The Hindu Temple v1.c6.s5.48

v1.c6.s5.48

The Padadevatās, the divinities stationed all round the perimeter (viṣkambha; 'Silparatna', VI. 36)⁹¹, are regents of the Nakṣatras and are led by the warders of the four regions of space, the Lokapālas⁹²: Mahendra in the east, Yama in the south, Varuṇa in the west and Soma in the north (Sāyaṇa on AV. I. 31. 1). They are stationed in the middle of each side whereas the corners are occupied by the regents of the intermediate directions⁹³. The Aṣṭadikpālas, the Warders of the 8 regions are according to the 'Amarakoṣa', etc., beginning from the east: Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Marut, Kuvera and Īśāna. In the Vāstu, Kuvera figures under Soma's name as Lokapāla of the North⁹⁴. Īśāna however does not appear in all the treatises as the regent of the north-east. Agni holds this position in most of the earlier texts⁹⁵.