The Hindu Temple v1.c5.s1.5

v1.c5.s1.5

Square and circle are co-ordinated in the architecture of India from the Vedic Fire altar, Agni. The Fire (Agni) and its support, the altar, are one in name. The ‘Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa’ and the ‘Śulva Sūtras’ give the rules for piling up these hearths or altars. In the sacrificial shed (prācīna-vaṃśa-śālā) are three altars, two of them on the east-west line in the middle, the ‘easterly spine’ (prācīnavamśa), and one to the south of the line. Of the two altars on the east-west line, the one at its eastern end is square, the other at its western end is circular. The square one, on which burns the Āhavanīya fire, denotes the heaven (dyau) world; from this celestial fire all other fires are subsequently lighted.⁴ The circular one, the Gārhapatya hearth, denotes this terrestrial world. The third hearth, which is that of the Southern fire, Dakṣiṇāgni, denotes the air-world (Ś. B. XII. 4. 1. 3).⁵