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The Hindu Temple v1.c5.s8: The Series of 32 Types of the Vāstumaṇḍala

The Hindu Temple v1.c5.s8

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The Series of 32 Types of the Vāstumaṇḍala

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While the Vāstumandala is laid out by the subdivision of the total square, the temple with its parts has its meaning displayed in the opposite direction, from the Centre of the square, the Garbhagṛha, towards its perimeter. The Vāstumandala is a prognostication, a forecast and ‘tonic’ of the contents which will be built up in the temple; it is in a literal sense, its programme. This does not imply an identity of the actual plan of the temple, with the mandala. The actual and indefinitely varied temple plans have in the Vāstumandala a prototype; it gives the widest margin to their possibilities. The two generally accepted Vāstumandalas, of 64 and 81 squares on the other hand are not the only varieties of their kind, but are part of an arithmetical series of 32 plans. It progresses from a plan of one square to one with 1024 square subdivisions, that is having a side length of 32 units. The number 32 is half of 64, and it is 4 × 8; it belongs to the series of ‘opposites in balance’, to a progression beginning with the simple square of the Pṛthivīmandala; which is again resolved in every one of the 32 types in the Brahmasthāna, in the middle with its 4 or 9 squares around the central point or in one central and only square.. Thirty two is also the number of the Pāda-devatās, arrived at by a subdivision of the border of the square.

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Each of the 32 plans has its name. Mandalas 1, 2, 3 and 7, 8, 9 have each their significance; the others are constructed as reductions by analogy or as amplifications of these six plans.⁹⁶

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⁹⁶ Of all the texts, the account of the ‘Mayamata’, VII. 1-32, is the fullest and most lucid. It is followed here. The complete series of 32 types is not acknowledged everywhere. The 32 mandalas are ‘āsanas’ or seats of different types, of divinity. They correspond in number to the 32 ‘āsanas’ of Yoga practice. The ‘Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra’, III. 52, considers the maṇḍala of nine squares as the first; or the one of 16 squares (XII. 1) as the least and that of 1,000 squares as the last (XII. 12 and III. 52). The ‘Bṛhat Saṃhitā’ does not treat of any other plan besides those of 64 and 81 squares. The ‘Vaikhānāśāgama’ gives special importance to the 7 × 7 plan, etc. The plan of 16 squares is made to accommodate 25 divinities, Brahmā in the centre in 4 squares, surrounded by 8 internal and 16 external divinities, a condensation of the layout of the plan of 64 squares. In the series of plans, the 4th, the one of 16 squares, is the first to show separately the central position of Brahmā. The ‘Agnipurāṇa’, ch. XCIII. 35-38. prescribes the Vāstu of a country (deśavāstu) as of 3,400 squares (pada) ; there the Brahmasthāna has 64 squares. The highest number of squares in a Vāstu is given as 20,000.

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The first plan, called Sakala (commensurable) consists of one square (pada) only. It is ordained for hermits (yati) as seat (vistāra) of the priest for making a great, devouring fire for sacrifices to the Fathers, to the immortals, and so on, and for worship of the Guru; Sūrya, Yama, Varuṇa and Soma are stationed in the East, South, West and North along the cord (which delimits the plot; ‘Mayamata’, VII. 22). This first type of planned, commensurable plot does not seem to have been destined as site of a temple.⁹⁷ It was an enclosure round the sacrificial fire.

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⁹⁷ Some of the later compilations, as for instance, the ‘Śilparatna’, VI. 24, are more circumstantial; moreover, this text states that Brahmā has his station there; cf. ‘Mānasāra’, VII. 54-56.

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It is more likely that no hut was originally built on the Sakala plot to enshrine the fire which is described as great and devouring. However, lesser fires might have been kindled for similar purposes, by hermits in the huts in which they also dwelt, or in canopied pavilions, supported on posts and without walls, open on the sides.⁹⁸ The Sakala plan is that of a sacred square field, an ‘agni kṣetra’; it is complete though without any structure. The next plot, called Pecaka, consists of four equal parts; 4 types of evil spirits, Piśācas, Bhūtas, Grahas with their poison, and Rākṣasas should be worshipped there. With its homage should be joined the rites which belong to the plot of Śiva unmanifest (niṣkala) and manifest (sakala) according to correct procedure, by those who know the rules (ib. 23).

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⁹⁸ As represented for instance in Sāñcī, East Toraṇa; second panel on the inner face of the left pillar.

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The first plot, though without parts, is Sakala, complete in itself. In the second type, four kinds of evil spirits are fenced in, for appeasement or worship. With this purpose is combined the worship of Śiva, on the same field. Here Śiva in his commensurable aspect (sakala) covers the extent of the plots of the Bhūtas, etc., of the evil ones, comprehending the four; and at the same time his rites are performed there to Śiva without attributes and qualities and non-manifest (niṣkala). This second type of the sacred field is also without a temple.

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In the third type of plan, the Pīṭhapāda of nine squares, the central square is occupied by Pṛthivī, and the 4 Vedas should be worshipped in the 4 directions (ib.; cf. ‘Śilparatna’, VI. 26) surrounded on all sides by the respective divinities. This plan is an amplified Pṛthivīmaṇḍala; besides, in its construction it is parallel to those of the plan of a higher order. Here it is Pṛthivī, the earth, who holds the central square—“the measure (mā) is this terrestrial world” (Ś.B. VIII. 3. 3. 5)—and not Brahmā, the embodiment of Brahman, the Supreme Principle. In this, the Pīṭhapāda is unique among those plans which have a central plot. The two first plans are without it. They seem to begin the list of plans, as predecessors to planned building.

