THE MEANING OF THREE DRAGONS ON PADMASANA TIGA ARCHITECTURES IN BESAKIH TEMPLE, BALI INDONESIA

Ida Bagus Idedhyana; Ngakan Putu Sueca; Ngakan Ketut Acwin Dwijendra; Ida Bagus Wirawibawa

Ida Bagus Idedhyana Student of Doctoral Program Engineering Science, Faculty of Engineering, Udayana University and Lecture of Architecture Department, Ngurah Rai University, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
Ngakan Putu Sueca Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia
Ngakan Ketut Acwin Dwijendra Department of Doctoral Program Engineering Science, Faculty of Engineering, Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0070-4254
Ida Bagus Wirawibawa Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia

Keywords: Three dragons, cosmic principles, Padmasana Tiga architecture

Abstract

Three dragons are the most famous snake of Gods among a thousand other dragons. Anantabhoga, Basuki and Taksaka are three dragons that are often used as decorative items in Padmasana architecture. Padmasana Tiga in Penataran Agung Besakih Temple is a symbolic place of God, applying these three dragon icons as decoration. The purpose of this study is to reveal the meaning of the three dragons and how they are placed on Padmasana architecture. The meaningful step is carried out through two stages, the first stage is explanation and the second stage is interpretation of meaning. The results show that the shape of the dragon is more towards therio-anthropomorphic, the merging of animal and human forms in divine visuals that is difficult to imagine. Its symbolic function is as a tribute to the cosmic principles of the universe, and serves to strengthen the architectural representation of Padmasana Tiga as an embodiment of the universe. At the bottom of the padmasana is Anantabhoga, the dragon that carries the earth bound around the sea on its head, as an endless cosmic cohesion coil, is an element of Perthiwi (a solid substance) in the formation of the universe. The dragon in the court area that surrounds ancient turtles (Bedawang Nala) is Basuki, symbolic of safety and prosperity, the flow of living water, as an element of Apah (liquid substance). While the dragon perched at the top level of the padmasana is the Naga Taksaka, a depiction of the air/atmosphere that sends rain to earth, as an element of Bayu (air). The three dragons are a description of some cosmic principles of the universe that provide prosperity to all creatures in the world, as well as symbolic ties to worldly life that are difficult to break.