FOUNDATIONS OF ĀGAMAŚĀSTRA IN THE HINDU TEMPLE TRADITION: DEFINITIONS, CLASSIFICATIONS, AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS

In the landscape of Hindu religious practice, the Āgamas occupy a central place as authoritative texts that articulate the principles of ritual, iconography, temple architecture, and daily conduct. Though distinct from the Vedic corpus, they are revered within the Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, and Śākta traditions as divinely revealed scriptures that shape every aspect of temple worship and communal religious life. This study undertakes an introductory exploration of Āgamaśāstra, highlighting its terminologies, classifications, and internal structure. Emphasis is placed on clarifying key concepts as they relate to the construction, consecration, and functioning of temples.Drawing from primary Sanskrit sources, including selected Āgamas, this paper also engages with the insights of G. B. Deglurkar, whose archaeological studies elucidate the intersection between textual prescriptions and architectural realities. The fourfold division of Āgamic texts into jñāna, yoga, kriyā, and caryā pādas reflects a holistic vision that integrates metaphysical knowledge with embodied ritual and social conduct. By tracing the essential frameworks of the Āgamas, the paper lays the groundwork for further investigation into their continued relevance in both classical and contemporary contexts. This chapter forms the foundational segment of an ongoing doctoral study on the Agamic basis of temple tradition and aims to locate Āgamaśāstra within the broader discourse of Dharmaśāstra, ritual theory, and Sanskritic knowledge systems.