Brick by brick
Phalke films. Bricklaying. 1922
The props assist the House
Until the House is built
And then the Props withdraw
And adequate, erect,
The House supports itself
And cease to recollect
The Auger and the Carpenter-
just such a retrospect
Hath the perfected Life-
A past of Plank and Nail
and slowness- then the Scaffolds drop
Affirming it a Soul
Emily Dickinson, 1142
ATHARVAVEDA 9.3: Removal of the structure that has been presented to a priest as sacrificial reward. We loosen the fastenings of the props, the supports, and the connections of the house (śālā) that abounds in treasures. (1) O (house) rich in all treasures, the fetter and the knot which has been fastened upon you, that with my word do I undo, as Brihaspati (undid) Bala. (2) (The builder) stretched, combined and made your joints firm. With Indra we undo these parts as the butcher separates the joints. (3) From your beams, ties and bindings, and your thatch; from your wings, (O house) abounding in treasures, we unfasten the joints. (4) The fastenings of the dove-tailed (joints), of the reed (-covering), of the framework, we loosen here from the Lady House. (5) The hanging vessels within which were set up for enjoyment we loosen from you. Be propitious to us, O Lady House, when you are again set up. (6) You are an oblation-holder, a fire-altar room, seat for the ladies, seat for the devās, O Lady House. (7) Your covering of thousand-holed net, stretched out upon your crown, fastened down and put on, we loosen with (this) mantra. (8) He who receives you as gift, O house, and he by whom you were built, both these, O Lady House, shall attain old age. (9) Return to him in the other world, firmly bound, ornamented, which we loosen limb by limb, and joint by joint. (10) He who built you, O house, brought together your timbers, he, a Prajāpati, constructed you, O house, for his progeny. (11) We pay homage to him (the builder); homage to the giver, the lord of the house; homage to the flowing Agni; and homage to Lord (purusa). (12) Homage to the cattle and the horses and to those born in the house. You are rich in births, rich in offspring, and your fetters we loosen. (13) You cover within the Agni men and animals. You are rich in births, rich in offspring, and your fetters we loosen. (14) The expanse which is between heaven and earth, with that I receive as gift this house of yours; the middle region which is stretched out from the sky, that I make into a receptacle for treasures; with that I receive the house for this man. (15) Full of nurture, rich in milk, fixed and built upon the earth, bearing food for all, O house, do not injure those that receive you as gift. (16) Wrapped in grass, clothed in reeds, the house, place of rest of living creatures, like the night, erected you stand upon the earth, like a she-elephant, firm of foot. (17) The part of you that was covered with mats unfolding I loosen. You are now enfolded by Varuna, may Mitra uncover in the morning. (18) The house fixed with mantra, fixed, built by seers -- may Indra and Agni, the immortals, protect the house, the seat of Soma. (19) A nest upon a nest, a vessel pressed together in a vessel, a mortal man is born, from whom all things spring. (20) Built with two wings, four wings, six wings; in the house with eight wings, with ten wings, in the Lady House, Agni rests as if in the womb. (21) Turning towards you who are turned towards me, uninjuring, O house, I come to you facing the west. Within are Agni and the waters, the first door to divine order. (22) These waters, free from disease, destructive of disease, I bring here. I set forth into the house in company with the immortal Agni. (23) 15Do not fasten a fetter upon us; though a heavy load, become you light. Like a bride we carry you, O house, where we please. (24) From the eastern quarter, homage to the greatness of the house. Hail to the gods who are to be hailed. (25) From the southern quarter, homage to the house… (26) From the western quarter, homage to the house… (27) From the northern quarter, homage to the house… (28) From the firm quarter, homage to the house… (29) From the upward quarter, homage to the house… (30) From every quarter, homage to the greatness of the house. Hail to the gods who are to be hailed. (31) ) http://www.cs.okstate.edu/~subhashk/EarlyArchitecture.pdf
