REPRESENTS THE 224 UNIVERSES A COSMOLOGICAL SYSTEM OF SAIVA SIDDHANTHA!
Out of the smiling fields of Prambanan, rises the immensity of the sky-kissing temple of Siva. The central spire of the main temple of Siva holds us in its enthralling height of over 140 feet, as if sprung from immortal life, a life that is immense. The entire
complex of Prambanan comprises 16 temples in the inner courtyard and 224 minor temples -a marvel of architectonic composition. Built at the beginning of the tenth century by king Balitung, it has lived in the lyric of Legend, recounted by endless generations of simple peasant folk.
In the Prambanan complex, Hindu-javanese art of the Cosmography of intuition reached the culmination of its florescence. In largeness of conception and daring in composition it surpassed all former creations. The 224 peripheral temples reach an imposing height of 45 feet each and represent the 224 Universes of the cosmological system of the Saiva Siddhanta. While these peripheral temples may correspond to the cakravala mountains, the eight temples in the inner court may be the eight pinnacles of the Manasa mountian.
Winding through the sub-temples architecturing the manifoldness of the inner world, the visitor moves on into the unity of primordial consciousness symbolised in Siva in the central temple. In the soft transparency of the twilight of this sanctum sanctorum, we can feel the music of Sanskrit stotras sung centuries ago. As i recited a Sanskrit sloka, it resounded back striking into the mysterious deeps of time. The acoustics of the soaring spire, enriched by the melodies of a millennium has a lyrical way of growing in you.