Goa Gajah ( Elephant Cave )

A tourist sites are located in the village of Bedulu , Blahbatuh , Gianyar Regency , about 27 km from Denpasar . Goa elephant Lwa Gajah derived from the word , a word that appears on the palm Negarakertagama compiled by MPU prapanca in 1365 AD
Goa Gajah was built in the 11th century AD , when King Sri Ratna Bumi Banten Astasura power. This cave used as a hermitage , which is evidenced by the presence of niches in the cave . In addition there is also a cave around pool with seven statues pertitaan Widyadara - Widyadari who was holding the holy water . In total there are seven statues , but when I lived there only six in number , according to the clerk of the statue was moved to another location , due to the earthquake a few years ago . Six of this statue is a symbol of the seven sacred rivers in India , the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism .

This temple has many ancient relics . Because the temple is visited by many foreign and domestic tourists . This temple can be divided into three parts . There is a Hindu sacred buildings are very old around the 10th century AD .
There is a sacred Hindu shrine building - century shrine built after that . While there are three Buddhist heritage building is estimated by experts that already exist around the 8th century AD contemporary of Borobudur temple in Central Java .
In the eastern part of the cave niche there are three big phallus lined up on a pedestal , while in the western part of the cave there is a statue of Ganesha in the form of T. Become upstream or keluwan cave there are three symbols of Shiva Linga or Sang Hyang Tri Purusa . While in the teben is a statue of Ganesha is the son of Shiva in the Hindu pantheon system . Due to this Ganesha statue by Miguel Covarrubias 's cave called Goa Gajah .
Function god Ganesha in Hindu worship system is as Wighna - ghna Winayaka god and as a god . Wighna means obstacle or challenge . Worship of Lord Ganesha is the god cult to obtain spiritual guidance in order to become self-reliant in the face of obstacles or challenges of life . Ganesha is worshiped as the god Winayaka is to get God's guidance in developing life wise . The ability to face challenges and develop this wisdom as a first step to achieving a peaceful and prosperous life on this earth .
In front of the cave there is a statue in a pond Shower baths sacred because times buried in the ground . Currently serving head office Kriygsman Antiquities in Bali , the baths were excavated in 1954 . In it there is a statue Widyadara baths and Widyadhari . Arca showers are six pieces . The three lined up in the north and three in the south . This angel statue placed on a pedestal of lotus or lotus . Padma is a symbol of the universe stana Hyang Widhi .
In the middle there is a statue of male symbol Widyadhara . The six statues Widyadhari drain water from the center and there are statues of milk statues . Water flowing in the pool as a symbol of fertility . The purpose of the worship of God with the symbol linga as a medium to encourage the emergence of fertility . Phallus was divided into two parts: the base and the Predana called Yoni symbol that stands upright on it called Lingga Yoni . The bottom of the rectangular-shaped phallus symbol of Brahma Bhaga , on top of the octagonal symbol of Vishnu Bhaga .
At the top of the octagon elliptical . Here's a peak as Shiva Bhaga . In this Linga worship ceremony splashed with water or with milk . Water or milk was accommodated through the channel yoni . The water that is sprinkled into rice fields and plantation agriculture invoke fertility .
Arca was the epitome of the water flow showerheads to build agricultural fertility in the broad sense . In Canakya Nitisastra , water was declared one of the three Ratna gem Earth .
Herbs foodstuffs and medicines as well as words of wisdom as the two other gems Ratna . Hindu sacred buildings in Pura Goa Gajah in addition to existing heritage buildings Hindu era Pasupata eksisnya Hindu Shiva temple in the days following there as in the days of Hindu worship Hindu Shiva Siddhanta has grown . Because it was in the east a bit to the south of Goa Gajah there are several shrines . There Pelinggih Limas and Limas supply Mujung as Pelinggih Pesimpangan Batara at Mount Agung and Mount Batur .
There Pelinggih gedong as ancestral shrines in the gusti Bedaulu . There is a shrine of Queen Park as Vishnu worship as god of water . As the temple in general, there are also some complementary building . Such as the shrine Pengaruman offerings for offerings when there is a ceremony , either because there are ceremonies piodalan and other Hindu holiday .
More ancient relic of Hindu heritage in Pura Goa Gajah is the presence of Buddhist relics . Outside the cave on the western side there is a statue of the Buddhist Goddess statue Hariti in Bali called Men Brayut . This statue is depicted as a woman who took a lot of children . In Buddhist mythology , it was originally Hariti woman flesh -eating human flesh , especially children . After this Hariti studying the teachings of the Budsha , Hariti eventually became a deeply religious and compassionate children .
To the south of Goa Gajah through trench found Buddha statue in the attitude of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha . Dhyani Buddha in the attitude of the Amitabha Buddha in the Mahayana Buddhist pantheon system as a protector of Buddha universe westward . Similarly, three Hindu and Buddhist religious buildings in Goa Gajah Temple