Ayodhya Ram Lalla
Shilpa Shastras (Science of Shilpas)
In simple terms, Shilpa Shastras means the combination of arts and crafts. It is an ancient term described in numerous Hindu texts that involves with arts, crafts, their design rules and their principles and standards. Mostly this technique would be used in building big palaces, houses, temples and Mutts. Shilpa Shastras are manuals for sculpture and forms the part and parcel of a sculptured figure. The goddess for Shilpa Shastra is believed to be Ma Saraswathi. Whereas we can also describe Lord Maya (Demon Architect) and Viswakarma (Divine Architect), Lord Vastu Bhagavan (The god of structures) to be the chieftains of ShilpaShastra. Ancient Kings used to appoint Civil Architect specialised in Shilpa Shastra to build small and big temples for the deities.
While Shilpa and Vastu Shastras are related, Shilpa Shastras deal with arts and crafts such as forming statues, icons, stone murals, painting, carpentry, pottery, jewellery, dying, textiles and others. Vastu Shastras deal with building architecture – building houses, forts, temples, apartments, village and town layout, etc.
The meaning of Shilpa extends to every aspect of culture, includes sculptor, the potter, the perfumer, the wheelwright, the painter, the weaver, the architect, the dancer, the musician, the arts of love, and others.
Shilpa Shastras include paintings, both miniature and large. For example, Narada Shilpa Shastra dedicates to painting, while Saraswati Shilpa Shastra describes various types of complete painting and sketch work.
The 9th-century version of Mayamata text of Tamil Nadu and 16th-century version of Shilparatna of Odisha describe takshaka and vardhaki as wood Shilpins Carpentry was also an essential Shilpa Shastra during the construction of a Hindu temple. The Vedas, describe many kinds of arts and crafts in their discussion of Shilpa Shastra. More and more spiritual powers would be added into the idols which are designed after properly following Shilpa Shastras, provided if we chant the divine mantras and do the pujas to the idols in a proper manner.
A Swamy idol (Murti) made out of using Shilpa Saastra has its own significance! A good Murti (deity) made using ancient techniques, would speak a lot than that of a deity designed without using proper methods and techniques. It is also said, that an idol contains more powers (Prepared after invoking Shilpa Shaastra Techniques) than that of the idol made out of precious metals! We can gift idols to our near and dears, without considering their caste, creed, community, gender and religions since our deities offers satisfies the wants and needs to everyone including to the ones like small tiny insects like butterflies and ants!
“OM SRI SHILPARADHANA MOORTHIYE NAMO NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R. HARISHANKAR