समराङ्गणसूत्रधारः- Samarangana Sutradhara of Srimaharajadhiraja Bhojadeva Critically Edited and Translated by Prabhakar P Apte (Set of 5 Volumes)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

The Samarangana Sütradhara, an encyclopedia of medieval Indian science and technology, is ascribed to Maharaja Bhoja of the Parmar dynasty, that ruled the Malwa region of India in the eleventh century A.D. The work is composed in cighty-three chapters which deal with eight major components of architectural engineering (Vastu-Sastra) comprising. Sketching the site-person (Vastu-Purüşa Mandala); Town-planning (Pura-nivesa); Settlement of royal palace complex (Raja- prasāda-niveşa); Town flag (Indra-dhvaja); Royal mansion (Raja-grha); Residential houses, as per the four social orders (Caturvarnya-vibhāga-Grha-vibhāga); The chamber of sacrifice and the procedure of constructing it (Yajña-sala-mana); Military Engineering including army-camp- settlement and hill-fort-construction (Sivira evari Durga-niveşa). In addition to the above, the text also elucidates about Painting (Citrakala), Iconography (Murtilakşaņa), Dance-postures (Nitya Karaņa) and Weapons of Deities (Ayudha)etc.

The text begins with the legend of king Prthu, who is believed to be the first ruler of the earth (Bhumi) and prior to whom there was neither urban nor rural human civilization. It further records that the four sons of Viśvakarma, namely, Jaya, Vijaya, Siddhartha and Aparajita, made the entire earth habitable in four sectors, viz., east, south, west, and north; and before they began their work, the eldest son Jaya asked many questions to his father, answers to which constitute the content of the Samarangaņa Sūtradhara.

The IGNCA edition of the Samarangaņa Sūtradhara is a landmark in the millennium year of King Bhoja as it presents for the first time, a thematically re-arranged textual schema of the text along with a lucid English translation, complemented with copious notes. The edition will be of immense help to the engineers and architects along with the international community of scholars.

Dr. Prabhakar Pandurang Apte is Former visiting Professor-Sanskrit Department. Madras University: Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati; Academy of Sanskrit Research, Melukote: Anantacharya Research Institute, Mumbai. He specializes in the Agama Sastra, Vastu Sastra, Lexicography. Franco-Hindu Jurisprudence: the Arthasastra. Hindu Polity and the Upanisads. He has the distinction of being one of the Editors of Sanskrit Dictionary Project, Deccan College, Pune, and has critically edited and translated into English the three gems (Ratna-traya) of Pañcaratra Vaişpava Sahhitas, namely the Sattvata, the Pauskara and the Jayakhya. He has delivered several keynote addresses and lectures and has been widely felicitated with a host of awards and honors for his outstanding contribution to the field of Sanskrit studies.

Er. Arvind Vishvanath Phadnis is an Electronic Engineer. He has worked with HAL, Ozhar, Nashik, Allied Industries, etc. He is a Visiting Professor in reputed Colleges, such as, MIT, PICT, Ekalavya, etc. He has translated Vitruvious's ten Books on Architecture in Marathi and has written several articles on Ram Raz, the famous architect. He has also edited the book titled Engineering Technology of Yajňa Kundas and Yajña Mandapas'.

(Smt.) Sanjeevani Prabhakar Apte is Post Graduate in Economics. She is the Editor of Pune Itihas Darshan' and has provided editorial assistance to a multi-volume project 'Women's Literature in Indian Languages' (in Marathi and English) and Vaikhanasa Agamakoşa Project and Architectural Engineering and Iconography in Vaisnava and Saiva Agamas.

(Late) Dr. C.V. Kand (1930-2017) was BE(Civil) and M Se(Bridges) from UK. He served the Government of Madhya Pradesh as founding member of Bridge Corporation, and had a hugely successful career in architectural designs. He was a Senior Consultant to many prestigious organizations and government bodies. He was fascinated by the engineering marvels of Raja Bhoj at Madhya Pradesh which remained a life long passion for him. He has contributed 105 technical papers and many publications. He was greatly felicitated by many international and national bodies.