Vastu is an inherent energy concept of science.: November 2011

Sunday, November 6, 2011

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF VASTU SHASTRA?

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF VASTU SHASTRA?
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Vastu Shastra was formulated by our ancestors nearly 4000 years ago, as a vedic science of layout and planning of buildings, and it has evolved over the centuries as a result of man’s efforts to improve his standard of living. Vastu Shastra is a Vedanga, a branch of Sthapatya Veda, which in turn is a part ofYajur Veda. The body of Vastu knowledge is monumental with lakhs of shlokas, which were handed down to succeeding generations by word of mouth and through hand written monographs such as:
Manasara Silpa Shastra (by Manasara),
Mayamatam (by the Mayasuras),
iswakarma Vaastushastra (by Viswakarma),
Samarangana Sutradara (by Raja Bhoja),
Aparajita Priccha (a dialogue between Viswakarma and his son Aparajita, written by Bhuvanadevacharya) Silparatna.
Other treatises such as Agni Purana and works by Kautilya and Sukracharya are not popular even though they preceded the above

mentioned documents.

There is a distinction of style based on the place of origin of the Text. Mayamatam and Mansara Silpa Shastra are considered DravidianViswaskarama Vaastu Shastra is considered Aryan due to its North Indian origin. because they are from South India whereas

AMONG THESE TEXTS, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE?

Mayamatam and Vastu Prakash have been found to be the best because of their comprehensiveness and coherence.Mayamatam was edited by the hierarchy of Architects known as the Mayasuras while Vastu Prakash was edited by the renowned and most respected Architect of ancient India, Acharya Vishwakarma.

Though, Vastu Prakash is a notable Text, it is an individual’s concept and has it’s limitations whereas the Mayamatam is a hierarchy which originated from the Ramayan era to the Mahabharat era and beyond. Therefore, Mayamatam as a concept has a span of hundreds of years and has evolved over the centuries and is considered the most relevant today.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE MAYAMATAM?
Mayasura the first, an Architect of South India was given the task of designing Sri Lanka, a rich and resourceful kingdom in those days, as his daughter, Mandodari, was married to the king of Sri Lanka, Ravana the Great, (of Ramayan fame). From this first Mayasura, architecture became the family profession of the Mayasuras and prevailed upto the Mahabharata period and many years after.

Various derivations, proven by experiments in construction technology were put down in Sanskrit Shloka form, by the first Mayasura and this style was religiously followed by the next generations till about the 13th Century. Somewhere between the 11th and the 12th Century, someone out of the hierarchy of Mayasuras, edited the vast bank of Shlokas that had been collected over the centuries into a very concise book titled the‘Mayamatam’ or ‘The Opinion of the Mayasuras’. This very valuable book took birth after the efforts and experiments of generations of good Architects and is considered the best reference book on Vastu Shastra today.

Mayamatam is not just a theoretical thesis on Architecture, but a definitive and coherent text on practical aspects of construction. It comprises 36 chapters and handles subjects like Village planning, Town Planning, Temple Complex Designing, Designing of houses for various categories, and subjects like Orientation, inspection of site, selection of materials, style of construction, ventilation, carpentry joinery, furniture, every aspect that an Architect must consider while designing any structure, qualities an Architect must possess, rituals to be performed, house warming ceremony, etc are discussed elaborately chapter wise.

If you observe, my Site ‘ARCHITECTURE IDEAS’ also covers topics similar to the ones mentioned in the Mayamatam because as an Architect, I am aware that these are the topics of interest for any layman. I shall attempt to review the chapters of Mayamatam under the heading of Vastu Shastra, and it will surprise you to see that lots of concepts of the Mayamatam are relevant even today.

INTRODUCTION TO VASTU

WHAT DOES VASTU SHASTRA MEAN?

