Candi Sambisari.

This little Hindu temple is in almost perfect condition. As if packed in cotton wool, layers of volcanic ash have protected it from the ware and tare of over a thousand years. Discovered in 1966 when a farmer ploughng his field accidentally struck against part of the stone base. Built between 9th and 10th century, it has one cella and is facing west. Inside a flat and up right stone, known as the yoni and lingam, represent the male and female forces of creation, according to the Hindu belief. It is still used to day as a place of worship for the Hindus in this area. http://tonitack.com/presentations/prambanan-valley.html

There are temples in India facing west. Furthermore, the main Garbha Griha or Sanctum Santorum at Angkor Wat does not face west alone but faces all the four directions in an identical manner. The approaches to the main shrine under the central tower are identical from all directions. Only the main royal approach to the whole temple complex is from the west, which, as already seen, was the only logical approach from the King’s main dwelling site.

Thiruparameshwara Vinnagaram - Sri Vaikunda Perumal Temple. The murti central to this temple is Sri Paramapatha Nathan. Also called as "Vaikunthanathan". The Moolavar is found in sitting position facing west direction.

Out of these 108 Divyadesams, as we have seen that The Lord ( Perumal) is gracing on various Thirukkolam (Postures), he is also facing his Thirumugham (Face) on various directions and giving his seva darshan, as below: The Lord appears facing Towards East direction at 79 temples, facing towards West direction - 19, facing towards North direction - 3 and facing towards South direction in 7 temples.

The name “Paramavishnuloka” is nothing majestic or deifying. It is a combination of three Sanskrit words – Parama (meaning great), Vishnu and Loka (meaning place or shrine), i.e. a “Great Vishnu Shrine” which it was, and still is. The suffix Loka is not to be associated with the name of a person, but of place. In this respect Coedes has misinterpreted Paramavishnuloka to mean Suryavarman’s posthumous name…Had Angkor Wat been meant for deifying Suryavarman II, it should have been called after his death “Suryavarmanpura” or “Paramasuryavarmanloka”, like “Yashodharpura” , “Mahendrapura” or “Bhimapura.” For example, Jayavarman II’s capital at Rolous was called “Hariharalaya” but this was not his posthumous name.

That the main entrance to the temple is from the West is not enough justification to indulge in flights of imagination that the temple has been constructed as a mausoleum for Kings and their ancestors. Yes, there is veneration of ancestors in both Hindu dharma-Bauddha dhamma traditions. The entire galaxy of divinities are deva-s who are pitr-s (ancestors). Rajadharma was the dominant theme and the Rajas were required to protect and promote dharma handed down from generation to generation. Dharma-dhamma is inviolate, eternal.

Dharma is personified in the Sattvata and Ahirbudhnya Samhitas as one of the 39 Vyuhas (divine emanations). In a remarkable panel as part of the narratives describing svarga and naraka (heaven and hell), Dharma pronounces and Citragupta records the judgement on one's merits related to life-performance. Aymonier (1904,Le Cambodge, Leroux, Paris, III: 265) and Coedes (1911, Les bas-reliefs d'Angkor-Vat, Bulletin de la Commission Archeologique de l'Indochine, Paris: 204) have provided a reading of the inscriptions explaining the nomenclature of 32 naraka (hells) starting from Avici to Raurava (See below).

Kriminikaya naraka

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bas relief panels showing 37 svargga (Top register) and 32 naraka (Bottom register)

Names of 32 naraka detailed in 36 inscriptions (also listed in Sukhathai dynasty King Luthai's Trai Phum Phra Ruang, or the Three Worlds of King Ruangwhich describes cosmology of Bauddham, classifies people by their karmic merit and narrates traditions of Thai cakravartin (universal ruler)of the first realm; the next realm is Caturmaharajika (rulers of four directions); the third is Tavatimsa, realm of 33 divinities ruled by Indra. Emulating Indra, cakravartin becomes Indra. King Luthai became Mahathammaracha (Mahadharmaraja 1346-1374 CE) due to the righteous rule under dharma and Sukhothai with a Buddha stupa, became Indra's city. cf. Grace Morley, Arputha Rani Sengupta, 2005, God & King, the devaraja cult in south Asian art and architecture, Daya Books; M. Roeske, 1914, L'enfer cambodgien d'après le Trai Phum 'les Trois Mondes',Journal Asiatique, novembre-décembre 1914, t. IV, série XI : 587-606):

Avici, Kriminikaya, Vaitarani nadi, Kutsthalmali, Yogmaparvata, Nirucchvasa, Ucchvasa, Dravattrapu, Taptalakshamaya, Asthibhanga, Krakaccheda, Puyapurnahrada, Asrikpurnahrada, Medhoharada, Tikshnyastunda, Angaricaraya, Amvarisa, Kumbhipaka, Talavrksavana, Kshuradharaprvata, Santapana (?), Sucimukha, Kalasutra, Mahapadma, Padma, Sanjivana, (Inscripitons 31 and 32 unreadable),Shita,Sandratamah,Maharaurava, Raurava.

In 921 CE King Jayavarman IV transferred Indresvara, S'iva in Phnom Bakheng to Koh Ker, the short-lived capital. At the summit of the central pyramid,was the kamrateng jagat ta rajya 'lord of the universe who is royalty'.

That this was no intimation of the King as God or that there was no intent to built up any 'cult' is evident from the following epigraphs of King Yasovarman and King Rajendravarman.

In the final lines of an inscription, he asks his successors to maintain Lolei where the statues of his parents were erected: 'Guard this dharma which for me is like a bridge.' In an inscription at Pr Rup, King Rajendravarman proclaims: 'They claim correctly that supplication is the death of kings, as it has for a goal the fulfilment of their wishes. But what I proffer, out of a passion for dharma, and having only the well-being of this dharma in mind, is that this supplication is for the immortality one should try to achieve.' (loc.cit. Coedes, opcit., p. 27). In these inscriptions, dharma refers to 'sacred establishment', 'eternal law', 'religious practice' and also 'rajadharma' (or royal responsibility to protect dharma) - a responsibility which has to be perpetuated. The 'bridge' referred to by King Yasovarmaqn is a continuum which links the ancestors remembered in statues and the descendants who have to carry on this sacred responsibility of protecting dharma.

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