The Hindu Temple v1.c8.s2.6

v1.c8.s2.6

³³ “For the purpose of increasing the religious merit of his parents and of himself” says the Gwalior stone inscription of Mihiragula, was the stone temple (śailamaya Prāsāda) of Sūrya set up there (‘Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum’, vol. III. p. 162). For such reasons also, the ‘Agnipurāṇa’ ch. XXXVIII. 25-26, says “having got wealth by luck or exertion one should give it in the proper way to the best among the twice-born and cause temples to be constructed.” In the same chapter it is also said that a poor man building the smallest shrine reaps the same benefit which a rich man does by building the largest (XXXVIII. 10-11). This is in general the stated purpose; the temple by the symbolism of its architecture gives to it a detailed and definite exposition.