garbhanyAsaH

Source: TW

A shaiva deposit box from the champa kingdom, likely the 1100s during the reign of jaya harivarman – the garbhanyAsa of the pratiShTha-tantra-s with vR^iShabha-s& either the bhuvaneshvara-s or vidyeshvara-s. The deposit with various items was placed beneath the site of the temple.

The garbhanyAsa is performed after the prathameShTaka-nyAsa where 4 bricks corresponding to the 1st step in the actual temple construction are laid. It connects the pratiShTha ritual to the vaidika piling of chiti-s with first layer of bricks & a deposit with 5 heads including in old practice, a freshly severed human head obtained from a cemetery.

In the pratiShThA tradition the deposit box is filled with minerals, gold leaves, gems & image of snakes – signifying the nAga guardians of subterranean wealth. saiddhAntika texts like dIptAgama, suprabheda, mayamata & the more smArta kAshyapa-shilpa mention the grabhanyAsa ritual for the laying of the deposit box. We had earlier posted the deposit box from a Javan rudra shrine.