Misplaced Pages

#215784

38-482: Surawana temple was built in 1390 AD but was not "officially" completed until its inception in 1400. It was built as a memorial for Wijayarajasa, the Prince of Wengker. He was Rajasanagara’s uncle as a result of marriage and he was a great influence of power. Some believe that this did not start out as a monument to the prince, but just a structure that he commissioned. That is why the dates differ when it comes to when it

76-461: A jiva (life force) that has performed sacrifices and charitable acts ascends to Svarga, and when departing the abode and returning to earth, it descends as a raincloud, and is precipitated upon the earth as rain. When man consumes the food that is watered by the rain, it enters his semen, and during intercourse, enters a woman, to be reborn. It described "sampata" to be the term for the concept that allows one to ascend to heaven. It also states that

114-620: A Javanese poet going by the name of Mpu Kanwa. The story was originally inspired by the Mahabharata and based upon the Kiratarjunya, written by Bharavi. This particular version of the story is modeled after King Airlangga and personifies the perfect king. (3) The perfect king would be a noble demeanor, brave and victorious in war, and be sexually irresistible. The Arjunawiwaha has three sections to it. Arjuna’s meditation, Niwatanawalan Battle, and Arjuna’s Reward into svargaloka . In

152-496: A descendant of the Pandavas . The knight served under King Sulakrama, the ruler of Sindurejo kingdom. Sidapaksa was sent to search for medicine for the king's grandfather, the hermit Bhagawan Tamba Petra who lived secluded in his hermitage on the mountains. Here Sidapaksa met Sri Tanjung, a girl of extraordinary beauty. Sri Tanjung was not an ordinary girl, since her mother was a vidhyadari ( apsara ) who descended to earth and married

190-468: A message to the gods. He is ordered to hand the gods a letter written: "The bearer of this letter will attack the Svargaloka" . Sri Tanjung lent her magic sash to her husband, a family heirloom received from her father Raden Sudamala. The magic sash was an enchanted garment belonging to her mother, the apsara, enabling her to travel from earth to heaven. Sidapaksa arrived at Svargaloka, not knowing about

228-418: A mortal man. Raden Sidapaksa fell in love and asked Sri Tanjung for her hand in marriage. The happy couple went home, back to the kingdom of Sindurejo to settle down. King Sulakrama secretly fell in love, smitten and infatuated by the beauty of Sri Tanjung. The king desired Sri Tanjung for himself and set an evil plot to separate the newlywed couple. King Sulakrama ordered Sidapaksa to go to Svargaloka to send

266-457: Is a moderately sized temple with a base that is 7.8 square meters and is 4.6 meters high. The foot is the only existing piece or art still remaining on the structure itself. On the base there is a graduated projection that holds the stairs to the cella (3), which is an inner chamber of the temple. The structure is made to face west just like most East Javanese temples. Surawana is adorned with many different reliefs, and many of them extend around

304-423: Is neither sun nor moon that is necessary to offer light in this realm, as it is entirely self-luminous. He takes note of the residents of Svarga: rishis , heroes who had died in battle, those who had performed severe austerities, gandharvas , guhyakas , as well as apsaras . He passes through the several successive regions of heaven until he arrives at Amaravati, the capital of Indra. In Amaravati, Arjuna beholds

342-544: Is often relegated to the status of a lower heaven, one that is spiritually as well as physically beneath Vaikuntha and Kailasha , the celestial abodes of Vishnu and Shiva . In the hymns of the Atharvaveda , Svarga is conceptualised as Pitrloka, the land where one hopes to meet one's departed ancestors. It is the abode that is rewarded for the one who performs sacrifices. The sacrifices that one performs are stated to journey directly to heaven, and are stored to await

380-517: Is often translated as heaven, though it is regarded to be dissimilar to the concept of the Abrahamic Heaven . Svarga is a set of celestial worlds located on and above Mount Meru , where those who had led righteous lives by adhering to the scriptures delight in pleasures, before their next birth on earth. It is described to have been built by the deity Tvashtar , the Vedic architect of

418-463: Is suggested that the story originated from Banyuwangi , East Java since it is connected to the legend about the origin of the name "Banyuwangi." The story originated from the early Majapahit period around the 13th century. The story of Sri Tanjung can be found on the bas-reliefs of the temples at Penataran , Bajang Ratu , Candi Surawana , and Jabung . Once upon a time, there was a handsome and powerful Kshatriya (knight) named Raden Sidapaksa,

SECTION 10

#1732779548216

456-515: Is usually performed as kidung , a poem sung or chanted in Javanese tembang . The Kidung Sri Tanjung are performed in the traditional Javanese ruwatan  [ id ] , an exorcism ceremony. The name Sri Tanjung is linked to the Tanjung flower ( Mimusops elengi ), a flower with a sweet fragrance. Like many other Indonesian folk stories, the author of this tale is unknown; however, it

