Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dr Uday Dokras
As per Vastushastra, the main deity of a building is its Vastu Purush. To quote the Rig Veda,
"TAVA TVAM VAASTUNYU IMASI GA MADHYE?YATR GAVAU BHURI SHRINGA
AVASAH,"
meaning Vastu has a very close relation with the ‘Grihadevata’ or the deity of the house. As per
my knowledge of the ancient scripture named Shatpath Brahmin, Vastu forms the ruling deity of
the animal stock and humans living within a structure.
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Mahapitha Mandala
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Mandala in siting
The mandala is put to use in site planning and architecture through a process called the Pada
Vinyasa. This is a method whereby any site can be divided into grids/ modules or pada.
Depending on the position of the gods occupying the various modules, the zoning of the site and
disposition of functions in a building are arrived at.Mandala have certain points known
as marma which are vital energy spots on which nothing should be built. They are determined by
certain proportional relationships of the squares and the diagonals.
A site of any shape can be divided using the Pada Vinyasa. Sites are known by the number of
divisions on each side. the types of mandalas with the corresponding names of sites is given
below.
Sakala(1 square)corresponds to Eka-pada (single divided site)
Pechaka(4 squares) corresponds to Dwi-pada (two divided site)
Pitha(9 squares) corresponds to Tri-pada (three divided site)
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North - treasury
Northeast - prayer room
East - bathroom
Southeast - kitchen
South - bedroom
Southwest - armoury
West - dining room
Northwest - cowshed
Vastu Purusha Mandala is the metaphysical plan of a building that incorporates the coursly
bodies and supernatural forces. Purusha refers to an Energy, Soul or Universal Principle.
Mandala is the generic name for any plan or chart which symbolically represents the cosmos.
Vastu Purush is worshiped during the five stages of the construction i.e. Plot demarcation, Space
clearing (Bhoomi Shodhan), Door installation, Laying Stone for Foundation and on the day
of house warming.
On any plan Vastu purusha is placed with the head in the northeast and legs in the southwest. If
we see over here floor plan, it has been divided into various zones and there is a square grid
which is being followed and every square has a certain representation, it connotes to a certain
supernatural power and divine energy. When these grid is followed during the construction, it is
said that there would be a divine presence in the house that will breathe and live for long.
Very interestingly we see this principles of Vastu Shastra with square grid was followed in the
planning of city Jaipur.
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We often hear devout Hindus say, "Hinduism is more than just a religion; It is a way of life."
While members of other religions also like to say the same thing––few devoted people want to
think that their religion is not a way of life––there is actually some justification for the Hindu
statement. We can say this because Hindu culture has never fully separated its so-called “secular
side” from its religious side, something that has taken place in many other religions as a result of
the secularizing influence of modernity. We have noted this fact in reference to astrology.
Hinduism still includes, not only religion, but also astronomy, astrology, grammar, mathematics,
law, medicine, politics, diplomacy, war, love, architecture and many other branches of
knowledge. In this way, Hinduism is holistic. It is not just about theology.
Vaastu Shastra
It is popular in many Western countries to hear about the ancient Chinese system of Feng Shui,
which attempts to align the energies of the physical world with the life of man. The branch of
Hindu learning that includes these ideas is called Vaastu Shastra, Hindu Architecture. In Sanskrit
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the word “vaastu” means a building or structure and so the expression “vaastu shastra” is the
science of structure. Like Vedic astrology, vaastu is a vast and highly developed branch of
learning and in this installment I can describe only the most basic principles of this subject.
There are, of course, whole books devoted to this wonderful subject and an interested reader is
encouraged to study these books, especially if one is planning to build or buy a home,
commercial building or land for construction.
Hindu Architecture addresses two kinds of buildings: religious structures––temples and shrines–
–and non-religious structures, civic buildings, business complexes and residential homes. In
Hindu culture, not only is the home and family all important, but so is the actual building where
the family lives. Consequently, how a physical building is designed and constructed is a matter
of deep concern. Hindu traditions tell us that there are forces, some subtle and others not so
subtle, some positive and some negative, around us at all times, and like the Chinese system of
Feng Shui, it is in man’s interest to arrange his life to take advantage of these positive forces and
avoid the effects of the negative forces. It has been observed that through the proper orientation
of a building and other techniques, the positive forces can be focused in a way that will lead to an
increase in wealth, happiness, and harmony for the residents of such a building. Conversely, the
wrong orientation of a structure and other architectural failures can cause unhappiness, disease
and troubles for the inhabitants. The same can be said for other buildings including temples,
business and civic structures.
