TantraSaaraSangraha Moola with Translation

Chapter - 3

Measure of aMgula

dIrGasthakalamAstisraH tiryagaShTayavOdarAH |

aMgulyAH madhyarEKAyAH samA lakShaNAtaH smRutAH || 51 ||

51. If three grains of paddy (rice with husk) is kept one behind the other to form a straight line - the length of this line is 1 aMgula. If 8 grains of wheat is kept one behind the other to form a circle, the diameter of this circle is 1 aMgula. Length of centre line of thumb is 1 aMgula.

pratimAdhyardhakaM dwAramUrdhwamardhaM ca vistRutiH |

pratimArdha pramANEna pIThasyOccatwamiShyatE || 53 ||

53. The height of the door of Garbha Griha should be 1.5 times more than the height of Idol in the Garbha Griha. The width of the door should be half the height of the door. Height of the Peetha (base ) should be half the height of Pratima (Idol)

unnatiH piMDikAyastu caturaMgula mAnataH |

tryaMgulaM dwyaMgulaM vApi gRuhAMtaH pratimAsamam |

uccaM paryak ca kramashaH uccatwaM madhyataH smRutam || 54 ||

54. The Height of the stone that supports Peeta should be 4 aMgulas from the base of the Peeta. It is ok for it to be 3 or 2 aMgulas also. In the centre of Garbha Gudi, the distance from top of Idol to the roof of Garbha Gudi should be same as height of idol. And from that point the height should gradually decrease

tAvaduccaM bahishcaiva yadyEkashiKaraM bhavEt |

ardhOccamathavApi syAt adhastAt pratimOnnatam |

tatO dwiguNamAnaM vA sArdha pratimamEva vA || 55 ||

55. If the temple has one storeyed Garbhagudi , the height of shiKara (tower) should be the same as that of Idol. It could be half the height of Idol too. The height of the wall of Garbha Griha should be equal to either height of Idol, or 1.5 times the height or even double the height of the idol.

shikarAMtarE tu pratimAmAnaM tadgulamucyatE |

tat tripAdaM tadardhaM vA tadadhyardhamathApi vA || 56||

56. If the tower of Garbhagudi is two storeyed, the height of the wall of the second storey should also be equal to the height of the idol. It could also be either 3/4th, 1/2 or 1/4th the height of idol as well.

vartulaM padmasadRushaM hastipRuShThasamaM tathA |

caturashraM cAShTakONaM vimAnaM parikIrtitam || 57 ||

57. The shape of Garbhagudi could be either circular or shape of lotus flower or shape of elephants back or square or octogonal.

pratimAyA dashaguNaM viMshadguNamathApi vA |

vartulaM shikharaM twEkaM kiriTAkRutimadbhavEt || 58 ||

58. THe height of Multi-Storeyed tower of Garbha Gudi could be 10 times or 20 times the height of the Idol. The topmost tower should be circular and like a Crown.

muKamaMTapa - prAkAra

sabhayApi samEtaM vA pRuthak sabhamathApi vA |

dwisabhaM trisabhaM vApi sagOpuramathApi vA || 59 ||

59. There could be lobby(maMtapa) attached to the Garbha Gudi or it could be seperted as well. Depending on the capacity of the builder there could be multiple lobbies. It is normal practice to have the towers for these lobbies too.

Notes:

There could be sabhAGruha in front of Garbha Gruha. This is also called as tIRthamaMtapa. This could be adjoining Garbhagruha. For eg: Ananteshwara temple in Udupi, the sabhagruha which has SrimanMadhvacharya’s sannidhi, is adjoining the Garbhagruha. Whereas the lobby at SriKrishna Temple is seperate from Garbhagruha.

prAkAravRuttayuktaM vA saptaprAkAramEva vA |

sadmavRuttaM kiShku mAtraM bahirvA caturasrakam || 60 ||

60. The temple should have either a Circular or square enclosure (prakara). This Enclosure should be approximately at a distance of 42 aMgulas from Garbhagudi. There could be upto seven such prakaras or enclosures.

tataH paraM kiShkumAtraM sabhAyA aMtaraM yadi |

tatastAvat tRutIyAyAH sArdhamEva hyudAhRutam || 61 ||

61. If the lobbies (maMTapas) are constructed seperately from Garbhagudi(not adjoinging it ) then, the first lobby should be at a distance of 42 aMgulas from Garbhagudi, second lobby should be at a distance of 42 aMgula from the first, third lobby should be at a distance of 63 amgula and so on.

kiShkutrayaM ca shakrAdEH sthAnaM tad vRuttataH smRutam ||

tatastumaMDapaM kuryAt pratiShThAyAH sulakShaNam || 62 ||

62. Eight directions along the enclosure is the spot of iMdra and other ashtadgipalakas. Each of those should have maMtapas of area 126 aMgula. After the construction of temple, a well

designed maMtapa should be constructed for pratishtapana of Main deity.

Chapter 4

dwiguNOttaraM rEcakAdi ShODashAdikramENa tu |

mAtrANAM hraswavarNasya kAlO mAtrEti shabdyatE || 148 ||

kramENaivAbhyasEnmAtrAvRuddhimEkAgradhIH punaH |

rEcayitwA dakShiNataH pUrayitwAtu vAmataH |

kuMbhakaM ca suShumnAyAM viShNuM vAyuM ca saMsmarEt || 149 ||

mUlAdhAraM samArabhya twAmUrdhAnamRujusthitA |

madhyE suShumnA vij~jEyA vajrikA&&ryA&vabhAsinI |

vaidyutA brahmanADIti saiva paMcaprabhEdinI || 150 ||

pRuShThavAmAgradakShAMtarbhEdAstE ca kramENa tu |

harinnIlaH sitaH piMgO lOhitAshcAtra kEshavaH |

pradyumnAdi swarUpENa dhyEyaH siddhimabhIpsatA || 151 ||

mUlE ca nAbhau hRudayEMdrayOni-

bhrUmadhyamUrdhni dwiShaDaMtakEShu |

catuH ShaDaShTa dwicaturdwiShaTka-

dalEShu padmEShu saitAruNEShu |

paMcAtmakO&sau bhagavaAn sadaiva

dhyEyO hRudaMtAnyaruNAni tAni || 152 ||

trikONavahnau ca ShaDashravAyau

dwistAvadatraravivRuttashashisthavahnau |

vRuttE vidhAvapi viciMtyamidaM dashArdha-

rUpaM sitaM tadaKilaM hRudayAt parastham || 153 ||

iDA ca piMgalA caiva vajrikA dhAriNI tathA |

suShumnAyAshcaturdikShu vajrikAdyAsu tatra ca |

caturmUrtiH sa bhagavAn hRudayE saMvyasthitaH || 154 ||

dwAsaptati sahasrANi nADyOnyAstupradhAnataH |

bRuhatIsahasrasparshAnAmRucAM vAcyO&tra kEshavaH || 155 ||

rUpANAM lakShaMAM tEShAM rahasyatwAnna kathyatE |

viShNunA brahmaNE prOktaM prOktaM graMtha saMkOcatastathA || 156 ||