494-490: The asuras . A common theme in these legends is an asura king, such as Hiranyakashipu , usurping the realm for himself. The preserver deity, Vishnu , often intervenes to restore the status quo. He sometimes assumes an avatar , such as Narasimha , to vanquish the asura king, restoring Indra and the devas to their place. During each pralaya (the great dissolution), the first three realms, Bhuloka , Bhuvarloka, and Svargaloka are destroyed. In contemporary Hinduism, Svarga itself

532-431: The corners on vertical panels. The panels were considered part of the original story until identified in 1939 (3). The surface of the temple is decorated with many reliefs. It also has ganas, or servants chosen by Ganesha to serve Shiva , on the sides of the temple. They are shown holding up the building with their extended arms. They are similar to the figures shown on the structures at Candi Jawi. Also shown around

570-590: The cow of plenty, as well as Parijata, the tree that grants all wishes. The legendary Kalpavriksha tree grows in the centre of the Nandana gardens, which was planted there by Indra after it emerged from the Samudra Manthana , the churning of the ocean. Due to its location, Svarga is called Tridiva, the third highest heaven. In Hindu mythology , the devas' dominion over Svarga is often the primary point of contention in their eternal war with their rivals,

608-403: The devas. The king of the devas , Indra , is the ruler of Svarga, ruling it with his consort, Indrani . His palace in the abode is called Vaijayanta. This palace holds the famous hall, Sudharma, unrivalled among all the princely courts. The capital of Svarga is Amaravati , and its entrance is guarded by the legendary elephant, Airavata . Svarga is described to be the home of Kamadhenu ,

646-400: The first section Arjuna is tested three times by the gods. In the second section he is assisted in his battle by Suprabha. In the last section he marries seven heavenly apsaras . This relief is one that wraps around the entire structure and starts at the east wall. It continues to the north side, but then turns back to the east. It passes where the original three scenes are and continues on

684-471: The ganas are sculptures with earrings, a breastplate, necklace, jeweled belt, bracelet, armbands, and anklets. When the Majapahit Kingdom flourished, there were more contemporary aesthetic representations such as these (3). On the base of the structure is eighteen horizontal plaques, night vertical panels, and in the middle was a plain band, which was the midsection of the temple. The stairs on

722-505: The gardens of Nandana, the favourite resort of the apsaras. He observes that sacred trees and flowers of all seasons bloom. He is eulogised by various classes of beings, such as deities like the Ashvins and the Maruts , the royal sages, headed by Dilipa , and exalted Brahmanas . He is treated to the most sacred and profane music of the finest gandharva, Tumvuru , and observes the dances of

760-540: The king's advances and tried to escape. However, the king chased and forced Sri Tanjung, holding her against her will and trying to rape her. Sidapaksa came home in time to find his wife held in the king's arms. The evil king told a lie, accusing Sri Tanjung of being a lustful unfaithful woman who tried to seduce him. Sidapaksa fell for the king's lies and in jealousy tried to kill her. Sri Tanjung cried and swore her innocence, pleading for her husband to believe in her. In desperation she swore, with god as her witness, that if she

798-540: The message in the unopened letter, and handed the letter to the gods. Of course, the gods were furious and attacked the unsuspecting Sidapaksa. Sidapaksa pleaded for an explanation and explained himself as a descendant of Pandava. The gods learned about the misunderstanding and freed Sidapaksa. As compensation for their mistake, the gods bestowed on Sidapaksa the blessing of a magic weapon. Meanwhile, on Earth after Sidapaksa left for heaven, King Sulakrama made an advance on Sri Tanjung and tried to seduce her. Sri Tanjung refused

SECTION 20

#1732779548216

836-550: The most enticing apsaras, such as Menaka , Rambha , and Urvashi . The Mahabharata suggests the existence of several forms or regions of Svarga, each headed by a deity, such as Surya , Kubera , and Varuna . Indra is stated to sate all the desires of the residents. Men and women enjoy each other's pleasures without restriction, and there is no form of jealousy between the sexes. In the text, Nahusha opines to Yudhisthira that offering charity, speaking pleasing words, honesty, and ahimsa allows one to achieve heaven. In

874-531: The necessary level of spirituality. The acquisition of punya and the performance of good deeds is stated to be a prerequisite of attaining Svarga in the Ramayana . The epic describes the legend of King Trishanku , who had been promised a place in Svarga by the sage Vishvamitra . The sage engaged in a solitary yajna to achieve this, not joined by other sages due to instructions from Sage Vasishta . Due to

912-491: The one who was of good conduct in Svarga attains the birth of a Brahmin , Kshatriya , or a Vaishya , and that others are condemned to lesser births, such as other animals or outcastes. The Mundaka Upanishad affirms that the performance of Vedic rituals is necessary to attain Svarga. The Bhagavata Purana states that Svarga is the realm for the one who is able to discriminate between right and wrong acts, and loves other people, engaging in good deeds for them. The good,

950-627: The perfumed blood of Sri Tanjung, became the origin of the name Banyuwangi or "fragrant water", the capital of the Blambangan kingdom. Svarga Svarga ( Sanskrit : स्वर्गः , lit.   'abode of light', IAST : Svargaḥ ), also known as Swarga , Indraloka and Svargaloka , is the celestial abode of the devas in Hinduism . Svarga is one of the seven higher lokas ( esoteric planes ) in Hindu cosmology . Svarga

