Dear Listmember,
this year I found in the library of the Nationalmuseum Colombo three
unpublished Sanskrit manuscripts describing the iconographical details
of Indian gods. They are written in Ślokas for learning by heart. "A
handbook for temple artists" (Coomarasvamy).
I give an example for the description of the god Brahma:
Caturmukhaṃ caturbāhum pītavarṇṇa samāyutam
Jatāmakuṭasaṃyuktaṃ ratnakuṇḍalabhūiṣṭam (?)
Hemayajñopavītañca abhayaṃ pustakaṃ tathā
Svarṇṇahaṃsasasamārūḍhaṃ Brahma nāthasya lakṣaṇaṃ
The manuscripts are called Rūpavaliya and Rūpamālā. Apart of
Gooneratne's English translation which follows another wording or
unknown manuscript I could not find out any further manuscripts or an
edition of the text.
Are there any other manuscripts available which I may consult?
I am aware of a few articles in which some extracts are published
(Paranavitana, Coomarasvamy etc.). The text probably dates from the 11th
century (Gooneratne).
Thank you
Heiner
--
Dr. Rolf Heinrich Koch
www.rolfheinrichkoch.wordpress.com
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