Vastu Shastra literally translated means the ‘Science of Buildings’ since ‘Shastra’ means a ‘Science’ and ‘Vastu’ means ‘all places of dwelling’ and ‘Vaastu’ means the actual physical manifestation of the dwelling. Both terms ‘Vastu’ and ‘Vaastu’ are from the root ‘Vas’ which means ‘to dwell, live, stay, abide’ (cognate with the English past tense was). So Vastu Shastra basically means Architecture (Art & Science of buildings). There are four categories of Vaastu-
BHOOMI – The earth/site, the principal dwelling place on which everything else rests.
PRASADA – Structures on the earth.
YAANA – Movable objects like Vehicles
SAYANA – Furniture

As these categories suggest, the principles of Vaastu Shastra extend from the macro level to the micro level - site selection, site planning and orientation, zoning and disposition of rooms, proportional relationships between the various parts of buildings, the character of buildings and the minute details like furniture.

WHAT IS VASTU SHASTRA?

Vastu Shastra is an ancient Indian Vedic Building Science which lays down guidelines on the construction of buildings, so that they are in harmony with the natural environment by managing the flow of cosmic energy (prana) through and around them, which in turn promotes the well-being, peace and prosperity of the inhabitants.

According to Vastu Shastra, when buildings and forms are in tune with the underlying cosmic principles, they become a part of the basic structure of the universe and vibrate in harmony with it. These positive vibrations are believed to have a positive effect on t by he inhabitants.

Common sense tells us that a properly designed house is one which is aesthetic, hygienic, comfortable, easy to move around and thereby a pleasure to live in. Naturally the inhabitants will be happy and content in such a house, whereas, a poorly designed house will be unaesthetic and not comfortable to live in and hence create irritation in the minds of the inhabitants.

Vastu Shastra takes advantage of and manipulates the natural resources like sun, wind, air etc. and the topography of the site, the surrounding roads, trees, water sources, structures etc. to channel positive energy and prevent imbalance in the building and thus bring about harmony between man, nature and his built environment.

ARE VASTU SHASTRA AND FENG SHUI SIMILAR?

Though Vastu Shastra is conceptually similar to Chinese ‘Feng Shui’ in that it also tries to harmonize the flow of energy, (also called life-force or ‘Prana’ in Sanskrit and similar to ‘Chi’ in Chinese) through the house, it differs in that, Vastu gives the exact directions in which various objects, rooms, materials etc are to be placed.

Also, Vastu shastra incorporates Architecture, Sculpture, Mathematics, Geometry, Geology, Geography, Religion and Philosophy and lays down principles on all aspects of Construction such as – Site selection, orientation and location of the building on the site, space to be left on all sides of the building, orientation and location of each and every room and element of a building, direction of the front door, location of wet areas,water sources, trees to be planted, colour scheme and even the best date and time for having the ‘Foundation Laying Ceremony and the ‘Griha Pravesham’ or ‘House Warming’ Ceremony.

IS VASTU SHASTRA A SCIENCE OR SUPERSTITION?
Vastu Shastra as the name suggests is a ‘Shastra’ or a rational Science based on observations, facts, laws of nature and go verned by a set of principles. It was formulated by our ancestors nearly 4000 years ago and has evolved over centuries and generations. The very fact that it has survived the test of time and has shown itself to be practicable, indicates that it is a Science and not a Superstition.

The ancient Rishis who formulated Vastu Shastra, in all their wisdom knew that unless they enforced the principles of planning very strictly, people would build according to their whims and create ugly and unaesthetic structures, since people have differing tastes and ideas on aesthetics. (This can be seen today – on any street, you may find just 1 or 2 aesthetically designed houses while the rest can be termed ugly or monstrous. Also the space left around each house is too little for the inhabitants to get proper light or ventilation). Perhaps to prevent such a situation, the principles of Vastu Shastra were made strict rules. It was said that if one followed the Vastu principles strictly, one would be happy, content and prosperous whereas if they were not followed, the inhabitants would be sick, unhappy, quarrel with each other and even die early. As a result, this‘Science’ became a ‘Superstition’.