988-414: The power of the sage's ceremony, the king ascended to the gates of Svarga. The devas reported this to Indra, who angrily kicked Trishanku from the abode because of his low birth, sending him hurtling towards the earth. Vishvamitra was able to halt his fall mid-way during his descent, and so the king was left suspended in the air. Indra opted to create a new Svarga below his own Svarga as a compromise, just for

1026-609: The reliefs have to do with the direction. Carvings facing the East, which is the direction of the rising sun and a sacred mountain (3), are the parts of the stories with more religious scenes. The carvings facing the West are more to do with demons, monsters, battles and death. The Arjunawiwaha is a continuous narrative with many different frames, but at some points it is interrupted by the Sri Tanjung and Bubuksha stories which appear on

1064-493: The residence of Trishanku. In retort, Vishvamitra created a new Indra and devas to occupy the new heaven with the king. Terrified of the powers of the sage, Indra relented, and personally carried Trishanku to the real Svarga on his own golden vimana . In the epic Mahabharata , the prince Arjuna is escorted to Svarga by Matali , the charioteer of Indra , the prince's father. During the journey, he witnesses thousands of flying celestial cars, vimana s. He observes that there

1102-418: The sacrificer on his arrival. One hymn describes Svarga to be a realm that contains water-lilies and lotuses, lakes of butter with banks of honey, along with streams flowing with a number of foods such as wine, milk, curds, and water. Offering gifts to guests is also stated to be a path that secures heaven. The Vedanta Shutra explains the concept of transmigration from Svarga to Bhuloka. It indicates that

1140-456: The short stories like this have moral lessons in the end. One of the most famous stories of all time is Arjunawiwaha . It is decorated on about six different sites in East Java. (3) It usually is on the subject of theater, dance dramas, and paintings and is still very popular. At Candi Surawana, it is on relief panels surrounding the foot of the monument. The story was composed in 1035 by

1178-399: The spirit of Sri Tanjung ascended to heaven and met the goddess Durga . After learning about the injustice done to Sri Tanjung, the great goddess revived Sri Tanjung and reunited her with her husband. The gods ordered Sidapaksa to take revenge and punish the evil deed of King Sulakrama. Sidapaksa succeeded in defeating and killing King Sulakrama in a battle. It was said that the fragrant water,

Surawana - Misplaced Pages Continue

1216-598: The temple have nagas and makaras which are flat, ornamental reliefs in the shape of triangles and animals with their tails turning into elaborate arabesques. (3) The reliefs there range from whole stories to just simple depictions of everyday life. Three of the major reliefs on the building were the Arjunawiwaha , Sri Tanjung , and Babuksha and Gagang Aking. Some smaller stories were usually ones with morals and quick lessons. A couple examples would be “Crocodile and Bull,” “Heron, Fish, and Crab,” and “Frog and Snake.” In

1254-420: The virtuous, and the devoted are described to be able to achieve the abode. It is stated to be a realm of gratification, where one is able to appreciate divine music, divine beauty, and divine objects, all of which are enough for any man. The duration of one's stay in this loka is determined by the punya (virtue) one has accumulated. High intellect is not deemed to be sufficient to enter the abode if one lacks

1292-482: The west wall and then to the south. 7°44′46″S 112°13′05″E  /  7.746224°S 112.2181374°E  / -7.746224; 112.2181374 Sri Tanjung Sri Tanjung , also known as the tale of Banyuwangi ( Javanese for "fragrant water"), is a Javanese folktale about a faithful wife who was wrongfully accused. The story has been popular since the era of the Majapahit kingdom. The story

1330-576: The whole building. The stories depicted on the walls are made in a way that reflects the direction in which they are facing. For example, The Arjunawiwaha story starts on the East facing wall, then stops and restarts on the Northeast facing wall. Then it continues along the North wall and skips the East and heads down to the South and continues, in the opposite direction, to the West. Everything depicted in

1368-403: The “Heron, Fish, and Crab” story, the characters learn a very valuable lesson. The bird in the story is wearing a headdress to try to disguise himself as a shaman so that he can go and catch fish. He starts examining three fish when he is attacked by the crab that starts to pinch his neck. The crab sees that the heron has disguised himself to confuse the fish so he pinched him to death. Many of

1406-481: Was completed. The sraddha ceremony, which is a ritual funeral ceremony, was held in 1400 which is why some speculate to actual completion date. Not much is known about the history after that or how it came to become dismantled, but today it stands in the small village of Canggu, in the Kediri district right out of Pare. As of right now specialists are trying to reconstruct the base to its original state Surawana temple

1444-412: Was truly innocent, her body would not spill blood, but instead fragrant liquid. Blinded by anger and jealousy, Sidapaksa fiercely stabbed Sri Tanjung with a kris . Sri Tanjung fell and died, but a miracle happened: just like her words, her spilled blood was a sweet fragrance perfume , a testament to her innocence. Raden Sidapaksa realized his terrible mistake and fell into regret and despair. Meanwhile,

#215784