Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey Part 3

 

Continued From: The Forgotten Empires Of India: Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey Part 2

Symbolism behind Sun Worship

The Target of Solar Worship:

Solar worship was quite prevalent in ancient times. The Sun was seen as the direct manifestation of the Supreme Paramatman. The Purusha Suktam describes the Supreme Purusha as one with the hue of the rising sun, Adithya varnam. The Chandogya Upanishad describes this Supreme Purusha in the Solar Orb as a beautiful being with a golden complexion, golden hair and even a golden moustache.

 

The Antaraditya Vidhya is one of the 32 Brahma Vidhyas. This Brahma Vidhya focuses on the Sun as a manifestation of the Supreme Paramatman. The target of the meditation taught by the Antaraditya Vidhya is not just the Sun, but the Sun, which has the Supreme Paramatman as the indwelling controller.

 

The Goddess Gayathri is invoked during the Sandhya Worship three times a day. She is worshipped as Gayathri, Savithri and Saraswati. The Sandhya Worship is performed at Sunrise, at midday when the Sun is directly above us in the sky, and at sunset. Savithri Rik is another name for the Gayathri Manthram. This manthram attracts the effulgent Supreme Paramatman and requests Him to reveal Himself to us. The Vedic verse mentions that brilliant rays emanate from the Supreme Purusha, making it difficult for us to see Him. He shines brilliantly like the sun and is hence unseen by us. We can meditate upon Him only if He reveals Himself to us. The Gayathri Manthram is a request for the Supreme Purusha to reveal Himself to us.

 

The Konark Temple is a pictorial representationof the Gayathri Manthra. The temple is in the form of a chariot with twelve pairs of wheels. The Gayathri Metre has eight syllables in each of its three pada, making it 24 in total. The temple has 24 wheels representing this sacred Gayathri Metre.

 

The Supreme Purusha, the target of worship in the Antaraditya Vidhya and the Gayathri Manthram, is none other than Lord Sriman Narayana. The Chandogya Upanishad, while describing the golden Purusha in the solar orb, states that kapyAsam puNdareekam yEvam akshiNI. This is the clue that identifies the Purusha inside the Solar Orb as Lord Sriman Narayana because He is the only one who has beautiful lotus-like eyes.

கம்பீராம்பஸ் ஸமுத்பூத ரவிகர விகசித பங்கஜ தள அமல-ஆயதேக்ஷணா. Kam pipathi ithi kapihi. Kam means water. Pipathi means to drink. Kapi means that which drinks water. We all know that the Sun drinks the water. The word “aasam” means that which has been made to blossom. The word kapyasam in the above verse describes the beautiful red lotus which blossoms when touched by the warm rays of the Sun (kapyasam). Alternatively, A lotus stalk also drinks water. The lotus stalk is kapi. The lotus, which is attached to its stalk, has its seat (aasam) on the stalk. The lotus, which is seated on its stalk in a deep pond, looks very cool, fresh and attractive. This lotus is called kapyasam. In this context, kapyasam refers to the red lotus with a very long stalk, which always stays fresh because it uses its stalk to drink water from the pond! Lord Sriman Narayana’s eyes resemble such a beautiful lotus that always looks cool and fresh.

 

The name of the deity mentioned in the Gayathri Manthram is Savitr. This name is the name given to the creator of the Universe. In the context of the manthra, it does not refer to the four-faced Lord Brahma, but to the Supreme Creator Lord Sriman Narayana, who created the creator Lord Brahma.

 

रविर्नारायणस्तेजः चन्द्रो नारायणो महः ।

वह्निर्नारायणः साक्षात् नारायण नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ८॥

ravir nArAyaNastejah candrO nArAyaNO mahah | vahnirnArAyaNah sAkshAt nArAyaNa namOstu tE || 6

 

The above slokam from the Narayana Hrdayam mentions that the effulgence of Lord Narayana is the Sun, and the light of Lord Narayana is the moon. This slokam reiterates the meaning of the 60^th manthram of the Mahanarayanopanishad, in which Lord Sriman Narayana is eulogised as the antaryami of the Sun, the Moon, and Agni.

