The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c5.s2.56.2

c5.s2.56.2

He has thus described the city and its presiding god Viśveśvara, one of the twelve Great Liṅgas of Mahâdeva: "In the capital there are twenty Deva temples, the towers and halls of which are of sculptured stone and cut wood. The foliage of trees combines to shade (the sites), whilst pure streams of water encircle them. The statue of Deva Maheśvara, made of *teou-shih* (brass), is somewhat less than 100 feet high. Its appearance is grave and majestic, and appears as though really living." The *Padma P.* (Uttara, ch. 67) mentions the names of Viśveśvara, Bindumâdhava, Maṇikarṇikâ, and Jñânavâpî in Kâśî (Benares). The present Viśveśvara, which is a mere *Liṅga*, dates its existence since the original image of the god, described by Hiuen Tsiang, was destroyed by the iconoclast Aurangzebe and thrown into the Jñânavâpî, a well situated behind the present temple. There can be no doubt that Benares was again converted into a Buddhist city by the Pâla Râjâs of Bengal, and Śiva-worship was not restored till its annexation in the eleventh century by the kings of Kanauj, who were staunch believers in the Paurâṇic creed. The shrines of Adi-Viśveśvara, Veṇimâdhava, and the Bakarya-kuṇḍa were built on the sites of Buddhist temples with materials taken from those temples. The temple of Adi-Keśava is one of the oldest temples in Benares: it is mentioned in the *Prabodha-Chandrodaya Nâṭaka* (Act IV) written by Kṛiṣhṇa Miśra in the eleventh century A.D.