolī (main entrance gate), which are known as utsaṅga, pūrṇavāhu, hīnavāhu, and pratikāya. These are mentioned in Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra as well as in Aparājitapṛcchā. Among these four types of doors the first two types are regarded auspicious.