0 Introduction to Vastu

Vastu Shastra is the science of architecture but also is all about the science of Cosmology, Astronomy, Metaphysics, Geography and Geology. It was found nearly thousand years ago that the results of sunlight and energy and stabilizing all the nature's five elements in such a way to get the maximum advantage out of it.

It evolved around 4,500 years ago and is considered a super science. Vastu Shastra is also an environmental science talking all about the flow of energy in the premises that allows the in and out flow of air and sunlight that’s directly related to health, financial gains, mental peace and joy and happiness in the premise.

The great Brihat Samhita of Varamihira also talks in the text about Vastu Sastra. It says: “I will now explain for the happiness of the astronomers and astrologers the science of architecture that has come down from Brahma through a steady line of intellectuals.”

Home is our abode of love where we expect to enjoy the fruits of our labor. We expect to enjoy our peace & happiness, progress & prosperity, health & wealth and faith & spiritual development from our home. If its surroundings and construction are poor and the atmosphere eerie, we can neither be happy nor healthy.

Hence, to ensure that the house is built properly, in modern times we take the help of the professionals who can build a good house with a solid foundation, strong walls, a proper structural balance with the right weight and pressure distribution, proper plumbing, electricity, air light etc. This branch of modern knowledge is called architecture, or civil engineering.

The ancient knew not only the above, but quite a few other things beyond. Hence their house building principles included: the North-South flow of magnetic forces: the East-West earth motion and Solar energy forces: and with Divine Spiritual Perception, they also knew the various Deities who rule the different sections of the house and based on the Nature of the Deities, what type of room/ function is ideal in that part of the house. This branch of ancient knowledge is called Vastu Sastra, or Vastu Shilpa sastra, or Vastu Nirmana sastra. It was employed to build not just houses but to plan and build entire towns and cities and temples.

The Vastu principles included: on which side(s) of the plot the road(s) should be, the size & shape of the plot, how far minimum away it should be from the public places, what type of plot/house should be there next to the house, the height-length-breath of the boundary & the rooms and their placement/function, the door & window placement etc. It makes the optimized ideal use of the magnetic, solar & spiritual forces and the five basic elements - Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Space.

Vastu Shastra is an ancient building science which lays down simple guidelines for the construction of buildings and for the lifestyle of people.Vaastu aims to realign the house with cosmic principles. Though it is ancient, its guidelines are still applicable today.

WHAT ARE THE ENERGY FIELDS THAT SURROUND US?

Vastu Shastra takes into account the various natural energies which are available free of cost on the Earth and in the atmosphere like:

Solar Energy from Sun.
Lunar Energy from Moon
Earth Energy
Sky Energy
Electric Energy
Magnetic Energy
Thermal Energy
Wind Energy
Light Energy
Cosmic Energy

According to Vastu Shastra, energy lines run like a large grid across the Earth, from North to South and from East to West. The electromagnetic field thus generated, affects the human body at the cellular level and controls the organs of the human body. It is believed that when a structure is placed on Earth, the equilibrium is affected because the physical structure causes a break in the electomagnetic field. Hence this needs to be restored so that the energy flows harmoniously through the building as well as around it. The goal of Vaastu is to restore balance between the building structure and the cosmos because when buildings echo the underlying cosmic principles, they vibrate in harmony with the universe. These vibrations also affect the inamtes of these buildings in a positive way creating pleasure, peace, prosperity and money etc in our life.

The Scientific Explanation:

Every creature on Earth starts its activities at sunrise and goes to sleep after sunset and therefore, the Sun assumes a lot of importance in Vaastu Shastra. The ultra violet rays in the morning Sunlight are extremely useful for the synthesis of Vitamin D in our bodies and as a germicide and the infra red heat rays are essential for the generation and maintenance of the right amount of Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide on Earth. So it is useful to be exposed to Sunlight. However direct exposure is harmful but indirect exposure through the day is worthwhile. So according to Vaastu the layout of a house and the corresponding functions of each room have been prescribed according to the position of the Sun from sunrise through the day to sunset.

The period between 3 A.M. and 6 A.M. early in the morning, just before sunrise is called the Brahma Muhurta and the Sun is in the North-East. Hence this is the right location for a Meditation room/Puja room.
From 6 A.M. to 9 A.M. the Sun is in the East. This is the right time for bathing and so the East is logically the best position for the Bathroom.
The period between 9 A.M. and 12 noon, the sun is in the South-East and this is a good time to prepare and eat food. Hence a Kitchen is best located in the South-east.
Between noon and 3 P.M. the Sun is in the South and since this is the right time for resting, it makes sense to have the Bedrooms in the South.
From 3 P.M. to 6 P.M., the Sun is in the South-West and this is the right time for studying and so the South-West is a good position for a Study.
The evening between 6 P.M. to 9 P.M. is a good time for having dinner. The Sun is in the West at this time, though it may not be visible. Hence the West is a good place for a Dining Room.
The period between 9 P.M at night to 3 A.M. in the morning, the Sun is in the North and this is the right time for rest and sleep.

This explains why the ‘prana’ or life-giving energy, is symbolically believed to enter from the North-East, early in the morning and move around to the East, South-East, North-West, West and finally exit through the South-West at night when everyone falls asleep.