The chapter describes the role of the Swaminarayan movement in furthering the continuation of the Nagara tradition of temple architecture, particularly through patronage of the Sompura community of traditional architectural practitioners. Focusing on architectural form, it examines the question of the relationship between Vastu Shastra texts and design practice, building on a recently completed study of the eleventh-century Samaranganasutradhara, which was published in Gujarati in 1939 by N.M.S. Sompura. It is still a prime reference for practising Sompuras today. Studies show that texts may present temple designs never attempted in the built tradition, as well as familiar types, with instructions that provide a starting point for development, demanding elaboration and improvisation. The thesis of this chapter is that a profound connection between text and practice lies in a common, dynamic approach to temple typology, which can be described as emanatory. This process leaves its trace in the built monuments, imparting an impression of movement and growth, and a sense that the human creative process mirrors the cosmic one.