The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c14.33

c14.33

This symbolic distinction had an important bearing upon the respective constructive principles of Vishnu and Siva shrines. The distinction is also recognised in the sectarial marks painted on the foreheads of Vaishnavaites and Saivaites. As Vishnu, regarded as a nature-symbol, is the sun at its zenith and nadir, the Vaishnava schools of philosophy generally took for their sectarial marks various lines which stood for the upright arm of the cosmic cross,¹ and the sikharas of Vishnu shrines (whether Buddhist, Jain, Vaishnavaite or Saivaite