Even today most people insist that we, Architects, follow the basic Vastu principles when designing their house, as they fear that there could be adverse effects if not followed. This is because there are people to exploit the common man’s fears and superstitions – the self proclaimed Vastu Consultants. They charge exorbitant fees by exploiting the ignorance and beliefs of the people. Not all, but most of them give solutions by blindly following the standard thumb rules of Vastu Shastra, without realising that the socio-economic conditions have changed in cities today from those of earlier times and without considering the fact that each site is unique by virtue of the surrounding structures, trees, water sources, orientation, topography etc., and hence should be planned accordingly.

To really create a positive energy in a building, one has to study Vastu Shastra in depth and understand the logic and reasoning behind each and every principle and only then apply them to the specific site and building.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

I am not a Vastu Specialist but in my experience as an Architect, I have applied the principles of Vastu logically in the buildings that I have designed as well as in my own house and I can say with certainity that they do make a positive difference to the state of mind of the inhabitants. These Vastu principles are based on common sense and when applied correctly, create a well-designed, well-ventilated, bright, hygienic, beautiful building that stands apart and is noticed by others. Naturally the inhabitants are happy to be in this building and are proud of it as it adds value to them. My aim is to explain Vastu Shastra scientifically with whatever knowledge I have, so as to make you realise that it is a ‘Science’ which can bring positive effects to your lives by its correct application.

VASTU EXPLAINED SCIENTIFICALLY

VASTU SHASTRA -Vastu Shastra which literally translated means the ’science of Buildings’ is an ancient Indian ‘Architectural Science’ that deals with inter-related subjects like Geography, Geology, Geometry, Astrology, Philosophy, factors influencing a site such as Topography, Orientation, Surrounding structures, Roads, Sun, Earth’s magnetic field etc. and lays down guidelines for the design and construction of a Building or ‘Vastu’. The Science of Vastu Shastra is briefly explained here:

INTRODUCTION TO VASTU
ORIGIN AND TEXTS ON VASTU SHASTRA

VASTU SHASTRA FACTORS - Vastu Shastra takes into account environmental factors that affect man and his buildings, in laying down guidelines for the design of buildings, so that man can benefit from the positive and useful effects of these factors and is protected from their harmful and negative effects. The environmental factors and their effects on man and his buildings have been explained here, scientifically:

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF VASTU SHASTRA - Vastu Shastra lays down fundamental principles of Architecture that should be followed in designing, so as to ensure a beautiful, aesthetic, proportionate, comfortable sized and well oriented building. These fundamental principles are explained here:

VASTU SHASTRA GUIDELINES ON SELECTION OF SITE – The Selection of Site is an important consideration since the plot represents a ‘fixed form’ which radiates positive as well as negative energy depending on its, location, shape, orientation, slope and soil condition. The Vastu guidelines for selecting the ‘right’ Site are explained here, scientifically:

VASTU GUIDELINES ON DESIGN OF HOUSE | INTERIOR ROOMS – Vastu Shastra lays down guidelines on the ‘design of the Interior of a House’ so that the inmates get maximum benefit of the natural elements like the Sun, wind, Air, etc. These guidelines are based on scientific reasoning and common sense and when applied correctly, create well-lit, bright, well-ventilated, spacious and well-designed spaces (rooms) which then create ‘contentment’, ‘peace’ and ’serenity’ for the inmates.

VASTU GUIDELINES ON DESIGN OF HOUSE | EXTERIOR – Vastu Shastra lays down guidelines on the ‘design of the Exterior of a House’ so that the inmates get maximum benefit of the natural elements like the Sun, wind, Air, etc. These guidelines are based on scientific reasoning and common sense and when applied correctly, create a well-lit, bright, well-ventilated, and well-designed House which the inhabitants are proud of as it adds value to them.

