Vaastu shastra is an ancient science which helps one to get the natural benefits freely offered by the five basic elements of the universe in which we all live. These basic elements are Akash (SKY), Prithvi (EARTH), Paani (WATER), Agni (FIRE), and Vayu (WIND). Vastu Shastra can be applied by keeping in harmony with these basic five elements of nature. It is an edifice science that was developed by our learned people thousands of years ago. Its application today is purely architectural and its principles are based on becoming one with nature. Like astrology and palmistry it is a vast & complicated science, easily misunderstood by most people. Vaastu Shastram -
Frequently Asked Question and Answers -
Q. We have bought a house recently, but we could not really keep vaastu shastra in mind as the house is in Bbay. We have to name our house but we would like to keep a suitable name which we could not think of .
A. The name of your house is a very personal matter and should be kept keeping in view the aspirations of the family, your personal life style and beliefs. Make a short list of names that fulfill the above criteria and then select one consciously. May the new house bring you harmony and abundance.
Q. Entrance to my home is from east, kitchen is on south, bedroom on south west, living room on south east, dining room on north west. Please advise on the application of vaastu to my kitchen.
A. The basic things you have to keep in mind should be as follows:
Keep the Gas in the south east corner of the kitchen
Person should face the east while cooking.
Drinking water should be in the north east of the kitchen.
Sink should be in the south portion of the kitchen.
Q. Could you suggest me vaastu tips for the interior planning of my house?
A. For safe and sound interior planning of your house make sure that there is plenty of light, air with proper ventilation and minimum furniture.
Bed Room: The master bedrooms should be in the South West corner of the house. If the house has more than one floor then, then it should be on the top most floor.The ceiling should be in level, this makes the
energy of the room uniform, which in turn gives one a steady state of mind.
Children’s room should be in the north west or west side. To have a better concentration they should have a separate study close to their bedrooms.
Kitchen: The ideal place is south east corner of the building or a kitchen in the west of the building can also be tolerated.
Study Room: The best locations for this room are the north, west, north west, east, north east. These directions attract the positive effects of Mercury increasing brain power, Jupiter increasing wisdom, Sun increasing ambition and Venus helps in bringing about creativity in new thoughts and ideas.
Dining room: The dining room and kitchen should be on the same floor and it should be adjacent to the kitchen from the left. The entrance to the dining room and the main door should not be facing each other. The dining table should be square of rectangular in shape and should not be attached or folding against the wall.
Bathrooms: Bathrooms and toilets should be adjacent to the north- east corner. They should never be constructed in the center or in the south -west corner of the house. Drawing Room: It should always be constructed towards the north. The rooms located in the northern part of the house should be bigger in size as that compared to the rooms in the southern part of the house. They should be shorter to them in height by one to three inches. This is an important rule of Vaastu Shastra. Furniture should be square or rectangular in shape.
Store Room: If essential then the store room should be constructed in the southern part of the building, other wise grain and other provisions can be stored in the kitchen or in other rooms and cupboards. Things should not be stored in diwans and box beds because it effects the magnetic environment of the self and the room causing sleeping disorders. Waste Storage: Daily wastes from the kitchen should be kept covered in the south- west corner of the kitchen.
Height of Rooms: The rooms in the northern part of the house should be larger than the rooms in the southern side by 6-9 inches, and lower by 1-3 inches. Height of rooms should ideally be, 12- 14 feet. Doors/Windows As far as doors are concerned, the main door should be larger than the inner doors and all doors should open towards the walls. All windows should be at least 3 feet 6 above ground level, and should be at the same level from the top.Window openings should be on the northern and eastern sides of the buildings.
Q. What is Vaastu Shastra?
A. VAASTU SHASTRA is the traditional Indian system of architecture and design of vedic origin. Vaastu means the dwelling of humans and Gods. Many Vaastu rules are derived from 'Vaastu Purusha Mandala' which is depicted as a man lying with his head pointing north east, in a grid of usually 64 squares. The different directions and sectors are assigned to different Gods and Guardians. It aims at providing guidelines for proper construction. Vaastu orientates, places and dictates the proportions of every detail in building lines, skylines, elongations, levels, slopes, water (underground and overhead), kitchen, bedrooms, toilets, staircase, heights of ceilings and roofs, entrances, loci of doors and windows, compound walls and so on. Vaastu is effected with positive power of three elements: the earth, the water, the fire (the sun).
Earth: was formed about 460 crore years ago and it was a fiery ball. In due course of time, the rocks melted and the surface has formed and acquired magnetism due to the magnetic particles embedded within. It has two poles, north pole and south pole.
Sky: is the endless space surrounding the universe. The universal concept of sky is beyond the imagination and reach of human beings as it is never ending and eternal.
Air (Atmosphere): is a composition of gases like
oxygen, nitrogen, carbon-dioxide, helium, neon, crypton and vapour. Oxygen is life saving gas indispensable to living organism.
Water: due to rainfall from clouds, water flowed into low lying area of earth's surface and oceans were formed. The eternal water cycle is mystery of nature.
