Padmasana (sanctuary)

Padmasana (right) in Pura Taman Saraswati, Ubud , Bali (2011)

A Padmasana , also known as the lotus position , is a form of a sanctuary in Balinese Hindu temples . It is shaped like a narrow, vacant throne that rises five feet above the ground. The ritual function of the Padmasana is to serve as a seat for the gods when they visit the temple. Three different types of the divine throne can be distinguished: The single seated Padmasana is for Shiva or the sun god Surya . The throne with two seats is used for ancestral cult , one for the male and one for the female ancestor. The three-seat Padmasana either has the same purpose to honor the deified ancestors, or it is for the Trimurti of Brahma , Vishnu and Shiva. The Padmasana in the inner courtyard of a Balinese temple has the greatest significance when it is erected in the most sacred corner, which in popular belief is the northeast. In this case, the throne is aligned with the back to Gunung Agung and is dedicated to the supreme deity Ida Sanghaya Widhi Wasa in its manifestation as Siwa Raditya, the Balinese counterpart to the sun god Surya.

Web links

Commons : Padmasana (sanctuary)  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

1. ^ Julian Davison: Balinese Architecture . Tuttle, New York 2014, ISBN 978-1-4629-1422-7 , p. 118