44 - Characteristics of the image of Vasudeva

The Lord said:

1-2. Ishall describe to you the characteristics of the image of Vasudeva and other gods. Having placed the stone to the north of the temple facing either the east or the north and worshipped it, the sculptorshould divide the stone into nine parts along the central line after making the offering. 

3. In the twelve divisions (of the line) a division is said to be an angula (a finger breadth). Two angulas are known to be a golaka. It is also said to be a kålanetra. 

4. Having divided one of the nine divisions into three, (with one part) the region of the calvesshould be made. In the same way a part is to be used for the knees and part for the neck. 

5. The crownshould be of a measure of a tála (12 angulas). In the same way the face (should be) of the measure of a tala. The neck and heartshould also be a tåla each. 

6. The navel and the genital partshould be a tala apart. (The length) of the thighsshould be two tālas. (The length) of the part from the ankle to the kneeshould be two talas. Listen now to (the description) (of the drawing) of lines (on the body). 

7. Two linesshould be drawn on the foot, and (two) more in between the calves (and knees). Two lines about the knees and two more in between the thighs and the kneesshould be drawn. 

8. One lineshould be drawn over the genital part, and one more about the waist. Another (line) (should) then (be drawn) above the navel for accomplishing the girdle. 

9. Then (a line)should be drawn on the heart and two lines on the neck. One such lineshould be drawn on the forehead and one more on the head. 

10. One more lineshould be drawn on the crown by the learned. O Brahman! seven vertical linesshould be drawn. 

11. Six linesshould be laid in between the armpits and the lower part of the spine. These lines aloneshould be marked clearly omitting the central line. 

12. The forehead, the nose and the mouthshould be made (to measure) four angulas. The neck and the two carsshould be made (to measure) four angulas long. 

13. The cheeks so also the chinshould be made (to measure) two angulas broad. The forehead is said to be eight angulas broad. 

14. Over that the temples (sides of thc forehead)should be made two angulas endowed with curbs. The intervening space between the eyes and ears is said to be four argulas. 

15. The earsshould be two angulas wide. (The interspace between) the ears and the ends of eye-lashes (should be) two and a half units. The cavity in the ear is spoken to be in the same line as the eyebrows. 

16. A pierced ear (should be) six angulas and an unpierced (ear) (should be) four angulas equal to the chin. (Or itshould be) six angulas whether it is pierced or not pierced. 

17. Then the external auditory passage with its membranes etc.should be made. The lower lipshould be of two angulas and the upper lipshould be half of it. 

18. Then the (breadth) of an eye (should be) half an angula and the mouth (should be) four angulas. The measurement of its depth is spoken to be one and a half angulas. 

19-20. The unopened mouthshould be in this way. The opened mouthshould be three angulas. The base of the bridge of the noseshould be one angula high. From its tip itshould be two angulas similar to the karavira (flower) (oleander). The intervening space between the two eyesshould be made to measure four angulas. 

21. The corners of the eyes (should be) two angulas. The space between them (should be) two angulas. The pupil (should be) one third of the eye and the iris (should be) one fifth (of it). 

22. The breadth of the eye (should be) three angulas. The cavity (of the eye) is considered to be half an angula. The lengths of the eyebrows are considered to be equal and are proportional to the eye-brows. 

23. The middle of the eye-browshould be two angulas and its length (should be) four angulas. The measure round the head (should be) thirty-six angulas. 

24. The measurement around the heads of the images of Keśhava and other godsshould be thirty-six (angulas). The headmeasure of all those (images) which areshort-necked (should be) ten (angulas). 

25. The inter-space between the neck and the chestshould be three times the length of the neck andshould be thrice as much broad plus eight angulas. 

26. Theshoulders (should) be made (to measure) eight angulas and the two beautifulshoulder regions (should be) three times those. The armsshould measure seven times (the length of) the eyes. The fore arms (should be) sixteen angulas. 

27. The armsshould be three kalas¹ in breadth and the forearmsshould also be equal ta that. The upper armshould have a circumference of nine kalas. 

1. Equal to two angulas. Also called Golaka.

28. Itshould be seventeen angulas at the middle and sixteen angulas above the elbow-joint. O Brahman the circumference of elbowshould be three times that.  

29. The circumference of the middle of the forearm is said to be sixteen angulas. The circumference of the fore-part of the arm is said to be twelve angulas. 

30. The palm of the hand is said to be six angulas in breadth. 'The lengthshould be seven angulas. The middle (finger)should 

be five angulas (long). 

31. The index finger and the ring finger (should be) half an angula less than that. The little finger and the thumbshould be made to measure four angulas each. 

32. The thumbshould be made to have two parvans (joints). The other fingers (should have) three joints. The measure of the nail is laid down as half (the size of the joints) on the respective fingers. 

33. The extent of the belly is same as that of the chest. The navelshould be an angula (in breadth) and proportionally deep. 

34. Then the inter-space between the generative organ and the intestinesshould be made to measure a tala. The girth around the navel (should be) forty-two angulas. 

35. The inter-space between the breastsshould be made to measure a tåla in breadth. The nipplesshould be of the measure of a yava² (barley grain). The circular space around themshould be two padas (two feet). 

2. One eighth of an angula. 

36. The circumference of the chestshould be made sixtyfour angulas clearly. The girth of the lower portion (of the chest) is said to be four mukhas³ (one tala). 

3. Seems to be & corrupt form for mukhya equal to one tala or twelve angulas. 

37. The circumference of the waistshould be fifty-four angulas. The breadth of the base of the thigh is said to be twelve angulas. 

38. It is somewhat greater at the middle (of the thigh) and gradually less (broad) below. The knee-joint (should be) eight angulas in breadth and thrice that in its girth. 

39. The middle of the leg from the ankle to the knee is said to be seven angulas broad. The girth of it (should be) three times that. The top of the leg (should be) five angulas broad. 

40. The girth of that (the leg) (should be) thrice its breadth. The feet (should) measure a tala. The extent of elevation of the feet (should be) four angulas. 

41. The front (part) of the anklesshould be four angulas The extent of the feetshould be three kalas. The generative organshould be three angulas. 

42. Its girth (should be) five angulas. The fore-finger (should be) of same length. The other fingers are duly lesser by one part of eighth. 

43. The height of the toe is said to be one and a half angulas. The nail of the twoshould be made twice that. 

44. (Those of other fingers)should be gradually made half angula less than the previous. The scrotumshould be three angulas (long). The generative organ (should be) four fingers (long). 

45. The girth of the upper part of the pouchshould be made (to be) four angulas. The girth of the scrotum is said to be six angulas. 

46. The imageshould be adorned with ornaments. This is the exact description of details. The features (of the deities)should be made in this world, as described. 

47. A disc on the (upper) right hand, and a lotus on the lower (right hand), the conch on the (upper) left hand, the mace on the lower (left hand) are to be placed according to the characteristic of Vasudeva. 

48-49. (The images of) Śri and Pushtishould be made carrying a lotus and a harp respectively in their hands, (their images) reaching upto the thighs (of that of Vasudeva). Then the two Vidyadharas (a class of semi-divine beings) holding the garlands (in their hands)should be made in the halo of the principal image). The halo (should also) be decked with the (images) of (celestial) elephants. The pedestalshould be radiant like a lotus on which the images (should be worshipped) as follows.