Sun: sun plays a vital role in Vaastu Shastra. It is a source of life on earth and this is the reason why Sun is worshipped as an incarnation of god or the potential source of creation on the earth.
Q. Does Vaastu Shastra promise prosperity?
A. No, not really. Vaastu Shastra cannot be directly linked with prosperity. It only suggests ways in which we can live in tune with the laws of nature, so that we can be healthy and peaceful and work efficiently. The ancient texts of Vaastu Shastra have probably claimed to bring prosperity, as an indirect consequence or being able to perform well at home and work.
Q. What is the role of religion in Vaastu Shastra?
A. Vaastu Shastra is a science - it has nothing to do with religion. It is true that over the years Vaastu Shastra has imbibed religious overtones, but that does not seem to have been the original idea. The religious implications were probably inculcated by the proponents of the science, when they realised that the society of that time, being a God fearing one, would not accept norms that strayed away from the notions of God.
Q. Which deity is worshiped in Vaastu Shastra?
A. Religious icons have no place in science. The ancient text of Vaastu Shastra did mention various Gods from Hindu mythology fixing their locations on the site and prescribing the offerings to be made to them, but that also seems to have been a ploy created by ancient scientists to convince the people to accept the Vaastu norms.
Q. What is the significance of the Vaastu Purusha?
A. The 'Vaastu Purusha' is said to be the spirit of the site. It's in the form of a human male and lies on the site with his head towards the east, his posture fitting exactly in a square. It was easier to get the anthropometrically and aesthetically correct dimensions of rooms, doors windows and even the structural members like plinth and pillars. Even the interior planning was governed by the posture of the 'Vaastu Purusha' and the norms which specified where and how the structure must be built, so that it does not injure him.
Q. Vaastu Shastra is so superstitious, how can it be called a science?
A. Vaastu Shastra is a science. In the age when it was formulated, the society was largely illiterate, the illiteracy generating a fear of the unknown. Science was beyond the realm of their understanding while religion was omnipresent. It was therefore simpler for the ancient Vaastu experts to spread the concepts of the Vaastu Shastra through the intricate network of religion and superstition. Unfortunately as time passed, only the superstitious filtered down the generations, while the actual theory eluded the world.
Q. Is Vaastu shastra relevant in the modern world?
A. All the ancient doctrines of Vaastu Shastra may not be applicable in the present scenario. Some of the tenets particularly show a strong social bias, which was relevant to the social structure which existed at that time. Such tenets have certainly lost their significance. However the fundamentals of the theory can be adapted to the modern world. Unfortunately, again, most of the modern Vaastu exponents are also exploiting the layman ignorance and gullibility.
Q. How does Vaastu Shastra work in apartment blocks?
A. It is a fact that the original Vaastu tenets prescribed the type of site and then specified the layout materials and construction techniques. In an urban milieu, one can hardly indulge in choosing dwelling sites. Thus the macrolevel implications can be successfully adapted to contemporary needs.
Q. How can Vaastu Shastra ba applied to the commercial and industrial premises?
A. The original texts of Vaastu Shastra were confined to the architecture of temples, places and homes of the commoners. However, those very norms can be easily applied to other structures such as offices and industries. So if, facing a particular direction brings in negative solar energy, the large
machinery may be kept there to block it.
Q. What if it is not possible to implement all the changes recommended by a Vaastu consultant?
A. It must first be noted that Vaastu Shastra is not a religion. However God fearing you may be, you should not feel threatened by Vaastu Shastra, because it is a science. Science does not condemn God, or disprove its identity but it does not accept it. Vaastu Shastra is the
science of structure, formulated to help us live in tune with nature. It does not give solutions to your domestic or financial problems. A Vaastu consultant assesses your home or work place, and suggests changes that will improve it's Vaastu compliance. If the assessment has been done in a systematic manner, it is obvious that implementing the more negative elemants should yield substantially positive effects. Very often, merely changing the orientation of the interior fixture helps in achieving a Vaastu-positive environment.
Q. What is the ideal plot/house?
A. The ideal plot is the one whose length and breadth are same and ideally facing each side of plot to exact north direction, south direction, east direction and west direction, and the house constructed in this plot shall also be ideal. If utility rooms are constructed as per the norms of Vaastu Shastra the foundation should be 9 feet but due to the construction of sky rise multi-story buildings coming up, the depth of foundation shall depend on the load bearing capacity of soil, the number of storey that are going to be constructed and the materials used.
Q. Why directions are important in Vaastu Shastra?
A.The Sun, as our ancestors revealed, is the only source of light and heat for human and other living beings. It directs and sustains life on earth. Therefore, the Sun, the rising Sun is like God, and its direction of rising is considered pious and is taken as a point of reference. If we face the rising sun, the facing direction is called East, behind us shall be West, our left hand denotes North direction and right hand denotes South direction. Therefore, the effect of the direction effects the building/house constructed therein.
Q. What is the best direction of the house?
A. An auspicious direction for the house/building to face is the east or north direction. This is subject to other factors laid down as per Vaastu Shastra.
