Vidhyashankara Temple
Vidhyashankara Temple
Vidhyashankara Temple
Following Aiyangars logic, we can observe that word zodiac (rAshi) connotes astronomy and calendars and so it
may seem obvious that these pillars are related to calendars. Since these pillars are erected in a temple, it may also
seem obvious that they follow the siddhAntic calendar. To
properly interpret the data collected and tabulated by the
astronomical study, we need to supplement the data with
the symbolism associated with the temple construction.
We need to study the symbolism of zodiac pillars in a temple to verify that they indeed relate to siddhAntic calendar.
A critical review was undertaken to understand the astronomical study assumptions and its conclusions. This critical review establishes the purpose for erecting the zodiac
pillars in this temple. Once we understand the significance
of the zodiac pillars in the temple, we can then address the
issue of the sunlight rays illumining the zodiac pillars in
their regular order as claimed by the temple sources. A
representative model of the zodiac pillars is constructed
to test the religious symbolism hypothesis and it is shown
to work. First, we offer a critical review of the Astronomical
study.
Critical Review of the Astronomical Study Findings: The
astronomical study shows that the northerly and southerly transit of the sun, during a year, is similar to the motion
of a pendulum; they trace the same path, back and forth.
Therefore, sun light rays illumine only six of the twelve pillars (figure 2). The astronomical study shows that the sunlight rays from the front three doors cannot reach some of
the pillars and when the sunlight rays do reach the other
pillars, the zodiac symbols carved on them are wrong. It
shows further, that the temple faces true east; and the
south and the north doors are aligned to receive the winter and summer solstice sunlight rays; and, the sunlight
rays do enter the temple through these doors on solstices
and equinoxes. That is to say, the astronomical study establishes that the four seasonal markers at the temple site
are accurate.
Weakness of the Astronomical Study: We learn form the
study that the seasonal markers at the temple are accu59
ets orbit around in the celestial sphere, they pass trough
the constellation of stars or the zodiac. The zodiac pillars
represent these celestial spheres, of the time bound world.
The macrocosm (universe - brahmAnDa) and microcosm
(individual - pinDAnDa) are allegorically equivalent. In
this sense, human beings have to have an inner celestial
sphere similar to that of the external universe. The internal celestial sphere and the motions in that sphere are detailed in sUta-samhita and jAbAla Upanishad. The zodiac
pillars represent these celestial spheres.
In the Hindu scriptures, the six month northern transit,
and the six month southern transit of the sun, are the
mornings of Gods and night of the manes and night of the
God and morning of the manes, respectively,. These suns
transits also represent the inner world contemplation and
external world contemplations of a yogi. Therefore, an
allegorical morning represents the morning of Gods, the
night of manes and the object of internal contemplation
of a yogi. Similarly, the night of the allegorical day, represents the morning of manes, the night of Gods and the
object of external contemplation of a yogi.
Recall that the external sunlight can only illumine six pillars, due to the pendulum like motions of northern and
southern transits. Recall further that the order of these
six pillar illumination conforms to a southern hemisphere
temple. Therefore, the external sunlight rays represent
only one part of this allegorical day symbolism. The symbolic representation of other part of this allegorical day
has to be explained and the hemisphere puzzle, as discussed previously, has to be solved.
Solution to the Hemisphere Puzzle: We can observe
that if there was a light source from the western side, similar to the sunlight from the eastern side, it completes the
time symbolism to perfection. We can observe that the
door from the sanctum sanctorum facing the zodiac pillars
is symmetrical to the eastern front door (figure 1). If we
study the temple tower, we can locate a very unusual window in the front side. The sunlight from the tower window
can be reflected from the walls of sanctum sanctorum to
the zodiac pillars. We can observe that the reflected light
illumines the rest of the six pillars in the zodiacal order indicated by the signs carved on them. Thus, we can notice
that the reflected sunlight rays solve the hemisphere puzMAHARUDRAM 2012
References:
1. Greatness of shringeri, A publication of dakShiNAmnAya Shri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri (rev edtn, Oct
2001)
2. Zodiacal Pillars of Shringeri, Dr. B.S. Shylaja, Taralaya, Bengaluru, Current Science, Vol. 92, No. 6, 25, 2007