Devaprasadasa as in Visvakarma Vastusastra (Study on Temple Architecture)

With growing interest in modern times, the science of architecture has developed into a separate branch of study. This has lead modern man who is fascinated by the architectural monuments of India, to appreciate the expertise and skill of our ancestors.

An enormous amount of information is found in our ancient scriptures dealing with architecture like selection of sites, construction of temples, town-planning and so on. Understanding and adopting these techniques based on the vast knowledge of our ancient architects would help the modern architects to formulate newer ideas.

Among the available scriptures on architecture of ancient India in the form of manuscripts and printed texts, the text tiled Visvakarma Vastusastra is attributed to the authorship of the divine architect Visvakarma.

Ms. K Vidyuta (B.Sc. Mathematics, M.A. and M.Phill. Sanskrit) is a research scholar working for her Ph.D Degree in Temple architecture, at the Kuppuswami Sastri Research Insitute, Channai. She has presented papers in many National and International Seminars and Conferences in different parts of India and abroad, including the 16th Word Sanskrit conference, recently held at Bangkok, in June 2015.

Her specialization includes Sanskrit literature, yoga, Ancient India Mathematics and Temples Architecture.

With growing interest in modern times, the science of architecture has developed into a separate branch of study. This has lead modern man, who is fascinated by the architectural monuments of India, to appreciate the expertise and skill of our ancestors.

An enormous amount of information is found in our ancient scriptures dealing with architecture like selection of sites, construction of temples, town-planning and so on. Understanding and adopting these techniques based on the vast knowledge of our ancient architects would help the modern architects to formulate newer ideas.

Among the available scriptures on architecture of ancient India in the form of manuscripts and printed texts, I came upon the titled Viivakarma Vastuaastra, attributed to the authorship of divine architect, Viivakarma. This text has been published by Maharaja Serfoji's Sarasvati Mahal Library, Tanjore in 1990. This has been edited with an introduction by Sri K. Vasudeva -71 and Major N. B. Gadre. The edition also carries commentary entitled Pramana-bodhini of Sri Anantakrsna Bhattaraka.

Only a short portion of the text, consisting of eight chapters that deal with Devaprasada (or) temple construction has brought out in this book; the interesting notes provided by _ commentator have also been incorporated here.

One of the salient features of the text taken up here for is that, among the available printed texts on architecture, the text talks on the construction of temples very elaborately these descriptions mostly comply with the structures of the Indian temples.

The present book is the modified form of my M. Phil. dissuasion submitted to the University of Madras, through the Sastri Research Institute. It was approved and degree as awarded in 2013.

I am deeply indebted to Dr. T. V. Vasudeva, Deputy Director of the K. S. R. Institute and my supervisor, for teaching the text to me and also the nuances of Architecture and Agamic practices, in addition to guiding me for my dissertation and also in preparing this book.

I acknowledge with gratitude the advice and guidance given by Dr. V. Kameswari, Director and Dr. K. S. Balasubramanian, Deputy Director of K. S. R. Institute at various stages of my dissertation.

My thanks are also due to Dr. Sita Sundar Ram, Senior Research Scholar of the Institute and other research scholars for enthusiastically helping me with relevant research materials and other related information.

I express my deepest gratitude to Dr. M. Raghu, Jyotisha Siromani and Librarian of the Madras Sanskrit College, for encouraging me into this field of research and for providing me with valuable ideas on this subject.

I am also thankful to the K.S.R.I. Library and the Adyar Library for having provided me with various books and sources of information for conducting the research.

I wish to record my sincere gratitude to my grandparents, parents and family members who have been a source of inspiration throughout the period of the research work undertaken by me.

I am deeply beholden to the authorities of the Karnatak Historical Research Society for selecting my dissertation for publication as a part of the Centenary Celebrations of their Society.

I hope that this book will enthuse the readers to probe into such ancient Sanskrit books and manuscripts for further research.