In our discussion on astrology, we pointed out some of the essential principles of Hindu theology
that affect not only astrology, but many other subjects of learning, including Hindu architecture.
The first is the idea that the world is a manifestation of the body of God or, more precisely, the
world is the body of God. A sacred structure such as a temple is designed to be not just the home
of God, but the actualbody of God. The building is sacred because it is the Deity directly. The
second principle concerns the relationship between the macrocosm and the microcosm. A tiny
structure like a temple or a home, compared to the large universe, is constructed as a miniature
version, a microcosm, of the greater universe, the macrocosm. And finally, the third principle
teaches that the part always contains within itself the whole. Design a building by aligning the
universe on the inside with the universe on the outside, knowing that the whole is within, and
you control the forces of the universe within that building.
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Hindu architecture always begins by laying the cosmic body of God (purusha) over every
building site (mandala). This is call the Mandala Purusha. The accompanying diagram illustrates
this and shows how this cosmic body is positioned in relation to the site. Notice that the head of
“God” lays in the northeast corner. The basis behind this orientation is the principle of
maximization of light that is described by the metaphor: the sun equals light, which equals
knowledge, which equals consciousness and ultimately spiritual enlightenment. The east is the
source of light and of all the points along this eastern axis the north-east point is the most
important because it is the point of maximization of light. On June 21st of every year the sun
rises in the north-east and this is the day when daylight is longest and darkness is shortest. There
is maximization of light at this point and so the north-east corner is called God’s corner (isha-
kona). The cosmic head, which is a symbol for enlightenment, is placed in the northeast. It is
perhaps a little crude to mention, but notice where the cosmic anus is located. Ancient Hindu
culture includes everything! This is the position reserved for the negative forces of the universe,
personified as demons. The south-west corner, which is the exact opposite of the north-east
corner is not considered an auspicious place and so when arranging a home one should avoid
placing the meditation, kitchen, or financial areas in this place.
In addition to the sun, there are, of course, many other powerful forces that affect the life of man,
and so these forces have also been considered in Hindu architecture and given their respective
places. One of the most common features of Hinduism is its tendency to personify all things and
so these forces are personified as Gods and given their proper “seats” in the various directions of
Hindu architecture according to how they are positioned in the macrocosm, the greater universe.
See the accompanying diagram that illustrates the sitting places of these powerful forces. Agni,
the god of fire, sits in the south-east corner and so this is the ideal direction for a kitchen.
Kuvera, the god of wealth sits in the north, so this is the best place for keeping financial matters.
In this way, knowing the places of these forces, the next illustration shows the basic arrangement
of how any building should be designed to create an alignment with the forces of the universe.
This is the basis of Hindu architecture. Beyond this there are, of course, a large number of
details. Below I provide just a few details found in Vaastu Shastra along with my explanations
(in italics) to help the reader get an idea of how the system of vaastu works. Exactly how a
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building is designed will vary greatly according to the site and the needs of the family in the case
of a house for example. There is a lot of flexibility built into this system of architecture.
*No garbage should be dumped in the north-east corner of the site or the building. The reason for
this is obvious: the northeast corner is God’s corner.
*Lawns and gardens with small plants should be grown in the northern and eastern side. Large
trees should only be planted in the south and western sides, never in the east and north-eastern
sides. The east is the source of spiritual power and so this energy should never be blocked or
obstructed. Blocking the southern direction blocks death. In addition, planting tree in the south
and west provides cooling shade against the hottest positions of the sun.
*Beds should be placed so that when one sleeps the head is directed towards the south, east, or
west, but never towards the north. A person’s body is a tiny magnet with a north and south pole.
One’s head is the north pole. The universe is also a magnet (a very big magnet!) with a north
and south pole. Polaris, the north star, is the north pole of the universe. Place two magnetic
poles together and there is a repulsion. So to sleep with one’s head in the directions of the
universe’s head is the same as placing two north poles together. There is repulsion. Therefore
sleep will be better when the head is placed towards the south or another direction other than
north.
*Main doors should open to the east, north or west, but never to the south.
The east is the source of divine light and therefore this is the preferred placement for the main
door of a house. The south is the direction of the God of death and so a main doorway should not
open to death.