VASTU GUIDELINES FOR CONSTRUCTION STEP BY STEP – Vastu Shastra lays down guidelines on the Construction of a House, right from the rituals to be done before the start of construction, the preparation for the construction to the actual step-by-step construction of the House. Thes Vaastu guidelines have been explained here:

VASTU GUIDELINES BEFORE START OF CONSTRUCTION:-

VASTU GUIDELINES | CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSE :-

VASTU GUIDELINES FOR OTHER BUILDINGS: Vastu Shastra can be applied to other buildings as well. These have been explained here:

VASTU GUIDELINES | APARTMENT SITE

LOGIC BEHIND SUPERSTITIONS

Today the scientific knowledge is much more than the knowledge of yesterday, but far too less compared with that of tomorrow. So naturally, what used to be considered a miracle, yesterday, can be rationally explained today. And what is still unexplained, or thought of as a miracle today, will be explained tomorrow, rationally.

Here, I have tried to rationalise some of the superstitions and beliefs that have been followed in India for ages.

One should not sweep after dark- The Logic-In earlier times, when there were only poor lighting systems, one reason must have been the fear of losing valuables, (like a small gold earring). The other reason must have been that the splinters of the broom, when swept were prone to catch fire from the lamps causing the risk of a fire.

One should not pluck leaves, flowers of trees after dark – The Logic – One reason could be that there is the danger of getting stung by insects, snakes, thorns etc in the poor lighting. The other reason could be that one should not disturb nature, when she is resting, because like humans nature also needs rest.

One should not give nor hand over nor exchange tamarind, salt, fire, light, lamps etc from hand to hand. The Logic- It may be to signify that nobody should be in a situation to beg or ask for basic essentials which should be available free for all to take without asking anyone.

One should not use someone else’s shoes, ornaments, clothes, or water glass.The Logic - It is unhygienic to use other peoples shoes, clothes and drinking glass. It is a risk to use other’s ornaments because if they get lost, it can cause problems.

If one stamps on another person’s cut nails, they will start hating each other. The Logic – One reason could be that one’s nails may be poisonous to another person, if it pierces the skin. The other reason may be a reminder that however useless the nails of a person may be, by stamping on them, it is like stamping on the ego of the person.

One should not sleep with the feet towards the South, as it is considered a sign of disrespect to the elders. The Logic- The North-South magnetic axis affects our bodies at a micro level without us realisng it. Since our body is like a magnet, with the North Pole at the Head, one should avoid sleeping with the feet facing South as the head in the North will repel the magnetic North of the Earth, causing some irritations in the mind.

One shall not place fire embers under a bed, nor at the foot of the bed when sleeping. The Logic- The cot may catch fire while you are sleeping and you may accidentally step on the hot embers when you wake up sleepily in the night to go to the toilet.

One shall not pass urine facing the wind, the fire or the Sun. The Logic- This is to prevent the urine from getting carried away with the wind to someone else.

One should not step over a rope to which a calf is tied. The Logic – When you try to step over the rope, the calf may be frightened and suddenly jump away causing you to trip.

One should not run when it rains. The Logic- It is obvious that the ground will be slippery when it rains, and though you may want to run for shelter, it may be wiser to walk carefully.

One should never look at the Sun when it is eclipsed or at noon. The Logic – It is obvious that the strong U-V rays of the sun can affect your eyes.

Similarly, though Vastu Shastra is considered by many to be an orthodox science and superstition, in reality, it is an architectural science and it’s guidelines and rules can be explained logically and scientifically. You can go through the following pages to understand how Vastu has been explained.

Why to believe in vastu?

There are many instances I can cite where people have refused to believe in Vastu as a science. This is merely because of the negative impression one gets due to the way Vastu is promoted these days. Vastu has become a new tool for some claimed astrologers, who try to sell this service by scaring about ill-effects of not following Vastu.

Vastu is a science of architecture and energy. We know and believe that every individual is a packet of energy. Sometimes this energy gets depleted and one fall ill or feel low. When we are full of energy we feel elated. People talk about positive and negative energy. I believe there is only one thing – Energy. Either there is surplus energy or deficiency which we call as positive or negative.

Similarly, our surroundings also consist of energy. There are places where we feel good like garden full of flowers and places where we avoid going like graveyard. In our own house also, there are some favorite spots, some favorite corner we like to spend our time. Also, there are some areas where we seldom sit. Vastu science balances these energies. A house with a good feeling attached is automatically a Vastu correct house.