Q. What should be the proportion of length and breadth of house?
A. Ideally, the proportion of length and breadth should be 1:1.
Q. Does the size of rooms effects the fortune of the persons residing?
A. Yes, the length, breadth or both effect the fortune of inmates.
Q. What are the main factors to be considered regarding the door of the house?
A. As per Vaastu Shastra, the number of doors and windows of a house should be even in number.
Q. Can facing of the main door be decided?
A. Yes, the zodiac sign of the owner of the house, on whose name the deed of house is made can be taken as reference and according to zodiac sign of the owner, the main door can be fixed. But since the houses are used generation after generation and in every generation the owner of house is changed the main door if fitted as per the location of plot and road abutting.
Q. How and why do inhabitants residing in FSI based constructed buildings face problems?
A. Residential Flats are being constructed like pigeon boxes. No open space is left in front of the main entrance door. If one door of a flat opens fully(outside which again is against vaastu rules)another adjacent flat-owner will not be able to open his Main Entrance door fully. Then we observe that door is spliced into two parts 1/3 & 2/3 is recommended. The real problems starts here. Nowhere in the ancient literature, is the splitting of the main entrance door in portion 1/3 & 2/3. Kitchen is health and kitchens in such flats are not designed as per the tenets and rules of Vaastu Shastra. Many a time, we observe that toilets in such flats are located in north-east. A family, having a toilet in the north-east region of their place of residence, will not be able to prosper in life.
Q. According to the Vaastu Shastra scriptures,what do all the various directions represent?
A. According to the Vaastu Shastra scriptures, the variuos directions denote the following aspects:
East (Purab) Pitrustaan(Manes): It should not be blocked , since it is the source of male issues.
South-East (Aagneya) (Fire) source of health, place of fire, cooking and food.
South(Dakshina)- Source of wealth, crops and happiness.
South-West(Naryuthya)-(Earth) source of character, behaviour, cause of longevity and death.
West(Paschima) Source of name, fame and prosperity
North-West (Vaayavya) (Air)Source of change, income from business, enemity and friendship.
North(Uttara) Maathrusthan-This should not be blocked as it is the source of female issues.
North-East(Eshanya)(Water) Source of health, wealth, prosperity and of male issues.
Q. Does the magnetic field of the earth have to do anything with Vaastu Shastra?.
A. Yes. Most Certainly. The magnetic field of the earth plays and important role while formulating Vaastu Shastra which can significantly influence human life. According to Vaastu Shastra, one should never keep his/her head towards the north while lying as it obstructs the circulatory system causing irregular sleep, tension, paranoia and other mental problems.The magnetic fields of the same poles repel each other while the opposite attracts each other, therefore a person should keep his/her head towards the south or east.
Q. What role does soil play in the selection of a plot?
A. According to Vaastu Shastra, a plot with soil that has a large salt content is considered to be inauspicious. The ground water table should be minimum 10-12’ below the existing ground level and maximum 30’. It should not have any sanitary back-filled or reclaimed soil of rubbish, bones, hair and other filthy material. The soil should be fertile and free from any discrepit or dead material.
Q. Does Vaastu Shastra apply to boundry walls as well?
A. Vaastu Shastra holds the conviction that the boundary walls are an effective way of containing the energy level and the magnetic field of the plot. The wall should be thick and high in the western and the southern directions. In the north and the east a smaller, thinner wall is desired.
Q. What are the things that are to be kept in mind while selecting a plot?
A. The major factors to be kept in mind while selecting a plot are:
Geographical surroundings,
Level of the land,
and Roads around the plot.
Q. Are there any conventions prescribed by Vaastu Shastra that pertain to doors?
A. Anything that is an essential part of a home, is inscribed in the Vaastu Shastra. Doors, in every sense, convey a lot of pertinent attributes about a house. Here are a few that Vaastu defines:
The Main-Gate should have two panels.
The main door should not open inside the house.
The doors in the house should not be noisy. The total number of doors, windows and ventilators in the house should be even in number for eg. 2, 4, 6 etc. but should not end with a 0 i.e. 10, 20 etc. If the front door frame is painted black, then the owner might have to face hardship.
If the door has cracks or is too old, then the owner will have a tough time gaining respect in society.
Q.
The staircase in my house is damaged. What does Vaastu Shastra say to that?
A. If the steps leading to the entrance are damaged or broken, then the master of the house will face problems with his career and his expenses will soar. The staircase should ascend clockwise. The total no. of steps should be such that on division by 3, a remainder of 2 should be obtained for eg. 7, 11, 17 etc.
Q. Does Vaastu contain anything that relates to the colour of paint on the interior walls?
A. It certainly does, the interior is one of the biggest parts of the house. Here is what Vaastu Shastra says about interiors:
Bright colours should not be used in the house.
Cold and light colours should be used for painting the house.
Paintings or photographs depicting war, sad faces, birds like owl, crow, pegion, erotic pictures etc. should not be used for decoration in the house.
