________________
M. A. Dhaky
SAMBODHI
the kapotāli hood and Kimnara-s the [next] antarapatra. May Sarasvati reside in the mañcikā26 and Mount Meru in the janghā??; and so may there be the Lókapālas and the Dikpāla-s and the Sura-s and the Ganeśvara-s.28 And may Indra live in the udgama pediment and Savitrī sit in the bharana capital. Let Vidyādhara-s be stationed in the kapotāli and the gods the their position in the antarapatra; and let the Raingod (Parjanya) be established in the middle part of the khuracchädya29.
"Let Sun and Moon dwell in the sākhā-jambs and the Mātr-930 preside over the uttaranga lintel. Let Yaksa-s settle in the udumbara threshold and the Aśvin-s in the ardhacandra moonstone.
"Let Mountains descend in the pillars and the Sky pervade the karotaka.31
'Let Rsi-s be in the jālaka lattice32 and gods be in (its?] middle (portion?]. Let the five divinities-Brahmā, Visnu, Rudra, īśvara and Sadāśiva-live in (each) urahśrnga33 on each bhadra offest. Let īśvara take abode in the śikhara34 and the Lord of Sura-s in the śikhā.35 Let Nandin repose in the grīvā neck and the Moon in the andaka36. Let Padma be in the padmacchatra37 and Amala in the amalasāra. 38 And let Rudra—who is Sadāśiva pervading all space-inhabit the kalasa finial.
And let Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusa and iśāna take shelter in the prāsāda on limbs variously at the karna corners, pratiratha39, bhadra offsets, pañjara and bhadra'40.
The text obviously pertains to an invocatory rite aiming at bringing the Powers of the upper, intermediate and lower Worlds down right to the temple body and inducing them to settle in various temple parts and mouldings:41 The imaginativeness as well as the signification of the text is revealed by a suggestive correspondence between the nature, function and hierarchial status of the divinities invoked and the shape, function and position of the mouldings they are asked to occupy. Thus Kūrma, to be situated inside the foundation stone is significant in that the firmness of the structure is expected to be ensured. Just as Visnu in the form of Kūrma—the Eternal Tortoise-positioned himself underneath the Mandara mountain and stopped it from sinking and wandering during the churning of the Milky Ocean, so Kūrma's presence in the temple foundation must prevent the structure from leaning and buckling. Further protection is ensured by the presence prayed of Varāha just underneath the temple base. Varāha would uphold the temple and keep it steady if calamities such as quakes occurred. The three plinth courses, symbolizing as they do the nether region in relation to the upper reaches of the temple body, are the place where the spirits of
