Elements of Hindu Iconography v3.c20.2

Language: English

v3.c20.2.1

According to the *Vaikhānasāgama*, that temple of Vishnu which has only one *āvaraṇa* or circuit and contains the images of the central Vishnu, Vishvaksēna, Śribhūta, Garuḍa, Chakra, Dhvaja, Śaṅkha, and Mahābhūta is considered to be the most inferior (*adhamādhama*) one. If, in addition to the above mentioned deities, there be also the Vimānapālas and Lōkapālas, it is said to belong to the *Adhamamadhyama* class of temples. A temple with a second *āvaraṇa* together with the images that are to be found in it, as also those of Havirakshaka, Pushparakshaka and Balirakshaka is classed as the *adhamōttama* temple. If there be a third *āvaraṇa* with the necessary images in it, the temple is of the *Madhyamādhama* class. If, in addition to the above, there happens to be a fourth *āvaraṇa* with all the images in it, the temple is considered to be of the *Madhyamamadhyama* class. The addition of the images of Kuhū, Anumiti, Jayā etc., and the Sapta-mātṛikas, makes it one of the madhyamōttama variety. If the fifth āvaraṇa together with the images that are to be in it is added to the above, the temple becomes one of the uttamādhama class. The addition of a sixth āvaraṇa with all the images in it makes the temple one of the uttamamadhyama class. A temple with seven āvaraṇas is an ideal temple and is said to be of the uttamōttama class. The above classification is with respect to the number of āvaraṇas or prākāras, found in a temple.

v3.c20.2.2

There is another classification based upon the number of images found in the temple. A temple with Vishvaksēna, Garuḍa, Śrībhūta, Nyaksha and Bhūtapīṭha, a group which goes by the name of pañcha-parivāra, is said to belong to the adhamādhama variety. The addition of Indra, and the other Lōkapālas, Sūrya, Chakra and Śaṅkha converts the temple into one of the adhamamadhyama class. If, further, the images of Vivasvān, Mitra, Kshattā, Dhvaja and Yūthādhipa are found in it, the temple is said to belong to the adhamōttama class. The addition of the images of Siddhi, Śrī, Havihpāla, Skanda, Vighnēśa the Sapta-mātṛikās, Purusha, Jyēshṭhā, Bhārgava, and Brahmā renders the temple into one of the madhyamādhama variety. The temple is of the madhyamamadhyama class if, with the images of the above mentioned deities, there are also those of Bhāskara, Aṅgāraka, Durgā, the seven Rōhiṇis, Manda, Budha, Bṛihaspati and Purusha in the third āvaraṇa. If, in addition to those above mentioned, there are the images of Jyēṣṭhā, Śukra, Gaṅgā, the Saptarishis, Brahmā, Chandra, Rudra, the Aśvins, Kapila, the five Bhūtas, and Sarasvati in the fourth āvaraṇa, the temple is of the madhyamōttama variety. It is of the uttamādhama class if there are in addition to the images already mentioned those of Pṛithvī, Mitra, Nara, Dharma, Dhātṛi, Svarapriyā, Pushpēśa, Vyāhṛiti, Dasra, Bhava, Manu and Mahāvīra.

v3.c20.2.3

It will be considered a temple of the uttamamadhyama class if there are the Ēkādaśa Rudras and the Dvādaśa Ādityas also; and it would become a temple of the uttamōttama class if there are further the images of Balirakshaka, the eight Vasus, Jayā etc. The Vaikhānāsāgama also gives the number of archakas or the officiating priests and the parichārakas or the servants that are to be employed in each one of the above mentioned varieties of temples. For the uttamōttama class of temple it is said that there should be twenty archakas and one hundred parichārakas. Excepting the famous temple of Ranganātha in Śrīraṅgam there does not appear to be any other ancient temple in India with seven āvaraṇas. Before the time of Rāmānuja this temple followed the Vaikhāna-sāgama and therefore we find even to this day a number of small shrines in all the āvaraṇas, but after Rāmānuja introduced the Pāñcharātrāgama in Śrīraṅgam, the images of the Śrīvaishṇava saints and āchāryas were set up along with the images of the deities already found in them. The plan of a Vishṇu temple having seven āvaraṇas with the names of the deities that are required to be consecrated in them is appended.