Temples - 2

...The decline of Vedic gods was related to the decline of popularity of animal sacrifice due to intense competition from Buddhism. Any invocation of Vedic gods involved fire worship essentially meaning animal sacrifices. This made the Yagyas very costly. The Yagyas became limited to only kings and Kshatriyas who were landlords and could afford costly sacrifices. The Yagyas were still important to kings. The Vaisyas could not do it because if they sacrificed their animals then their survival would be at stake. By the time the Vaisyas gave up agriculture and cattle rearing the Brahmanas had also given up animal sacrifices and shifted mainly to temples. Thus to attract the general population and mainly the Vaisyas the Brahmanas gave up their Vedic gods and took up new gods to please. It was not necessary to offer animal sacrifices to please these new gods. The rituals in temples did not generally involve animal sacrifices.

With the growing importance of agriculture and kingdoms in Vedic society, there was also a need for the gods who could look after the whole of the affairs of these ever enlarging areas. The gods were needed who could handle growing importance of state territories, agriculture and all prevailing nature of rulership. More powerful gods were needed to look after this new universe and also those who could do without animal sacrifices. One alternative was to increase the powers of Vedic gods but it meant rewriting Vedas, which was not permitted. Thus the gods needing animal sacrifices fell out of general use. The general people needed other kinds of gods for their religious needs in this world and here after, with little cost attached to them. The donations in tmples were voluntary which did not impose involuntary cost on people like animal sacrifices. Thus costly Vedic gods needing costly animal sacrifices like Indra, Agni became minor or small deities or fell out of use. However, these costly gods who ensured victories in wars continued to be popular with the kings. The new gods were happy with worship and devotion of a devotee and, of course, a lot of donations. The temples also had the advantage of getting donations round the clock whereas the Yagyas had to be actually performed on a given occasion to get the donations and fees. The donations pertaining to Yagyas were related to certain specific activities. There was an enlargement of scope of taking donation and as well as that of powers of gods. The Stupas and temples were actually a regularization of worship that did not need any special occasion; they were open all the time with their daily rituals...