Architecture is the base knowledge for Vastu Science. A Vastu consultant should have the skill of designing and modifying spaces. One has to know about buildings well before suggesting any changes.

Unfortunately, Vastu is not taught as a subject in architecture colleges and most of the architects are devoid from this great science. That’s why today anybody is claiming to be a Vastu consultant. Vastu science is very different from astrology. One need to be careful while choosing a Vastu consultant. It is as crucial as choosing the right doctor.

VASTU PURUSHA MANDALA

WHAT IS THE LEGEND OF VASTU PURUSHA?

The ancient Indian text Mayamatam on Vastu Sastra, written thousands of years ago, explains the legend of the Vastu Purusha. According to Hindu mythology, in the beginning Brahma the creator of the Universe, experimented with a new creature. He created a large cosmic man, who grew rapidly as he began to devour everything in his path to satisfy his insatiable hunger. When he became unmanageably big so that his shadow fell on the Earth like a permanent eclipse, the gods Shiva and Vishnu begged Brahma to do something before everything was destroyed by this Creature.

Brahma realised his mistake and called the Astha Dikapalakas – the Gods of the eight cardinal directions. Together, they overpowered the monster and held it flat against the Earth while Brahma jumped on it’s middle. Then the Monster cried out to Brahma, “You created me like this. So why am I being punished?” Brahma offered him a compromise and made the Monster immortal with the boon that he would be worshiped by any mortal that builds a structure on earth. He was named Vastu Purusha.

Vastu Shastra gives the directive principles regarding construction of buildings so as not to displease the Vastu Purusha. These principles are explained with the help of the diagram called the Vastu Purusha Mandala.

WHAT IS THE VASTU PURUSHA MANDALA?

The diagram shown above, known as Vastu Purusha Mandala, is a metaphysical square plan that illustrates how the Vastu Purusha was pinned down by Brahma and 44 Gods – face down, with his head to the North-East and his feet towards the South-West.

The diagram is divided into 9×9 = 81 parts. The positions of the 45 gods who are holding down the Vastu Purusha are shown. (32 in the external enclosures and 13 in the internal enclosures). These symbolic Gods rule various aspects of life and have certain inherent qualities. For example, there should be no weight on the central portion as it is ruled by Brahma, the supreme one. It is to be kept open in the form of a central courtyard. (This was mainly to allow proper flow of air and cross ventilation). The function of the rooms placed in each area of the house was in accordance with the nature of the deity ruling that particular area. This has been shown in the two examples given below:

THE DIAGRAM BELOW SHOWS THE IDEAL POSITIONS OF DIFFERENT ROOMS IN A SMALL HOUSE, BASED ON THE THE VASTU MANDALA GRID OF 3X3.

THE DIAGRAM BELOW SHOWS THE IDEAL POSITIONS OF DIFFERENT ROOMS IN A BIG HOUSE, BASED ON THE THE VASTU MANDALA GRID OF 5X5.

ACCORDING TO VASTU SHASTRA, WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF DESIGNING A HOUSE BASED ON THE VASTU PURUSHA MANDALA?

According to Vastu Shastra, if the house is designed as per the Vastu Purusha Mandala, a perfectly balanced environment which ensures enhanced health, wealth and happiness is created. The Scientific Explanation: This is actually based on scientific principles wherein, the Sun, the five basic elements (panchabhutaas), the Earth’s magnetic field, Earth’s energy fields,and the eight directions are manipulated to create an atmosphere beneficial to man. The Vastu pundits figured out that, when the different rooms were placed according to the Vastu Mandala created by them, good disposition to the Sun, proper ventilation and lighting and privacy would be ensured in the building.

WHAT IS THE LOGIC BEHIND THE POSITIONING OF DIFFERENT ROOMS ACCORDING TO THE VASTU PURUSHA MANDALA?