 

The name Hrishikesha highlights that Lord Sriman Narayana is the antaryami of the sun and the moon. The usual meaning provided by many for “Hrishikesha” is “the one who controls our senses, but “Hrishikesha” also means the one who makes others happy by showering His effulgence on them. This name refers to Lord Sriman Narayana empowering the Sun and the Moon with His brilliance, thus bestowing joy upon us through sunlight and moonlight. This explanation is found in the Vishnusahasranama commentary by Sri Chinmayananda and by Sri P.Sankaranarayanan in the Sri Vishnusahasranama stotram commentary.

The above image is the commentary of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama by Sri Adi Sankara Bagawathpadal.  The acharya has given two meanings for the name Hrishikesha. Hrishikesha: He who controls the senses, the supreme Atman; or He who, in the form of sun and moon, delights the world by His (kesa) rays. Lord Krishna mentions in the Moksadharma in the Santi Parva of the Mahabharata (MB, Santi., 12. 330. 1-2) that,  “ The sun and moon through their rays known as kesa always uphold the universe as it were by awaking it and causing it to sleep. By such awaking and causing to sleep, the universe is delighted. It is in consequence of these acts of fire (Sun) and Soma who uphold the universe that I have come to be called by the name of Hrishikesha, O son of Pandu! Indeed, I am the boon-giver, the Lord, the sustainer of the universe.”

 

The core philosophy of Sanathana Dharma revolves around Lord Sriman Narayana’s antaryamitvam. As evident from the examples from various texts given above, Lord Sriman Narayanan, as the indwelling controller of the sun, is the target of sun-worship. 

Continued On: 

 

Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey Part 2

 Continued From: The Forgotten Empires Of India: Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey Part 1

Vaishnavism In Odisha

The religion in Odisha during medieval times was closely associated with the worship of Lord Jagannatha, to such an extent that the worship of Lord Jagannatha formed the backbone of religious worship in Odisha.

All other religious philosophies, such as Saktism, Saivism, Buddhism, and Jainism, that flourished during medieval times, absorbed the practices of Jagannath worship and vice versa.

Vaishnavism is the foundation of medieval Odisha. We know that Swami Ramanujacharya visited Puri, which is known as Purushottam Kshetram in the ancient Vedic scriptures. Purushottam Kshetram is an important kshetram for Vaishnavas.

 

 

According to historical sources, the Konark Temple was constructed by King Gajapati Narasingha Deva I of the Imperial Ganga Dynasty. This king ruled from (c. 1238–1264). The Imperial Ganga Dynasty was first established by King Anaṅgabhīma in the year  c. 1230. There are two King Anakabhīmas listed under the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. King Anakabhīma II, who ruled from c. 1190–1198 and King Anakabhīma III of the Imperial Ganga Dynasty, who ruled from c. 1211–1238. The time period from c.1190 to c. 1245 coincides with that of the Poet Jayadeva, who composed the famous Gita Govindam for Lord Jagannatha. According to Wikipedia, The Poet Sri Jayadeva lived from c.1190 to c. 1245. The king of that period decreed that Gita Govindam should be sung daily in the Jagannath Temple.  

 

One of the earlier Eastern Ganga kings, King Anantavarman Chodagangadeva, was possibly a follower of Swami Ramanujacharya, and the king assumed the titles of Paramavaishnava and Paramamahesvara.

 

King Anaṅgabhīma of the Imperial Ganga Dynasty dedicated his kingdom to Lord Jagannatha at Puri. He is said to have acknowledged the divinity of Puri both as the sole state deity of Odisha and as his divine overlord. Anaṅgabhīma and his successors declared that they were carrying out the divine order (adesha) of Lord Jagannatha. They called themselves the Son of Lord Jagannatha or the vassal of Lord Jagannatha.

 

King Gajapati Narasimha Deva I was described as Purushottama-Putra in the Ganga copper plate grants. It can be safely assumed that, as Purushottama-Putra, the King conceived Lord Vishnu as the Sun-God at Konark, thus making a connection to Lord Surya Narayana. There is a stone carving of the king worshipping Lord Jagannatha at Konark.

 

Oriya literature also confirms the connection of Lord Surya Narayana with Konark. The 15th-century poet Sri Sarala Dasa mentioned in his Mahabarata that Lord Surya Narayana killed the Asura named Arka at Agni-Kona of Jambudwipa. As the Asura was killed at Agni-Kona, the place became Konarka Kshetra. Sri Sarala Dasa composed the Mahabarata from the perspective of a bagawatha (devotee). This composition brings out Lord Krishna as the Supreme Controller.

