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
Prevents wrong advice on temples and large religious projects with water to the South.
Where
Temples with a river to the South
Cautions
Explanation and notes
Examples given are the large temple project at Nemawar, with a vast river to its South, and Siddhavarkoot near Omkareshwar, with the river exactly to its South, regarded as one of the most powerful siddh places.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Vastu results depend equally on four factors: dravya (the money used), kshetra (the land), kaal (the muhurta) and bhav (the feelings of the builders and residents). A perfectly planned house still fails if any one of them is wrong.
Before construction of a house or factory begins, the muhurta for the shilanyas or start of work is fixed from the rashi of the owner. If the Moon falls 4th, 8th or 12th from his rashi, money stays short however good the Vastu and the door.
At the shilanyas or bhoomi poojan of any house or factory the first tilak goes to the mason (shilpi), contractor or Vastu consultant, not the pandit, and they are given the best clothes and a shriphal (coconut). Their goodwill enters the building, while a craftsman's tears of hurt in the mortar act like a buried bone (shalya dosh).