Because of the importance of sunlight to humans, the main aim of Vastu Shastra is to ensure that the inmates of a house are inadvertently exposed to the useful rays of sunlight, even if they are inside the house the whole day. But during a day, people perform different activities in different rooms at different times and the Sun’s position keeps changing from sunrise to sunset. So to ensure that the inmates get exposed to sunlight constantly, each room should be positioned so that it faces the Sun at the time of the day when it is most likely to be used.

The 24 hours of 1 solar day are divided into eight parts which are associated with theeight cardinal directions. In each of these eight periods, the Sun is positioned in one of the cardinal directions. So the room which is most likely to be used during that period is located in this direction. This is explained here:

Puja Room or meditation room in the North-East: The Reasoning – The period between 3am and 6am, just before sunrise is called Brahma Muhurta. At this time, the Sun is in the North-Eastern part of the house. These hours are ideal for Yoga, meditation, or study as it is very quiet and peaceful. Therefore, the North-East corner is the best position for the Puja Room or meditation room.

Bathroom, doors/windows in the East: The Reasoning – From 6am to 7.30am, the Sun is in the eastern part of the house. This is the time for bathing and preparing for the day, so East is a good location for a bathroom used for bathing purposes only. In addition, there should be lots of openings and no obstructions in the East so that thebeneficial ultraviolet rays of the morning Sun will engulf the house.

Kitchen in the South-East: The Reasoning – The time between 7.30am to 9am, when the Sun is in the South-East part of the house, is the best time for preparing food to be eaten later in the day. Therefore, the kitchen can be located here as the UV rays of the Sun will keep the kitchen counter free from germs that spoil the food.

Bedroom, office, Store room in the South: The Reasoning – The period between 9am and noon is the time for work. The Sun is now in the South, and hence this is the best position for an office and a bedroom. By noon, the intensity of the heat is high and so the South is ideal for store rooms which need to be moisture proof.

Master bedroom, Wardrobes in the South-West: The Reasoning – After lunch it is time for rest, so the time between noon and 3 pm is called Vishranti, the resting period.The Sun is now in the South-West section of the house and so it is the ideal location for a Master bedroom and the wardrobes should be kept on the west wall to reduce the heat.

Children’s bedroom, study room, toilets in the West: The Reasoning – The period between 3pm and 6pm is the time for children to study. The Sun is in the West and this is the best location for a children’s bedroom or study room. Since the West gets very heated up, it is beneficial to have less used rooms like toilets which serve as buffers to the heat.

Second bedroom, dining room in the North-West: The Reasoning - The time between 6pm and 9pm, when the Sun is in the North-West part of the house, is the time for eating, relaxing and sleeping. Therefore this direction is good for another bedroom and dining room.

Safe, Living room in the North: The Reasoning – The time between midnight and 3 am, when the Sun is in the Northern section, is the time of darkness and secrecy. The North is therefor the best place to hide valuables and to keep them protected.

Lords of each Direction

Vastu Purusha Mandala
The concept of Vastu Purusha

The Vastu Purusha Mandala is an indispensable part of vastu shastra and constitutes the mathematical and diagrammatic basis for generating design. It is the metaphysical plan of a building that incorporates the course of the heavenly bodies and supernatural forces. Purusha refers to energy, power, soul or cosmic man. Mandala is the generic name for any plan or chart which symbolically represents the cosmos.

In Hindu cosmology the surface of the earth is represented as a square, the most fundamental of all Hindu forms. The earth is represented as four-cornered in reference to the horizon's relationship with sunrise and sunset, the North and South direction. It is called Chaturbhuji (four cornered) and represented in the form of the Prithvi Mandala. The astrological charts or horoscopes also represent in a square plan the positions of the sun, moon, planets and zodiac constellations with reference to a specific person's place and time of birth.

The legend of the Vastu Purusha is related thus. Once a formless being blocked the heaven from the earth and Brahma with many other gods trapped him to the ground. This incident is depicted graphically in the Vastu Purusha Mandala with portions allocated hierarchically to each deity based on their contributions and positions. Brahma occupied the central portion - the Brahmasthana- and other gods were distributed around in a concentric pattern. There are 45 gods in all including 32 outer deities