 

The ancient Sun Temple at Konarka was constructed in the 13th century for the worship of Lord Surya-Narayana.

In ancient times, Kings built temples on a grand scale. The temples were meant to be the pictorial representation of religious literature. From this perspective, the Konark Temple was conceived as a pictorial representation of the Upanishads.

Sculpture of King Narasimha Deva worshipping Lord Jagannatha at Konark

 Continued On: The Forgotten Empires Of India: Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey Part 3

Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey Part 1

 

This series analyses the symbolism of the Konark Sun Temple, which makes the temple a pictorial representation of the Upanishads. This article is written from the author’s perspective. The article also focuses on Kalingan Style architecture and the construction methods employed from an engineering perspective.

The article also examines possible reasons that led to the temple's collapse.

 

Historical Background:

 

The age of the temple, after much archaeological debate, was assigned to the period of  King Narasimhadeva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, i.e the temple was said to have been constructed in the 13th century. However, Abul Fazl in his work Ain-i-Akbari assigns the date when this temple was completed to 850 AD, 873 AD.

The word Konark is a compound word from Kona + Arka. Kona means angle, and Arka means fire or sun. The word Konarka could refer to the entry of the Sun into the constellation Aquarius, known as Agni-Kona, which is celebrated as Ratha Sapthami.

Continued On: The Forgotten Empires Of India: Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey Part 2

Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey

 

Sharing a free ebook, "Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey". This book is my humble tribute to the Supreme Sun on Makara Sankranthi:

I am sharing a free book with everyone about the Konark Temple. The book is titled "Konark Temple: A Soul’s Symbolic Journey. A copy of the book can be downloaded from https://archive.org/details/konark-a-souls-symbolic-journey

This is a concise ebook that analyses the symbolism of the Konark Sun Temple, rendering the temple a visual representation of the Upanishads. This article is written from my perspective. The article also focuses on Kalingan Style architecture and the construction methods employed from an engineering perspective.

The article also examines possible reasons that led to the temple's collapse.

Historical Background:

The age of the temple, after much archaeological debate, was assigned to the period of King Narasimhadeva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, i.e the temple was said to have been constructed in the 13th century. However, Abul Fazl in his work Ain-i-Akbari assigns the date when this temple was completed to 850 AD, 873 AD.

The word Konark is a compound word from Kona + Arka. Kona means angle, and Arka means fire or sun. The word Konarka could refer to the entry of the Sun into the constellation Aquarius, known as Agni-Kona, which is celebrated as Ratha Sapthami.

According to historical sources, the Konark Temple was constructed by King Gajapati Narasingha Deva I of the Imperial Ganga Dynasty. This king ruled from (c. 1238–1264). The Imperial Ganga Dynasty was first established by King Anaṅgabhīma in the year c. 1230. There are two King Anakabhīmas listed under the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. King Anakabhīma II, who ruled from c. 1190–1198 and King Anakabhīma III of the Imperial Ganga Dynasty, who ruled from c. 1211–1238. The time period from c.1190 to c. 1245 coincides with that of the Poet Sri Jayadeva, who composed the famous Gita Govindam for Lord Jagannatha. According to Wikipedia, The Poet Sri Jayadeva lived from c.1170 to c. 1245. The king of that period decreed that Gita Govindam should be sung daily in the Jagannath Temple.

One of the earlier Eastern Ganga kings, King Anantavarman Chodagangadeva, was possibly a follower of Swami Ramanujacharya, and the king assumed the titles of Paramavaishnava and Paramamahesvara.

King Anaṅgabhīma of the Imperial Ganga Dynasty dedicated his kingdom to Lord Jagannatha at Puri. He is said to have acknowledged the divinity of Puri both as the sole state deity of Odisha and as his divine overlord. Anaṅgabhīma and his successors declared that they were carrying out the divine order (adesha) of Lord Jagannatha. They called themselves the Son of Lord Jagannatha or the vassal of Lord Jagannatha.

