We can see boundary lines on a map. Often, these lines do not correspond to a physical partition or a geographical transition. We can understand the Vedic idea of sacred space in this context. Sthandila, the foundation of a Yajna fire ceremony is the rudimentary version of sacred space. The Agni Kunda firepit is a natural evolution from Sthandila. A temple is a complex construct based on the idea of sacred space. . Vedas declare Brahman, the universal being, to be all-pervasive. The entire universe is the body of Brahman. Then, shouldn’t all of space, within the cosmos, be sacred? How do Rishis claim a piece of land within the temple premise, a Kunda pit or a Sthandila square to be special? Experts use the analogy of rain to answer this question. Rain as an analogy for Sthandila, Kunda and temple Rain falls evenly across a wide territory. It does not make a distinction between the ground with different contours.

Continue readingSthandila and Kunda as precursors to Temples