*The site should be higher in the west than in the east. By sloping slightly to the east the site is
open to the east, the source of divine light. In addition, a slope provides for water drainage.
*The staircase should be located in the south, west or south-west corner. The stair or elevator
area is not considered useful living space so these things are relegated to less important areas of
the building.
*A Kitchen should be located in the south-east corner, but may also be in the north-west corner.
In either case the cooking area should allow facing east while cooking. The south-east the the
place given to the fire divinity, Agni. A kitchen involves fire, so the placement is obvious. The
cooking fire is a miniature sun and therefore light, so facing the cooking fire and facing east
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Children are the most important part of the family.Parents, they live for them and they render
many services to their children just to make them versatile and to make theirfuture
bright. Parents, they also do many practices to provide the best to their children, but does
the childrenknow how to return back the favour given by their parents. Generally they doesn’t
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know how to overcome with their studies and how to keep standing an elegant image and name
of their parents in the society. Sleep in well manner is basic necessity for all. This is the only
way to forget about allnegativity and awful experiences and come up with new ideas and to get
bliss in your life.children
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Color affects mood a lot and even every aspect of life. Basically green color is ideal
for children’s bedroom as it increases brain power and also provides the freshness and peace.
These few tips can be beneficial for the physical as well as mental development of your
child & will provide the happiness and allow him/her to excel in all fields…
Implement Vaastu Tips
A plot with all corners 90 degrees having two sides road front and back is a good plot.
2. The open space left in North and east should be more than South and West.
3. The maximum construction should be done in South, West and southwest portion of the plot.
4. A pond or a water body should be placed in Northeast corner of the house.
5. A house should be designed in such a way so that there is maximum entry of sunlight and
proper cross ventilation.
6. The entire opening should be made on the North and East Side of the house
7. Trees of any kind should not be grown in eastern or northern, northeast directions.
8. Only small plant can be grown in North, east, Northeast.
9. The hearth or oven must be arranged in eastern southeast direction of the entire house, in such
a way that the person cooking faces east.
10. The shadow of any tree should not fall on the house.
11. Pictures of any war scenes, demons, one in anger should not be placed in the house.
12. The slope of the property should be from West to east or South to north.
14.Allow a bright light on the main door.
15.It is best to leave only maximum 5 door open.
16.Avoid keeping a T.V. set in bed-room.
17.Avoid keeping any water feature or plants in the bed room.
18.Do not use seperate mattresses and bed-sheet.
19.Arrange the furniture to from a square or a circle or an octagon in.
20.Brighten the corners.
21.Place a picture of bright sunrise on southern wall in living room
22.The wind should come from south-west in the bed room.
23.Dining-room should not expose to the front door of your house.
24.Never put mirror in kitchen.
25.Keep the broom and mops out of the sight in kitchen.
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* Construct your house in such way it admits bright light into the main doorway
* It is really advisable to allow 5 doors of a maximum opening
* Setting television in the bedroom area is not recommended
* Keep the plants and water sport far from your bedroom
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recommended.
* Placing an aquarium containing 1 black fish and 9 gold fish in the location of northeast of the
office premises is really good and advisable.
Vastu dosha remidies...
1) Ganesh pooja, Navagrah shanti & poojaof Vastu purush.
(2) Navachandi Yagya, Shantipath, agnihotra yagya.
(3) Vastu purush idol, Nag (snake) made of silver, copper wire, pearl and powla. All these items
to be put in a red cloth with red earth and keep that in East direction.
(4) Red sand Cashew Nut, Powla in red cloth - keep that in West direction on Tuesday and
worship that with seemed incense will bring peace in house.
(5) Old buildings should be demolished after permission of Vaastu Purush by prayer.
(6) During demolition - The Earthen Pot, Water, or Seat etc should not be taken home.
(7) Daily worship the entrance step - worship with Swastik - Design of Earthenware Pot., Shubh-
Labh etc. with Rice and Kumkum. Do not enter the house putting your entrance step.
(8) Rakhshoghna Sukta jaap, Homa and anusthan should be done.
(9) Recite this mantra 12500 times - starting from Tuesday - minimum 108 times daily till 12500
are over "Om Namo Bhagvati Vaastu Devtay Namah" - Do Dasamsa Home in the end.
(10) Prayers to Vaastu Purush.
