Mandaladraftschool: pan-indian· Bṛhat Saṁhitā

64-pada plot scheme (Brihat Samhita)

catuḥṣaṣṭipada-vāstu

also: manduka (TRADITIONAL series-name, identification to confirm — see Q15)

man-vastu-64

Definition

BS 53.55–56's stated alternative: nine lines each way give 64 squares, with diagonals drawn corner to corner; the same 45 deities are redistributed, several now holding half-padas.

Classical

Prāṇa relevance

In this scheme the House-God has 64 parts (Bhat's note) — a coarser body-partition; not yet traced further.

Cross-book attributes (2) — fill / concur / diverge

Brahma Sthana Fraction SvobodaFilledper txt-svoboda-vastu

for the 8×8 grid the Brahma Sthāna = the innermost 2×2 = 4 squares

Series Name SvobodaFilledper txt-svoboda-vastu

⚑ Svoboda NAMES the 8×8 (64-cell) residential grid MAṆḌŪKAPADA ('the 8 × 8 grid is given the special name Maṇḍūkapada'); one of the two grids 'most suitable... for residences', though the 9×9 Paramasāyikā is usually preferred. BS 53.55–56 left this 64-grid descriptive (man-vastu-64 alias 'manduka' was TRADITIONAL/unconfirmed, Q15).

Connections (2)

corresponds-to · 1

↔Maṇḍūkapada (8×8, 64-pada grid)Traditional
Svoboda names the 8×8 (64-cell) residential grid 'Maṇḍūkapada' (reported from the Mayamata); BS 53.55–56 presents the same 8×8 64-pada grid (man-vastu-64) without naming it. §6: identity is a claim → corresponds-to edge, not a merge.

embodies · 1

←Temple (prasada)Classical
BS 56.10 fixes the temple site at 64 squares (the same grid the dwelling chapter offered as the alternative to 81). Bhat cross-refers LIII.65; the deity-bearing grid underlies the temple as it does the house, with the garbha over the center.

Sources

txt-brihat-samhita53.55–56Classical✓ verifiedConstruction and redistribution of the 45 deities
txt-brihat-samhita56.10Classical✓ verifiedThe temple site is ALWAYS divided into 64 squares; the main gate is auspicious in any of the four cardinal directions

Notes from other books

brihatStep 3 finding: BS makes the 64-pada grid (man-vastu-64) the canonical grid FOR TEMPLES specifically (56.10), while the dwelling chapter offered 81 or 64 as options and the commentary made 81 obligatory for houses (rul-mandala-81-for-dwellings). So the house/temple split maps onto the 81/64 split within BS itself. This is concrete support for the later-tradition association manduka(64)→temples flagged at Q15 — though BS still does not use the name "manduka". Cross-ref LIII.65 made by Bhat.
txt-svoboda-vastuOverlaps Book-1's BS man-vastu-64 (BS 53.55–56). Svoboda names it Maṇḍūkapada; minted man-manduka and bound by corresponds-to, NOT merged. His Brahma-Sthāna-as-central-2×2 concurs with BS's 'Brahma × 4 central padas' for the 64-grid — flagged corroboration. NOTE a spelling/scheme nuance: Svoboda writes 'Maṇḍūka-pada' (8×8); the classical literature sometimes reserves 'Maṇḍūka' for the 8×8 (64) and 'Caturaśīti-pada/etc.' for others — captured as a question, not resolved.

Other attributes

Grid: 8x8 (64 padas)
Pada Allotment: {"center":"Brahma × 4 central padas","inner_diagonal_halves":"8 deities × ½ pada along the diagonals near Brahma: Apah, Apavatsa, Savitr, Savitra, Indra(jaya), Jaya, Rajayakshma, Rudra","outer_corner_halves":"8 deities × ½ pada at the outer corners: Shikhin, Antariksha, Anila, Mriga, Pitr, Papayakshma, Roga, Diti","corner_flankers":"8 deities × 1½ padas flanking the corners: Parjanya, Bhrisha, Pushan, Bhringaraja, Dauvarika, Shosha, Ahi (Naga), Aditi","side_doubles":"remaining 20 deities × 2 padas each"}
Commentary Notes: ["Utpala's enumeration has omissions/slips (e.g., drops Sugriva; writes Jayanta for Jaya) — corrected by Bhat [MODERN — M.R. Bhat (1981)]","Some scholars (per Utpala) hold the 64-scheme greatest and locate doors at the corners in it [CLASSICAL — txt-utpala-vivrti]","Utpala also records circular, triangular, hexagonal plans (his diagrams 3–5); BS itself treats non-square shapes at LVI.20, 23, 28 [CLASSICAL — txt-utpala-vivrti, cross-ref]"]

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