What is a pad in pad vinyas?
A pad is one of the equal sections into which a plot is divided. For 81 pad vastu a house, for example 90 by 90 ft, is divided into 9 by 9 equal sections and each section is one pad; the larger grids, such as the 1000 pad grid, divide the plot into many more equal sections. Some areas such as the Brahmasthan cover several padas together even if the drawing does not show their inner divisions.
Related questions
Are the 32 outer devtas drawn in the Manushya bhoomi or in the Pishach bhoomi?
In the Pishach bhoomi, the outermost band. The 32 outer devta lines are drawn only within the Pishach bhoomi, while the 12 inner devtas sit in the combined Manushya and Dev band and Brahma in the centre.
How are the 64 pad grid and the padas of each devta worked out?
Every pad grid divides the plot into equal sections, for example 81 equal sections for the 81 pad grid; the number of padas each devta occupies is then assigned within that grid. Drawing the devtas by hand will be taught practically in the 81 pad class.
I learned elsewhere that in 81 pad vastu the East falls between E4 and E5. Is that right?
No. In 81 pad vastu exact East falls on E5 (Surya); East between E4 and E5 belongs to the 64 pad grid, so correct it. The reference is in Vishwakarma Prakash, with the page number given in the previous class; the Hindi translation from Sanskrit by Krishna Kumar Jugnu of Udaipur and the edition of Maharshi Abhay Katyayan give the same.
If bhoomi vibhajan is not done in a flat, is devta marking still done, given that the 32 devtas lie in the Pishach bhoomi?
Yes. Devta marking is done in a flat exactly as usual, also to judge the main door location. What does not apply is the rule of leaving the Pishach bhoomi empty: inside a flat the corners and side spaces can be used.
If only part of a plot is to be built, where are the devtas marked?
If construction covers only part of the plot with space left all around, the 45 devtas are allocated on the whole plot and their places are selected on it.
If the built-up area is on one side, such as South and West, with the other sides open, how are the pishach bhoomi and devtas found?
Use the angular method taught in class. Whatever the tilt and whatever the shape, octagonal, pentagonal or regular, find the centre, divide the plan into pishach, manushya-dev and brahma bhoomi and mark the pads by degrees as demonstrated, then practise it from the recording.