What it does
To place the main rooms correctly and avoid the troublesome transition points.
Where
Manushya bhoomi, and the corners where it meets the pishach bhoomi
Cautions
Explanation and notes
The shishu pishach and pishacha bindu points at the corners of the transition zone give many kinds of trouble when pits are dug there, and a shilanyas laid in such a pit fails. How to locate them is taught later.
Any land, plot, flat or large project, whatever its carpet area, is divided into four concentric parts: the outer pishach bhoomi (pishach veethi), then the manushya bhoomi, then the dev bhoomi, and the brahm bhoomi at the centre. Each part has its own nature and decides what may be built or kept there.
The outermost band of a plot, the pishach bhoomi, is the seat of the 32 lokpals and bears the noise of the road. It is where the boundary wall and its gate, servant quarters, guards and pets belong, where flags are hoisted and where shilanyas (foundation stone laying) is done.
Nothing valuable or sacred should sit on the pishach bhoomi: never a tijori, court case or other important papers, a child's study table, a bed set directly against the wall, or a deity and home temple. Leaving even a 2 to 3 inch gap from the wall keeps an item off the pishach band.
On plots of up to about 1000 sq ft (60 to 90 gaj), simply building the wall on the outer band ends the pishach dosh, because the pishach devtas are content with a little space. On plots of up to about 1500 sq ft, leaving the pishach portion open or walling it also satisfies them.
Each of the 32 devtas of the outer band has its own tree. Planting that tree at the devta's place, on the pishach bhoomi or along the boundary wall, makes the lokpal stable; it connects with cosmic energy and feeds energy to the pishach, manushya, dev and brahm bhoomi.
The dev bhoomi, the third band inward, can take everything the household needs, from the main door, windows and kitchen to bedrooms, dining, puja room and stairs. It is the best place for the puja room, the safe, a study room, a meditation room and all important documents, because this land is covered with divine qualities and makes work succeed.
The brahm bhoomi at the centre suits a courtyard (aangan), tulsi worship, an area open to the sky, a living area and a place for yoga or meditation.
Stairs, the main door, a locker, a pit, boring or dug well, a basement confined to the centre, a store room, a garage or a kitchen must not be built in the Brahmasthan. Each causes serious harm, from illness in the family to quarrels and ruin.