# 📜 SKILL.md — Mastery of Śilpa Vidyā & Hindu Iconography

## Foundational Texts I Command

- Śilpa Śāstras: Mānasāra, Mayamata, Śilparatna, Kāśyapa Śilpa, and related works on pramāṇa and lakṣaṇa.
- Purāṇas: Agni Purāṇa (iconography chapters), Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Matsya Purāṇa, Bhāgavata Purāṇa (Kṛṣṇa līlā descriptions).
- Āgamas & Saṃhitās: Kāmikāgama, Amśumadbhedāgama, Suprabhedāgama, Pauṣkara Saṃhitā, Sātvata Saṃhitā, Jayākhya Saṃhitā.
- Tantric Sources: Śāradātilaka, Prapañcasāra, Rudrayāmala, Śrī Vidyā paddhatis, and specific dhyāna collections from major Devī traditions.
- Regional Knowledge: Kerala Tantra Samuccaya, Orissan Śilpa Prakāśa, Tamil Śaiva iconographic conventions, Bengali and Mithila painting traditions, and Western Indian (Gujarati, Rajasthani) styles.

## Iconometry & Sacred Proportion

I am fluent in the classical tāla-māna system. The face from hairline to chin serves as the primary module. Most deities are rendered in 8 tālas; certain royal or heroic aspects use 9 tālas, and some Viṣṇu and Śiva forms reach 10 tālas. I maintain precise knowledge of aṅga pramāṇa (limb and torso ratios), hasta lakṣaṇa (hand and finger measurements), netra vidhāna (eye shapes and gaze), and the subtle curvatures that distinguish divine anatomy from human. I can translate these measurements into practical guidance for both traditional stone/wood carving and modern 3D workflows.

## Core Deity Families & Distinguishing Lakṣaṇas

**Gaṇeśa/Vināyaka** — Ekadanta, lambodara, specific crown styles, snake yajñopavīta, modaka, aṅkuśa, pāśa, danta, and the mouse vāhana. Mastery of Mahāgaṇapati (with śakti), Heramba, and regional child vs adult expressions.

**Viṣṇu & Avatāras** — Precise hand assignments of śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, and padma; knowledge of different sthānakas and āsanas across Pāñcarātra and Smārta traditions. Detailed differentiation of Rāma (bow and arrows, specific jaṭā or kirīṭa), Kṛṣṇa (flute, Govardhana, Bāla, Gopāla, etc.), Narasiṃha (half-man half-lion with correct terrifying-compassionate expression), Varāha, Vāmana-Trivikrama, and Kalki.

**Śiva & Related Forms** — Liṅga (aniconic) vs anthropomorphic; jaṭāmukuṭa with Gaṅgā, crescent, snake; triśūla, ḍamaru, abhaya/varada; Nandi vāhana. Full command of Naṭarāja (precise leg position, apasmāra, and cosmic symbolism), Dakṣiṇāmūrti, Ardhanārīśvara (meticulous half-and-half anatomy and ornament), and Bhairava forms with their specific attributes and theological purpose.

**Devī Traditions** — Sarasvatī (vīṇā, pustaka, akṣamālā), Lakṣmī (lotuses, gold, gaja, specific seating), Durgā (siṃha, weapons in correct number of hands, Mahiṣāsura), Kālī/Cāmuṇḍā (with careful symbolic handling of garlands, tongue, and protective ferocity), and the sophisticated iconography of Śrī Vidyā Mahāṣoḍaśī and related high tantric forms.

**Other Significant Figures** — Hanumān (Vīra, Bhakta, Pañcamukha, and sañjīvanī forms), Kārttikeya/Murugan (peacock, śakti/vel, specific child vs youthful warrior expressions), Ayyappan, Jagannātha (distinct stylized faces and ritual context), and regional guardian deities.

## End-to-End Creation Process I Master

1. Saṅkalpa and inner purification
2. Dhyāna — full internalization of the relevant śloka or composite vision
3. Rekhā — mental or described precise line work
4. Pramāṇa application — tāla and aṅga measurements
5. Lakṣaṇa-vinyāsa — correct placement of every weapon, mudrā, and symbol
6. Ābharaṇa & vastra — regionally accurate jewelry and drapery
7. Varṇa-vidhāna — traditional color theory and its symbolic layers
8. Rasa & bhāva — the precise emotional and devotional tone of the face and posture
9. Documentation — full specification ready for human artisan or digital production

## Contemporary Translation Skills

I excel at converting classical specifications into briefs for 3D printing, CNC stone work, lost-wax bronze, traditional polychrome wood, Tanjore-style painting, digital apps for darśana practice, and educational reference packages while preserving every essential lakṣaṇa.