Editor’s Note
List of Illustrations
Abbreviations
Introduction: The Discovery
Part I The Approach to the Vishnu-house
1.The Significance of the Temple
The Name of the Vishnu-house: Paramecchura as God, Emperor, and Architect
2.Six Concepts
God as Person
God as Place
God as Father and Mother
The Doctrine of Formation (Vyuha)
The Structure of the Person
Inner Vision (Dhyana)
3.The Poem
4.The Emperor’s Career Portrayed on the Prakara Wall
The Career of Nandivarman Pallavamalla
The Prakara Wall and the Sculpted Lions
Nandivarman’s Career Depicted
Nandivarman Depicted as Bhagavata Emperor Enthroned
Part II The Secret Dimension of the Vishnu-house
5.The Temple Mandala and the Bottom-floor Sanctum
The Temple Mandala
The Three Sanctums
The Bottom-floor Sanctum: God’s Vyuha Formations
The Vasudeva Formation Enthroned in the Bottom-Floor Sanctum
The Circumambulatory
The Mandala’s Two Axes of Directional Space
Chronology and the Mandala
6.The Middle-floor Sanctum: The Sculpted Program of the Northern Path
The Two Paths
“Approaching the Honey of the Lotus Feet”: Sculpted Panels of the Northern Path
The Panels on the Western Side
Panel 1: The Murti Padmanabha
Panel 2: The Seven Seers
Panel 3: Ashtabhujasvamin: The Lord with Eight Arms
Panel 4: Krishna Slays the Asura Keshin in the Shape of a Horse
The Panels on the Eastern Side
Panel 11: Krishna Addresses the Gopis from Akrura’s Chariot
Panel 12: [A] Krishna Sits with Balarama in Akrura’s chariot; [B] Krishna as “Hari the Ruler of Yoga” Wrestles Chanura in Mathura as Kamsa Watches; [C] Krishna Stands as Victorious Madhava
7.Northern Panels of the Northern Path: Transforming Power
The Person of Four Bodies
Purification on the North
Panel 5: Hari Rescues Gajendra
Panel 6: Rama Disciplines Ocean on the Way to Lanka
Panel 7: Hari as Ajita Churns the Ocean of Milk
8.Northern Panels of the Northern Path: Fortifying Omniscience
Blazing Omniscient Knowledge
Panel 8: Narasimha Grasps Hiranyakashipu
Panel 9: Narasimha Rips Open Hiranyakashipu at His Navel
Panel 10: Krishna Dances on Kaliya the Snake in a Pool of the Yamuna River
9.The Middle-Floor Sanctum: The Sculpted Program of the Southern Path
Western Panels of the Southern Path
Panel 13: The Murti Hrishikesha
Panel 14: Vamana the Dwarf at Bali’s Horse Sacrifice
Panel 15: Vamana the Dwarf as Trivikrama the Thrice-strider
Panel 16: Narayana Protects Bali from Ravana
Eastern Panels of the Southern Path
Panel 23: Krishna Leaps up to Slay Kamsa
Panel 24: Yudhishthira Dons Boar-skin Shoes at His Rajasuya
10.The Southern Panels of the Southern Path: “The Path of the Southern Doctrine”
Panel 17: Indra Disrupts King Prithu’s Horse Sacrifice
Panel 18: Krishna Enters Naraka’s Palace Where 16,000 Royal Virgins Are Held Captive
Panel 19: Hari as Madhusudana, Slayer of the Asuras Madhu and Kaitabha
Panel 20: Vishnu Kills Mali, Sumali, and Malyavan on the Shore of the Milk Ocean
Panel 21: Krishna Slays Shishupala at Yudhishthira’s Rajasuya
Panel 22: Krishna Attacks Shalva and Dantavaktra
Part III The Public Dimension of the Vishnu-house
Introduction: Spacetime and Its Display
The Depiction of Spacetime
The Organization of Spacetime
Brahma’s Body
Representations of Earth on the Vimana and Porch
Representations of Day-and-night, Month, and Age
11.The Vimana Panels on the Western Side
The Corner Panels of the Vimana’s Western Side
Panel W1: The Unbounded Tortoise (Akupara)
Panel W6: Brahma Venerates Varaha to Begin the Daytime of Boar
The Bracketed Panels
Panel W2: The Bhagavan on Lokaloka
Panel W3: Kalki above Devapi of the Lunar Dynasty
Panel W4: Kalki above Maru of the Solar Dynasty
Panel W5: Surya the Sun Flies over the Continent of Plaksha
12.The Panels on the Ardhamandapa or Porch
The Panels on the Porch Facing South
Panel SP1: Hari Flanked by Rudra and Daksha
Panel SP2: Dwarf Crowned as Upendra with Bali and Indra
Panel SP3: Vaikuntha Appears to the Kumaras at the Cursing of Jaya and Vijaya
The Panels on the Porch Facing North
Panel NP1: Bhadrashravas Worships Hayagriva in the Region of Bhadrashva
Panel NP2: The Person of the Sacrifice Announces Rishabha’s Birth
Panel NP3: The Person of the Sacrifice Appears to Rishabha’s Son Bharata
13.The Vimana Panels on the Northern Side
The Two Corner Panels
Panel N1: Vasudeva Teaching as Vaikunthanatha
Panel N6: Ananta the Endless
Slit-Opening Flanked by Pratiharas
The Four Bracketed Panels
Panel N2: Naranarayana and Narada in the Region of Bharata
Panel N3: Hari Announces Kapila’s Birth to Kardama
Slit-Opening to the Samkarshana Formation
Panel N4: Hari Teaches Brahma the Supreme Secret of Omniscience
Panel N5: Markandeya Teaches about the Rishis Nara and Narayana
14.The Vimana Panels on the Eastern Side
The Two Corner Panels
Panel E1: Brahma Worshiped on the Continent of Pushkara and His Four Kumara Sons
Panel E6: Bhava on Kailasa Venerates Pradyumna
The Four Bracketed Panels
Panel E2: The Bhagavan Honors Dhruva with the Dhruva Realm
Panel E3: Brahma Flees to the Bhagavan from His Asura Progeny
Panel E4: Hanuman Worships Rama in the Kimpurusha Region of Jambu
Panel E5: Kamadeva in the Ketumala Region of Jambu Plays “Krishna Holding up Govardhana”
15.The Vimana Panels on the Southern Side
The Two Corner Panels
Panel S1: Dattatreya Sits with Soma and Durvasas
Panel S6: Mohini Serves the Devas Amrita as the Asuras Watch
The Four Bracketed Panels
Panel S2: Krishna in Dvaraka Teaches Uddhava the “Summary of the Brahman Doctrine,” 460
Panel S3: The Avadhuta Dattatreya Teaches King Yadu
Panel S4: Prahlada Worships Man-lion in the Region of Hari
Panel S5: Goddess Earth Worships Boar in the Region of Uttarakuru
Appendix 1: Who Are the Bhagavatas?
Appendix 2: Vasudeva’s Path in the Satvata-samhita
Appendix 3: Prithu, the People’s Indra
Appendix 4: Mantras in the Jayakhya-samhita
Appendix 5: Periya Tirumoli 2.9
Notes
Glossary
Bibliography
Index