The Hindu Temple v1.c8.s7.38

v1.c8.s7.38

The type of temple called Guharāja, has the shape of a cave (guhā) according to Utpala (Comm., Bṛ. S. LV. 25). Its height, 32 cubits, follows the general rule, of being twice the width of the Prāsāda, and implies a superstructure as high as the walls of the Garbhagṛha (Part VII. First chart). This King of caves, Guharāja, whatever its actual shape was, shares part of its name with Burmese brick built temples. In Burma, brick built temples with inner spaces are simply called 'Ku' or cave.¹⁰⁴ One of the temples at Pagan bears the name Shwe Ku, Golden cave. The Burmese Glass Palace chronicle tells about the erection of the Ānanda temple of Pagan, how King Kyanzittha requested eight Arhats to produce by their concentrated thought an image of the cave Nandamūla in the Gandhamādana mountain. This they did and the King built a large Ku=Guhā, a 'cave', or temple in the likeness of the cave Nandamūla and called it Nanda.¹⁰⁵ The name of the cave, which properly is the Garbhagṛha, appears here as that of the whole Prāsāda.