Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v1.c57.44

v1.c57.44

Further she observes : "The central shaft of the temple holds the divine presence ; it is specially manifested on the lowest level, in the womb, the Garbhagṛha, and on the highest level, above the body of the temple. The vertical column of the temple is the cosmic trunk and its quadruple ramifications are the four directions of space in which the Prāsāda has its extension. The vertical column of Prāsāda and Stūpa alike has its prototype in that vertical shaft across the strata of the Vedic altar formed by the naturally perforated ‘bricks’ the Svayamātṛṇṇā stones, which were placed in the vertical succession above the Golden Puruṣa".