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Principle

Ancient Branches of Vastu

Vastu was traditionally divided into eight branches, among them griha (home), yantra, nagar (town), bhoomi (land), prasad (temple), vimaan (aircraft) and udyan (garden and tree) Vastu. None of them advises demolition.

What it does

Shows the full scope of Vastu and the non-demolition tools it offers.

Explanation and notes

Yantra Vastu teaches making yantras on copper, silver, ashtadhatu, brass and bhojpatra to balance the five elements, where to place them, when to make them and how. Vimaan Vastu covered the building of aircraft such as the Pushpak vimaan. Udyan or vraksh Vastu covers which plants go indoors and outdoors, in gardens, towns and factories, so that workers get energy and students knowledge, which tree roots to bathe with to remove disease and sorrow, and the five leaves (panch pallav), five juices (panch ras) and five astringents (panch kashay) used in the 16 sanskars of land to energise it. There are eight branches for the eight directions in which building takes place; the upward (urdhva) and downward (adho) directions are kept silent, since nothing is built into them.

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Principleवास्तु पुरुष

Origin of the Vastu Purush from the Battle with Andhakasur

During the battle with Andhakasur a drop of sweat fell to the earth and produced a being whose rampage made the earth shake. Brahma had him lie face down and promised that he would be worshipped with offerings and that not an inch of land would be built on without remembering him.

Principle

Keep Columns, Pits and Studs Off the Vastu Purush's Marma Points

Every house, however small, carries the Vastu Purush's eyes, nose, ears, hands, feet, heart, navel and other parts, including the marma and ati-marma (vital) points. A column, pit or stud on these points harms the occupants, just as a speck of dust in the eye or an injury to a vital organ harms the body.

Principle

Jain Origin of Vastu: Shilpa Taught by Adi Prabhu to Vishwakarma

In the Jain account, during the bhog bhoomi of the third era kalpavriksha trees granted every wish, until rising sin made them stop giving. Adi Prabhu then taught the six means of livelihood, asi, masi, krishi, vidya, vanijya and shilpa, and gave the complete knowledge of Vastu to his fourth son Vishwakarma.

Principle

Classical Vastu Texts and What Each Teaches

Vastu knowledge passed by memory until it was written down in texts such as Samarangana Sutradhara, Mayamatam, the Skanda, Agni, Vayu and Garuda Puranas, Vishwakarma Prakash, Aparajita Prichha, Praman Manjari, Vastu Rajvallabh, Prasad Mandan, Vastu Mandan and Shilpa Ratna, each with its own focus.

Principle

Which Vastu Texts to Read First, and Why Read the Originals

Start with Vishwakarma Prakash, the simplest, available in Hindi with the Sanskrit shlokas and their meaning (translated by Krishna Kumar Jugnu of Udaipur). Then read Mayamatam, both parts of Samarangana Sutradhara, Manasara and Raj Vallabh.

Principle

A Big River to the South of a Temple Makes It a Mahatirth

Raj Vallabh states that a temple with a large river flowing to its South becomes not merely a tirth but a mahatirth, because for a temple the water element stands for peace. Rules made for homes must not be applied mechanically to temples.