gopuram and vimAnam.

[Guest guest]

The following extract from the amara koSa vyAkhyAna-s might have

already been presented, but since I do not recall seeing it, I am

adding it here.

 

Gopuram:

 

The definition given for the word is "gopyate pauraih iti gopuram" -

The protection for a city, or "gopyate purasthaih iti gopuram" - The

protection at the front. Typically, this refers to the citygate.

amarapada pArijAta of mallinAtha gives the definition - nagara dvAram

gopuram syAt - a reference to the citygate or entrance to the city.

 

The roots involved are:

 

'gupU - rakshaNe - to defend, to protect, to conceal', and

'pure - agra gamane - to go ahead'. In the current context, it

should mean 'the place in front, or the front entrance' - purah pUrvo

deSah. Puram also means temple – "mandirampuram pATaluputre mandire

cApi kathyate".

 

VAman Apte gives one of the meanings as "the ornamental gateway of a

temple", which is the sense in which it is commonly used by most of

us now.

 

VimAnam:

 

The meaning given for the term `vimAnam' by a translator for the

amara koSa vyAkhyAna-s is: "divine aerial car". The definition given

by li'ngAyasUrin is – vimAnti vartante devA atra iti vimAnam – The

place where the deva-s reside. In common usage, the place where the

structure above the garbha gRham where the Deity is consecrated, is

called vimAnam. Devotees may recall the reference to `pushpaka

vimAnam', in which Lord rAma traveled while returning from the vana

vAsam, the vaidika vimAnam of Lord Sar'ngapANI of tirukkuDanthai, the

praNavAkAra vimAnam of Lord SrI ra'nganAtha, and the Ananda nilaya

vimAnam of Lord SrInivAsa of tiruppati.

 

-dAsan Krishnamachari