− | The Vishnudharmottara Purana is an Upa-Purana (उप पुराणम् ) affiliated to the Vishnu Purana (विष्णु पुराणम् ). Both these texts are approximately dated to the Gupta Period (5th-6th centuries CE). The Vishnudharmottara Purana is an encylopaedic work covering a broad range of facets of Ancient Indian Culture. It unfolds as a dialogue between King Vajra of Mathura (the great grandson of Bhagavan Sri Krishna) and the Sage Markandeya. One of the most redeeming features of this text is its elaborate descriptions of Hindu Temples and Hindu Iconography. King Vajra requests Sage Markandeya to enumerate the features of temples. | + | The Vishnudharmottara Purana is an Upa-Purana (उप पुराणम् ) affiliated to the Vishnu Purana (विष्णु पुराणम् ). Both these texts are approximately dated to the Gupta Period (5th-6th centuries CE). The Vishnudharmottara Purana is an encylopaedic work covering a broad range of facets of Ancient Indian Culture. It unfolds as a dialogue between King Vajra of Mathura (the great grandson of Bhagavan Sri Krishna) and the Sage Markandeya. One of the most redeeming features of this text is its elaborate descriptions of Hindu Temples and Hindu Iconography. King Vajra requests Sage Markandeya to enumerate the features of temples. The Vishnudharmottara Purana lists various component parts of a temple and also provides their proportionate measurements. The various types of temples mentioned in this text are Himavan, Malyavan, Shringavan, Agara, Grha, Bhavana, Shikhara, Kunjara, Gandhamadana, Subhadra, Saumya, Arunodaya, Guha, Garuda, Sarvatobhadra and many more. These are considered to be the names of different kinds of Nagara (North Indian) temples. |