Magic Square of Khajuraho

[Radhakrishna Warrier]

Many people would have heard about the Khajuraho temples and their erotic carvings. But here is a non-erotic engraving from a Khajuraho temple.  It is a “magic” mathematical square inscribed on the door of a Pārśvanātha Jain temple of Khajuraho.  

The temples of Khajuraho were built by the kings of Chandela dynasty between 9th and 10th century CE.  They built both Hindu and Jain temples.  

The engraving of the original magic square is shown below. I have redrawn the square showing the numbers in the modern Hindu-Arabic numerals, and this is also shown below.

This 4x4 square consists of all integers from 1 to 16. The numbers are arranged inside the square such that the sum of the numbers in every horizontal row, every vertical column, and every diagonal is 34. Not only that, the sum of the four numbers in any 2 by 2 sub-squares inside the big square is also 34. Because of these properties, this square is called the Most Perfect 4 by 4 Magic Square.

There is some legend inscribed above the square in an old version of Devanagari script.  I could read the words देव शर्म्म  and जयतु.  Could not decipher the rest of the legend.  

Can anyone here decipher the rest of the legend and its meaning?

Here is my Facebook post on this magic square of Khajuraho:

https://www.facebook.com/radwarrier/posts/pfbid023YGmqurNMxXHZx2cXrmLVTct957jrKhJAkAJQmzBBabJB91gdsaHhLcKeJeh5NZ4l?__cft__[0]=AZWOAijG9ZrsLrdMNci5a7TIlftlF6U3KSHRmIXrOiox48FWG7QRyBlrmztlREUScixSTBjoAHt8DLbUlEaaz-YnQcFU7w8id9pE03fJDWaXcdfOWuwPCeC8rLUOQugqOzo&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

[kenp]

Here are some links.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parshvanatha_temple,_Khajuraho#:~:text=The%20temple%20has%20an%20inscription,numbers%20from%201%20to%2016.

https://www.magischvierkant.com/two-dimensional-eng/8x8/khajuraho-method/

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Parshvanatha_temple,_Khajuraho

[Radhakrishna Warrier]

Thanks Ken ji for the links.

Best regards,

Radhakrishna Warrier

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From: bvpar...@googlegroups.com <bvpar...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of kenp <drk...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2022 7:57 AM
To: भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत् <bvpar...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Re: Magic Square of Khajuraho

 

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[Jayasree Saranathan]

The legend appears to be an invocation, but the square is a Yantra or a Chakra.

The specific number 34 belongs to Sri Rama Chakra that was very popular among common man until recently.

We can see it produced in the Panchagas (Fig:1) along with Seeta Chakra. 

When someone is in distress and clueless about what is in store, he will touch one of the squares with eyes closed and after a prayer to Sri Rama. 

Each number indicates a result.

The totalling differs from deity to deity.

For example, a similar Yantra is worshiped in the Lakshmi sannidhi of Thirunindravur near Chennai (Fig:2) 

The total is 72 (7+2= 9) 

Devotees can get a miniature yantra in the temple for worship at home for wealth.

The Navagraha yantras also have such magic squares but differ from each other in the final total. (Fig:3)

These numbers are unique to each graha / deity. Navagraha yantras differ from the above two by being made on specific geometric designs, whereas Sri Rama Chakra, Seeta Chakra and Lakshmi Chakra are just squares. 

Soma Yantra -like golden plate was found worn by a Druid buried 4000 years ago in Bush Barrow in the UK (Fig: 4)

(Details of all these written in my Tamil series here:  http://thamizhan-thiravidana.blogspot.com/2012/10/111.html) 

Crux of the matter is, these squares are many, designed with specific numbers that signify a deity. Number 34 ending squares were used by common man for ages. 

Regards, 

Jayasree Saranathan

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[Radhakrishna Warrier]

Thank you Jayasree ji for the information.

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From: bvpar...@googlegroups.com <bvpar...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Jayasree Saranathan <jayasree....@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 7, 2022 12:43 AM
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com <bvpar...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Magic Square of Khajuraho

 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/bvparishat/CAJp7CVQT%3DoY8PrrBdbuS3MU2-PrS9KEFR-A_FnJq8NRS-KL1Gw%40mail.gmail.com.