The Hindu Temple v1.c5.s2.53

v1.c5.s2.53

The position and orientation of a temple and of any building are determined analogous to the method according to which the place of sun or moon or one of the planets is found in the circle of Nakṣatras. According to the ‘Sūryaprajñapti’ the longitude of the heavenly body expressed in minutes is to be divided by 800,⁴¹ the quotient shows the number of Nakṣatras through which the planet has already passed and the remainder the traversed part of the Nakṣatra in which it is at the time. In a similar way is ascertained the position of a building in the cosmos; that is the direction which it is to face : the measurement of the building is to be divided by 8. The remainder indicates the particular direction which will be its own out of the 8 directions. This particular direction is the Yoni, its birthplace in the cosmos, where it is marked by its Vāstupuruṣas. The Vāstupuruṣas, and the respective remainders are given by Utpala commenting on the ‘Bṛhat Saṃhitā’, Ch. LII., 73, according to the teaching of other Ācāryas, and not of Varāhamihira.⁴²