The Hindu Pantheon in Nepalese Line Drawings

This book reproduces line drawings of the pantheon of deities described in chapter 6 of the Pratisthalaksanasarasamuccaya from two 17th century Nepalese manuscripts. Drawing s of the 64 Yoginis according to the Devi-Purana found in an appendix to both manuscripts are also reproduced. The line drawings from Nepal should prove to be of great importance to the study of Hindu iconography. Comprehensive and almost complete sets of illustrations of pantheons such as this one are rarely found. In addition to the line drawings, this volume reproduces the Sanskrit text of chapter 6 of the printed edition of the Pratisthalaksanasarasamuccaya (published in Kathmandu in 1966), which is not easily accessible. The Pratisthalaksanasarasamuccaya, also called Laksanasarasamuccaya, Laksanasamgraha and Laksanasamuccaya, is a text of the 11th or 12th century and is attributed to Vairocana. It is a work on the constrution and installation of lingas compiled from various Agamas. The present book discusses its authorship and date, the contents of its individual chapters, and analyses in detail the iconographic features of the deities described in chapter 6.