(11) If South-West is cut or there is uneasiness in the family, do Pitrushanti,Pindadan, Nagabali,
Narayan Bali etc.
(12) Do Rudri - Every Monday and Every Amavasyaday.
(13) Keep phot or idol of Ganpati in house.
(14) A pooja room in the house is must in every house.
(15) Do not enter house for residence doing Navagrah Shanti.
(16) The house which is vacant since some years should be taken in use after doing Vastu Shanti.
After doing Vaastu Shanti – do not keep that house empty for more than 3 months.
(17) Never keep underground cellar empty.
(18) Do not keep South-West room vacant nor give it on rent.
(19) In kitchen do not keep any Power - (Shakti)except fire & water.
(20) Light a lamp daily evening near waterpot in the house.
(21) Do Grah Shanti every year because we are doing many sinful things in our life.
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(22) If some river or drain is flowing in a direction other than the north-east direction of the
house and has anti - clock movement, then place the statue of dancing Ganeshji facing the west
on the north-east corner of the house.
(23) If the boring has been done in the wrong direction in a house or a factory, then place the
picture of Panchmukhi Hanumanji, facing South-East to the boring.
(24) If a naked wall is seen while entering into a flat, then either a picture or a statue of Ganeshji
should be placed there or a Shree Yantra. The naked wall is the sign of loneliness.
(25) If high voltage overhead wires pass over a house, then a plastic pipe filled with lime should
be erected from one corner to the other of the affected area in such a manner that its both ends
should remain outside by at least three feet each. This will eliminate the evil effects of energy
being generated out of the overhead wire.
Vastu tips for peace and prosperity.
When sitting for worship, keep your face towards North-West and sit in that corner to intake air
from that direction.
-Cash boxes can be located in the room towards the North (treasury). But if the box is heavy
(such as a safe, heavy almirah) then it should be kept in the Southwest corner and the door of the
almirah should open towards the North.
-TVs and computers should ideally be placed in the Southeast corner of the living room or study
room. They should not be placed in the Northeast corner or Southwest corner.
- Telephones can be placed in the Southeast or Northwest corner but not in the Southwest or
Northeast.
-An aquarium with 9 gold fish and one black fish, in the north east corner/portion of the house or
factory is very good.
-If the north-east area is untidy or unshapely, the well being of male issues is found to be
precarious.
-One should sleep with his head pointing towards the South.
-Students should be facing east while studying, for Academic Excellence.
-If the kitchen is off the proper place, some member or the other is always found to be suffering
from severe digestive disorder.
-Keep the Gas in the south east corner of the kitchen
-Person should face the east while cooking.
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Chanda means ‘Beauty’. So Chanda is the beauty aspect oraesthetics of buildings. Chanda in
Vaastu literally means, a view of the contour of a structure against the sky, i.e. its perspective
view. In ancient Indian architecture, the contours of buildings were different for buildings with
different functions. The forms of different classes of buildings varied to satisfy different
functions and they never were identical in appearance. According to Vaastu Shastra, adherence
to Chanda would ensure an aesthetic looking building that is pleasing to the eye. Also, it ensured
the easy identification of buildings (of different functions). For example, a temple can easily be
identified by it’s mountain like form.
AAYADI - DIMENSIONS:
In Vaastu Shastra, a set of six formulae called Aayadi are used to work out the Length, Breadth,
perimeter, area and the height of the building. According to Vaastu Shastra, it is necessary that
one follows the Aayadi formulae strictly in order to experience positive effects within the
building.
Aayadi constitutes six formulae Aaya, Vyaya, Yoni, Raksha, Vara and Tithi. The remainder
obtained by using these formulae, determines whether it is gain or loss. If it is a gain, then the
structure is proportionate and stable and the dimensions are right. However if it is a loss, then it
means the dimensions are not right and should be suitably corrected.
Aaya- is the remainder obtained when Length is multiplied by 8 and divided by 12
Raksha- is the remainder obtained when Length is multiplied by 8 and divided by 27
Vyaaya- is the remainder obtained when Breadth is multiplied by 9 and divided by 10
Yoni- is the remainder obtained when Breadth is multiplied by 3 and divided by 8
Vara- is the remainder obtained when Height is multiplied by 9 and divided by 7
Tithi- is the remainder obtained when Height is multiplied by 9 and divided by 30
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In the olden days the units of measurement were the Angula (3/4 of an inch) and Hasta ( 18
inches) so that 1 Hasta equals 24 Angulas. However the value of Hasta and Angula were
different in different regions. Therefore, by using the Aayadi formulae for fixing the dimensions
of a building, the risk of creating disproportionate spaces is eliminated.