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The fenced off square is a sacred precinct, a ‘templum’ in which the potency of the Principle is held by being defined within limits. The possibility of seizing it by drawing limits gives to the first plot, its name ‘sakala’, commensurable. The second type of plan, also commensurable, consists of four parts, full of different potentialities of decay, haunting, survival and evil. They are joint with and submerged in the Śiva Principle which covers them along with its own commensurable aspect. That makes the Pecaka plot the ‘couch’ on which evil is spread out, within borders which are also those of the Supreme Principle, thought of as commensurable (sakala). For this reason the ‘Agnipurāṇa’, ch. CCCV. 14, speaks of Śiva being manifested in a quadrangle (catvara). All this refers to rites and worship in an ‘enclosure’, a fenced off square without any kind of building on it.⁹⁹

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⁹⁹ It appears almost as if the elaboration of the Vāstupuruṣamaṇḍala were due to Śaiva activity. This would be confirmed by statements like that of Brahmaśambhu (middle tenth century) that Vāstu whose body is Vāstu is spoken of in Vāstu-śāstras and in Śaiva-āgamas (I.P. III. ch. XXVI. 93 f.). Vaiṣṇava texts, like the ‘Hayaśīrṣapañcarātra’ or the ‘Mahā-kapilapañcarātra’ represent the identical theme in its general and in this case, Vaiṣṇava validity.

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One should go on adding one square to the two adjacent sides (‘Mayamata’, VII. 29) and by gnomonic increase, derive each subsequent plan from the preceding.

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Those of even numbers should be treated according to the Maṇḍūka plan of 64 squares and those of an uneven number of squares should be laid out in accordance with the Paramaśāyika plan of 81 squares. These two plans, once more are called ‘sakala’ and ‘niṣkala’¹⁰⁰ which would mean that in either of them, the Supreme Principle should be worshipped beyond manifestation as well as in manifestation, in a temple, symbol or image (mūrti).

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¹⁰⁰ ‘Agnipurāṇa’, XCIII, 30; or else one should worship the entire Vāstu. Here the entirety of the Vāstu is contrasted with its several parts occupied by the various gods. ‘Sakala’ as an attribute of the one ‘pada’ maṇḍala also indicates that it is a complete Vāstu, despite the absence of the additional squares.

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The 7th plan is of great importance in the ‘Vaikhānāśāgama’ and other South Indian texts. The Sthaṇḍila of 49 squares has Brahmā in the centre, surrounded by a triple enclosure. The border around the one square of Brahmā is held by the gods, in 8 squares; the next border of 16 squares is assigned to men and the outermost border of 24 squares is occupied by Piśācas, the goblins. This triple enclosure comprising the seven times seven squares (cf. Ś.B. X. 2. 3. 1., the Agni of 7 Puruṣas) and the progression of squares from the 1 in the centre to 8 to 16 to 24 is prescribed for the immovable image of divinity (dhruvārcā).¹⁰¹ (Fig. A). The triple world in its hierarchy of gods, men and ghosts ensconces Brahmā.¹⁰²

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¹⁰¹ ‘Vaikhānāśāgama’, ch. X.

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¹⁰² The 7 fold division of each, heaven, earth and the lower region is given in detail in the ‘Viṣṇupurāṇa’, II, chapters II-VII.

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A. Sthaṇḍila

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B. Padmagarbha

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(Fig. A). This scheme is also extended to diagrams of more squares than the Sthaṇḍila. (Fig. B). It lies at the root of the Prākāras, the numerous enclosures of South Indian temples.¹⁰³ The division of the ‘plan’ in zones around the

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¹⁰³ The Garbhālaya of 256 squares is similarly laid out with three borders of gods, men and Piśācas: ‘Vaikhānāśāgama’ X. (Fig. B). The Brahmasthāna here occupies 16 squares, the gods and men are accommodated within the Vāstumaṇḍala, the Piśācas are relegated to the

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Brahmasthāna, and assigned to gods, men and demons respectively, according to their distance from the centre, differs from the Vāstumaṇḍala on which the 45 Vedic gods dwell. There, two belts surround the Brahmasthāna, the one of the ‘internal divinities’, the other of the Padadevatās and the extent of the plots occupied by each divinity is variable and consequently also the pattern of the plan; here however the three classes of beings are assigned their residence within unchangeable limits. Two different methods of concentration (dhāraṇa) and of site planning, two different traditions are represented in the Vāstumaṇḍalas of 64 and 81 squares on the one hand, of 49 squares, etc., on the other. The latter bears no direct relation to the legend of the Vāstupuruṣa.

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He is not ‘embodied’ in this kind of maṇḍala. It is not occupied by 32 divinities of the border together with the 12 divinities of the interior, surrounding Brahmā in the Centre; the 45 Vedic gods do not dwell in the type of maṇḍala given in Figs. A. and B. In this scheme another tradition based on the enclosures and their number has consolidated into the plan of the temple.

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outermost border (IV). The image (sitting or lying) is not placed in border IV. The ‘Kāmikāgama’, XXIX, 1-2 lays down the same scheme. It holds goods for sites of ‘villages’ etc. of 100, 81, 64 or 49 squares though with considerable reservations (ib. 9-10) in which a compromise is arrived at of the situation of the gods in the Piśāca border, or of the dwellings of the castes, in the parts of gods and men.

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In the Sthaṇḍila plan, the side length is 7 units and the number of squares is 49, the central square is for Brahmā, the zone around it has 8 squares and is assigned to the gods, the border around it has 16 squares and is assigned to men, and the outermost border of 24 squares to the Piśācas. The special significance of this distribution within the square of 7 is that it forms a geometrical progression based on the number 8 which belongs to the Maṇḍūka maṇḍala. The Padamagarbha plan has no such numerical correspondences. Cf. ‘Mānasāra’, VII. 20-21; IX. 178-180.

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