The Ancient and Medieval Architecture of India: A Study of Indo-Aryan Civilisation c9.35

c9.35

As a "Vishnu" shrine may be Buddhist, so it may also be Saivaite, for Siva to Saivaites is Brahmâ, Vishnu, and Siva. It is the image for which the shrine is built which determines the form of the latter. There is some internal evidence as to the antiquity of the Mânasâra traditions in this statement, for image-worship was not generally recognised by philosophical Hinduism until the rise of the Mahâyâna school of Buddhism about the beginning of the Christian era. But shrines for Brahmâ, Vishnu, and Siva were certainly built before this time.