This post was about the Vaastu Shastra principle | Aayadi, which is useful for fixing the
dimensions of a building. According to Vaastu Shastra, the shape/form of a building was related
to it's function.
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In the olden days the units of measurement were the Angula (3/4 of an inch) and Hasta ( 18
inches) so that 1 Hasta equals 24 Angulas. However the value of Hasta and Angula were
different in different regions. Therefore, by using the Aayadi formulae for fixing the dimensions
of a building, the risk of creating disproportionate spaces is eliminated.
This post was about the Vaastu Shastra principle | Aayadi, which is useful for fixing the
dimensions of a building. According to Vaastu Shastra, the shape/form of a building was related
to it's function. To know more about the different shapes/forms of buildings, read the 'Vaastu
Shastra principle | Aesthetics'.
Vastu Shastra follows the Vastu Purusha Mandal. The mandala helps in deciding the
whereabouts of various activities in a building.
So here are a few Vastu tips classified on the basis of different spaces in a dwelling.
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Regularly shaped plots such as rectangular or square are the most auspicious ones according to
Vastu Shastra because these plot shapes help in financial growth, brings prosperity and happiness
in the house.
Shapes such as oval circular or semi-circular are not considered auspicious as this kind of plots
tend to restrict the growth of an individual and also causes various health problems losses and
lack of happiness in the house.
Plot with either pathway on all four sides or plots with roads in north or east direction is
considered the best options as they ensure good health, wealth and happiness for the residents.
As per the Vastu Shastra, all the directions are considered good. The plot can face in any of the
direction either on east west north or south. Each of the direction has its own advantages.
2. Vaastu Tips For Main Entrance Gate
Entrance it the gateway from which all the energies constantly enter or exit the house. Hence the
position of this gate must be decided with utmost care so as to abstain the house from further
problems.
The best direction for the entrance gateway is north and east sides.
Make sure that the entrance is free from any sort of trash or clutter to make the surrounding
positive.
Avoid placing any underwater or septic tank under the entrance gateway.
The entrance should always be well lit as it invites positive energies.
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The best directions for the placement of kitchen are south-east or north-west. The south-east
direction is governed by the fire lord hence it must the first priority.
Water sink must be placed in the northeast direction.
There should be no toilets adjoining or above the kitchen.
The door of the kitchen should never face the toilet.
4. Vaastu Tips For Living Room / Drawing Room
It is that part of the house where the members of the family spend most of their time and are also
used to entertain guests as well as visitors. Hence this component of the house reveals whether
the house bodes well with the family members or not. So to ensure that we need to take an
account of the following considerations
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Colour walls with lighter shades as they promote calmness and affection.
Make sure that the northeast corner of the living room/drawing room is clutter free.
Use of potted plants and paintings related to nature or scenery not only enhances the tranquillity
of the room but also generates positive energy.
Keeping artificial flowers or dried flowers are considered inauspicious and also attracts
misfortune.
5. Vaastu Tips For Bedroom
The bedroom is as important as the other parts of the room. It is that place where we relax and
gather energy for the whole day. So, it is necessary to make sure that the room is in a favourable
concord.
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Mirrors should not be located inside the bedroom as they lead to frequent quarrels amongst the
members of the house.
The bed should be located such that your head is towards the south or east direction as these
directions bring good sleep and ensure long life.
6. Vaastu Tips For Puja Room
The pooja room must be situated in the northeast direction of the house.
Ideally there should be no idols in the pooja room. But if one wants to keep then the height of the
idol should be from 9 to 2 inches.
The worship rooms should have doors or windows on either north or east side.
The colour of the walls should be lighter in shade for eg: white, cream, yellow, light blue.
For the worshiping of fire lord the kund must be made in the southwest direction.
A pooja room should not be made in a bedroom or a wall or adjacent to a bathroom wall.
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Colours like red orange and yellow are considered as bright colours which depicts boldness
anger and warmth. Whereas blue, white, green, pastel and neutral colours are considered as light
colours which depict coolness, calmness, peace and compromise.
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