King Gajapati Narasimha Deva was described as Purushottama-Putra in the Ganga copper plate grants. It can be safely assumed that, as Purushottama-Putra, the King conceived Lord Vishnu as the Sun-God at Konark, thus making a connection to Lord Surya Narayana. There is a stone carving of the king worshipping Lord Jagannatha at Konark.

Oriya literature also confirms the connection of Lord Surya Narayana with Konark. The 15th-century poet Sri Sarala Dasa mentioned in his Mahabarata that Lord Surya Narayana killed the Asura named Arka at Agni-Kona of Jambudwipa. As the Asura was killed at Agni-Kona, the place became Konarka Kshetra. Sri Sarala Dasa composed the Mahabarata from the perspective of a bagawatha (devotee). This composition brings out Lord Krishna as the Supreme Controller.

The ancient Sun Temple at Konarka was constructed in the 13th century for the worship of Lord Surya-Narayana.

In ancient times, Kings built temples on a grand scale. The temples were meant to be the pictorial representation of religious literature. From this perspective, it is my opinion that the Konark Temple was conceived as a pictorial representation of the Upanishads.

Wishing everyone a Happy Sankranthi!

Rock Cut Monuments - Engineering Perspective

 

INTRODUCTION:

With over fifteen hundred rock-cut caves and temples in India, I have been interested in finding peer-reviewed articles on the geotechnical aspects and structural engineering techniques used to develop these massive and impressive structures. I was not successful in locating peer-reviewed material that discusses in detail the engineering and construction methods used to carve out these grand monuments; however, I found information on the design of underground caverns. From a study of these journals, I could understand the complexity of designing structures like the Kailash temple at Ellora and the Ajanta caves. The design of these monuments required the application of complex engineering principles.

STUDY OF ROCK FORMATION

In the modern era, the excavation of underground structures like caverns and tunnels begins with the study of the type of rock formation. The formations are classified into two main types.

1. WEAK FORMATIONS. These are the formations of shale, clay, limestone, etc. Weak formations are prone to crumbling. The Badami Caves are an example of weak formation, as these are sandstone structures.

2. HEAVILY JOINTED FORMATION OR HARD ROCK FORMATION. Granite, diorite, and basalt are examples of heavily jointed formations. Natural hard rock cliffs and formations have numerous cracks and discontinuities that break into many smaller blocks. The types of failures experienced in hard rock formations are gravity-controlled falling, sliding of blocks and collapse of rock columns. Mahabalipuram has granite structures, while Ajanta and Ellora caves are carved out of basalt rock.

TYPES OF FAILURES IN ROCK EXCAVATION:

Any underground excavation faces problems from failures in roofs and walls, from the collapse or crumbling of either the roof or the wall. Modern underground cavern design involves complex engineering calculations that primarily rely on geotechnical data, rock mechanics principles, and numerical modelling to ensure stability and safety. Key calculations include assessing in situ stresses, determining rock mass strength, predicting failure modes, and designing support systems. 

The stability of the excavation depends on the strength of the rock mass that surrounds the excavation.  Stress induced in the structure being excavated is a function of the excavation shape and the in-situ stress that existed before excavation. The strength of the rock formation is often not uniform and varies.

ANCIENT SANSKRIT TEXTS ON BUILDING PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION

In ancient times, Sanskrit treatises like the Silpa Shastra, the Vastu shastra, the South Indian Agama text and texts like the Samarangana Sutradhara provided the calculations and methodology required to complete complex constructions, including rock-cut monuments. The documents discuss in detail the construction of towns, villages, public houses, residential areas and also deal with the construction of the temples. These documents provide instructions on how a building, such as a temple, must be developed from the blueprint phase to the final consecration phase. The documents also provide complicated geometrical calculations, units of ancient measurement and conversion from one unit of measurement to another.

 

THE ANCIENT ENGINEER

The master architect/engineer who developed the plans and oversaw the construction was called a Stapathi. The ancient treatises have dedicated chapters that discuss in detail the qualification of a Stapathi. The documents also mention that the Stapathi, who is engaged to oversee and plan the construction, must have sufficient practical experience. The Stapathi must be proficient in engineering, designing machines, carpentry, arithmetic, astronomy, geology, and astrology. The ancient texts have details about building machines that were used to manipulate / harness energy from the five elements. We normally assume that the massive stone structures were carved with the help of a hammer and a chisel, but the ancient documents specify the design of many machines that could be used to manipulate the construction material.

