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The Hindu Temple v1.c5.s9: Various Closed Polygons as Shapes of the Vāstumaṇḍala

The Hindu Temple v1.c5.s9

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Various Closed Polygons as Shapes of the Vāstumaṇḍala

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From the piling of the circular Gārhapatya (śālādvārya) hearth equal in area to the square of a fathom whose centre the Āhavanīya altar had occupied, the construction of a circle equal in area to a square had been carried out in ever renewed practice. The earlier texts on Vāstuśāstra do not record circular Vāstus; Utpala, the tenth century commentator of the ‘Brhat Samhitā’ describes in detail the construction of circular sites and also of polygonal shapes of 6, 8 and 16 sides, as well as of three sided Vāstus; and of buildings, villages and towns laid out according to these plans.¹⁰⁴ This appears a development around the principal Vāstu, which is and must remain square, a sacred precinct in any of the varied types of plans. This view is held by the ‘Agnipurāna’ (ch. XCIII. 40). “In the middle of the six sided, three sided, and circular plan, should be the square”. In the transfer and application of the division of the square, to that of other closed polygons and to the circle, the activity of the principle is seen at work, whereas in the ‘Agnipurāna’ its immutability is symbolised by the preservation of the shape itself of the square in the very centre of each of the closed polygons.¹⁰⁵

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¹⁰⁴ Utpala adds: Meru is six-sided and Samudga round (Br. Sam., comm. on LII, 56) and refers to Varāhamihira's text, ch. LV. 20, where these buildings are described. The ‘Samarānganasūtradhāra’, similarly speaks of the circular Vāstu of 64, and 100 parts, used in circular shrines (XII. 13. f). It has four enclosures and the divinities are distributed as in the corresponding square types of Vāstu: ch. XII. 20 deals with polygonal types of Vāstu of 3, 6, 8 and 16 sides. The side (asra) in the ‘Brhat Samhitā’ belongs 1) to the wall of the Prāsāda, and 2) to its central buttress (bhadra; Pt. VII); a square plan with projections on three of its sides results; the fourth side is the ‘façade’ of the temple with the entrance and porch and is separately dealt with (Part VII).

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¹⁰⁵ The building site, apart from the possibility of a conversion of its square surface into a circular one of equal area, is yet in another way connected with the circle. A great serpent (nāga) moves encircling every site by its movement in the course of a year. Whatever the name of the Pannaga, it is a manifestation of Ananta or Śeṣa, the Endless (=Ananta), the Remainder (=Śeṣa), which encircles in the perpetuity of its movement, and also supports on its head, the earth and the entire manifest world. On its coils Viṣṇu sleeps, in the intervals between the Kalpas, when every thing else has withdrawn and no other form exists. Uncoiled and proceeding in a circle, it moves from the East, to the South, West and North in the course of a year. When its head is in the East, its tail is in the South, its body covers the North-East, North, West and South. Head and tail do not touch. The head of the Nāga moves one degree day. (‘Vāstuvidyā’ VII. 2-6). The Vāstupuruṣa also is said to move. His feet lie in that Rāśi (Zodiacal sign) where the sun stands and his head is on the seventh Zodiacal sign from the Rāśi. (‘Vāstuvidyā’ VII. 6). Following the sun, as the months advance the Vāstupuruṣa moves. According to Jyotiṣa Śāstra, he lies with his head in the East during three months, in Virgo, Libra and Scorpion and then moves to the South, etc. The solar Zodiac however is not inscribed in the Vāstupuruṣamandala as given on p. 32. The Vāstupuruṣa who is one, thus appears in several positions of which the main are the 8 yonis; they are the Vāstupuruṣa at the 8 directions, or the 8 Vāstupuruṣas (Utpala's comm., Br. Samh., ch. LII, 73). The spatial order of the 8 directions simultaneously denotes a temporal order; the Vāstu is the time piece for determining the proper building season. This rotating Vāstu is called

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The square Vāstupuruṣamaṇḍala, it has been shown, faces the four directions. Its borders are occupied by the 8 regents of the cardinal and of the intermediate points. At the same time this square diagram of the earth, ordered by time, in its extent, coincides in the maṇḍala, with the Ecliptic; in its border are accommodated the planets and the stars, and the movements of sun and moon. The Vāstumaṇḍala is the place of manifestation; it shows the order that rules over it; cyclical time on earth, is occupied in its entire extent, by the Vāstupuruṣa. The Vāstumaṇḍala indeed, is the Vāstupuruṣa. His coming to earth and his identity are described in several versions; in all of them, the whole square field is the Vāstupuruṣa whose body is one with the presence and actions of the 45 Vedic gods, stationed in the Vāstupuruṣamaṇḍala, which is their yantra, the means of realising and the symbol of cosmic order on earth; its centre is the Brahmasthāna, and its superstructure is the temple.

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Caravāstu and is distinguished from the Sthira-vāstu, whose position is fixed (‘Vāstuvidhāna’, X. 15). His head is said to lie always in the North-East.

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The connection of the Vāstu with the ceaseless circular motion of the serpent shows ordered extension clasped by the time world, and carried in its movement. For all permanent work (sthirakārya) the Sthiravāstu is to be worshipped, and for all impermanent work (carakārya) such as the habitations of man, or the setting up of a liṅga made of clay, the Caravāstu should be worshipped (ib. 16). Temples are meant to last and are always built on the Sthiravāstu.

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The first of these, the *Gospel of the Hebrews*, was used by the Jewish Christians of Palestine, and was probably a version of the Gospel of Matthew, though it contained some traditions not found in our canonical books. The *Gospel of the Egyptians* was used by the ascetic sects of Egypt, and was marked by a strong tendency towards mysticism and asceticism. The *Gospel of Peter* was used by the Docetists, and taught that Christ did not really suffer, but only appeared to do so.

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These gospels, and others like them, were not accepted by the Church as a whole, and were gradually lost or suppressed. The Church, however, felt the need for a standard collection of writings that would serve as a guide for faith and practice. This led to the formation of the New Testament canon, a process that took several centuries to complete.

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The first step in this process was the collection of the letters of Paul, which were widely circulated among the churches. Then came the four Gospels, which were accepted as the authoritative accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles and the other epistles were gradually added, and finally the Book of Revelation.

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By the end of the second century, the core of the New Testament was generally accepted by the Church. The process of canonization was not a formal act of a council, but rather a gradual recognition by the churches of the writings that were most valuable for their life and worship. It was only in the fourth century that the canon was formally closed by the councils of the Church.

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The formation of the New Testament canon was a crucial event in the history of the Church. It provided a standard of faith and practice that helped to unify the Church and to protect it from the influence of heretical sects. It also ensured that the teachings of Jesus and the apostles would be preserved for future generations.

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