Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c28.3

v4.c28.3

The image of Chaṇḍēśvara may be set up in a shrine unattached to any temple, or as one of the *parivāra-dēvatas* or attendant deities in a Śiva temple. In the first instance, the shrine of Chaṇḍēśvara is said to be *svatantra* and in the second *paratantra*. The *svatantra* temple of Chaṇḍēśvara may be situated in any of the eight directions (north, north-east, etc.) or in the centre of towns and villages. The temple of Chaṇḍēśvara may range in size from a mere shrine of one cubit cube to a magnificent temple with a base of thirty cubits square, surmounted by a *vimāna* of one to seven *talas* or storeys in height, ornamented with the figures of Caṇḍēśvara or any other deity on the corners of each *tala* (storey); or, there might be in these corners figures of Nandi, the bull couchant. In the case of the temple of *svatantra* Caṇḍēśvara, it is required to face any one of the directions except the north; this temple should have *prākāras*, *maṇḍapas*, etc., in proportion to the dimensions of the central shrine.