The design and construction of monuments like the Kailash Temple at Ellora were carried out by a team of professionals who were quite proficient in engineering and geotechnical sciences. The Samarangana Sutradhara, for example, discusses the study of the site, soil verification and testing before commencing construction. The site for the rock-cut temples and caves was carefully chosen and studied before construction could begin. These complex structures were definitely not built by primitive artisans who arbitrarily chose a location and started to chisel away at the rock. There was careful planning and study of the rock layer at every phase of the construction. The strength of jointed rock masses depends on the interlocking blocks that exist between individual pieces. Damage to the interlocking blocks during excavation results in instability. Hence, the construction could not have proceeded without studying the exposed structure at various phases.

KAILASH TEMPLE - ELLORA

For this article, I am focusing on the Kailash temple, a monolithic structure at Ellora. The basalt cliff is part of the Deccan plateau, which was formed by layers of volcanic lava. The cooling of lava created a network of interconnected fractures, cracks and columns in the basalt. Modern excavation uses rigorous structural monitoring and reinforcement. The ancient engineers from this time period also followed such procedures, as evidenced by the partially built vihara in cave 24 at Ajanta.

ANCIENT BLUEPRINT

The building of the Kailash temple started with a proper plan (blueprint). The Vastu Shastra texts define blueprint types that follow a grid system for planning the structure and the space within the temple. The method of making the blueprint is called padavinyasa system. Depending on the scale and complexity of the planned temple, the plan for the temple is drawn on an 8X8, 9X9 or 10X10 intricate grid. A detailed plan of the temple with ventilation holes, drains and arches on doorways was mapped on a grid-based plan, which allowed for designing a symmetrical layout.

STRUCTURAL DESIGN & SEISMIC RESILIENCE

The texts on constructing temple like the Vastu Shastra or the Samarangana Sutradhara, also classify the temples based on the type of spires; curvilinear shikara style, gopuram style, etc. The temple tower on the vertical axis was modelled after mountains like Mount Meru, Mount Mandhara, Mount Kailasha, etc. The number of storeys on the temple tower was based on the mountain model selected for the temple tower. The tapered pyramidal structure of the temple tower facilitates downward load transfer and minimises lateral thrust. The lateral thrust is the horizontal force generated by building elements like arches, walls, etc., that push outwards against their support or adjacent soil. For example, arches convert vertical loading into diagonal forces that exert horizontal thrust at their base. The stepped tiered structure of the tower minimised vertical loading. The temple has a low centre of gravity because of its tapered pyramidal structure with a wide base. This design, along with load-bearing components like beams that were carved out of the same monolithic rock, makes the temple exhibit inherent seismic resilience.

TOP-DOWN CONSTRUCTION METHOD

The construction team used a top-down approach.  At first, a narrow tunnel was drilled closer to the roof. From there, the team excavated downward and outward. The advantage of this method was that scaffolding was not needed.

At each layer, the team had to stop, study the strength of the rock and then either continue with their work or make in-situ modifications.  The Kailash temple has a network of staircases and interconnecting corridors. The load-bearing pillars and beams have been carved out of the rock. Taking into consideration the staircases and corridors, the top-down construction method with in-situ alterations to avoid faults in the rock was a very complicated process. When even a 2D drawing of this temple is difficult to create, imagine an intricately carved structure that was excavated one hundred feet into the hill. The design also incorporated ventilation systems, a drainage system for drainage of rainwater, and temperature control through passive cooling. There was no room for error. Even with in-situ modifications, the overall design with passageways, doors, staircases, vents and drains had to comply with the original plan. With free-standing structures, it is relatively easy to make corrections and alterations, whereas with carving a monolithic structure like the Kailash Temple, there is no room for error because the design is literally set in stone!

 

REFERENCES:

Methodological Elements of Indian Temples – Laxmi Singh

Practical Rock Engineering – Evert Hoek

Building Materials of the Hindu Temples Part II GRANITES and other ROCKS - Dr Uday Dokras, PhD, Sweden, Srishti Dokras, Architect

Temple engineering and seismic design in ancient Indian architecture: An inquiry into structural intelligence and earthquake resilience - Sikhasree Ray and Santigopal Jana