Some Basic Principles
So do you want
your house to be Vastu-perfect. These basic Vastu principles will help you
design your house the Vastu way:
The plot Shape of
the plot plays a significant part in Vaastu. A quadrangular, rectangular or
square plot is considered beneficial and good from all aspects. Triangular plot
is inauspicious.
Also, a big plot
fetches prosperity, but it should not be having cleavage or cracks anywhere. A
narrow plot in between two big plots is also not good
If the length of
the plot in east-west direction is more than that in north-south direction, it
is a good feature.
Space
If your house has more open vacant space in south than in north, it will lead to
destruction and downfall, be it a house or an industry, or a temple or a hut.
More open space in the east than in the west is auspicious; the principle holds
true for more open space in the north than in the south too. Open space should
be kept all around the building. The plot having road on the east-north
directions is better.
Heavy stuff
Keep your heavy and permanent items in the south-west corner of the building or
plot. For a happy family life place more heavy items in the rooms south-west and
south-sides. On the other hand, the lighter (weightless) items should be in the
north, north-east and north-west directions. TV, radio or any other
entertainment device should be placed near the south-west corner.
Sleep-well
While sleeping head should be in the east or south. Never sleep with feet
towards south or east.
Water tanks
Water tanks should be on the roof in the south-west direction. Never place these
in north or north-east corner. Underground water tank should be built in
north-east direction only. Flow of water and its outlet in the directions other
than east, north-west, north-east and north causes troubles.
Rooms
Pooja room is always best in the north-east corner or near it. Kitchen is always
auspicious and best in the south-east corner. Guest room or drawing room should
be in the north or west direction. Room for the watchman or guard should be near
the gate in the boundary wall on the left side. Toilet should ideally be in
north-west corner. In case you've a space-crunch, it may be constructed in any
direction, but the seat in the toilet should be such that when using the toilet
you face towards south or north only.
Doors
There should be only one main door of the house, which should be adorned with
auspicious symbols. If more than one door are required, take care not to have
two doors opposite each other. All the doors and windows should be of the same
height, upper edges being in the same straight line. Avoid a door above a door.
This principle does not apply on multi-storey buildings. The door on upper floor
should be shorter than that on the lower floor. A temple can have doors on all
the four sides. The wall, on the side in which main door is to kept, should be
divided in nine equal parts (length-wise)-leave five parts on the right and
three on the left, door should be constructed in the remaining one part or in
the 7th part. Door of the staircase should face either east or south.
Vaastu and Family
Life
A well or any other pit in the south-east, south-west or north-west direction,
will lead to quarrels in the family.
Interiors
Pictures and scenes of war and battles, idols/statues of demons, pictures of pig
(boar), leopard, tiger, jackal, serpent, eagle, owl, pigeon, hawk, crow, and
crane are inauspicious.
Purchase Or Construction
What ever
construction be done on the land, be it a residential house, or industrial
organization, or a public institution, temple etc., in each case it is
auspicious and beneficial to keep the following points in mind while purchasing
a plot of land or constructing a building.
1. First of all
the direction and shape of the plot has to be considered well. A construction on
quadrangular, rectangular or square plot is beneficial and good from all
aspects.
2. Big plot
fetches prosperity, but it should not be having cleavage or cracks any where.
3. Triangular
shaped plot should not be selected for constructing a building. It is
inauspicious.
4. A small narrow
plot in between two big plots is also not good, because owner of the building on
such plot always remains in troubles.
5. If the length
of the plot in east-west direction is more than that in north-south direction,
it is better.
6. If there is
more open vacant space in south than in north, it will lead to destruction and
downfall whether it is in the house or a industry, or in a temple or a hut.
7. It is
auspicious if there is more open space in the east than in the west; and more
open space in the north than in the south.
8. All the heavy
and permanent items should be placed in the south-west corner of the building or
plot.
9. While sleeping
head should be kept in the east or south. Never sleep with feet towards south or
east.
10. Water tanks on
the roof in the south-west direction are auspicious. These should never be
placed in north or north-east (eeshanya) corner.
11. Pooja room is
always best in the north-east corner or near it.
12. Kitchen is
always auspicious and best in the south-east (Agney) corner, or adjacent to it.
13. Open space
should be kept all around the building.
14. Building
should be constructed such that it is higher in the south-west and lower in the
north-east. Walls should also be made in this manner.
15. Underground
water tank (for storage of water) well, hand-pump, boring etc. should be built
in north-east direction only. Height of these water bodies should never be above
the plinth level of the main building.
16. As far as
possible there should be only one main door of the house, which should be
adorned with auspicious symbols.
17. All the doors
and windows should be of the same height upper edges being in the same straight
line.
18. There should
not be a door above a door. This principle does not apply on multistorey
buildings. Height of the door on upper floor should be kept less than that on
the lower floor.
19. Family life
will be more and more happy if more heavy items are placed in the rooms on the
south-west and south-sides.
20. The more
lighter (weightless) items are there in the north, north-east and north-west
directions, the more happier will be the life of the family in the house.
21. It is better
if there are no tall trees in the east. Trees in the west are good.
22. In the same
line, the plot having road on the east-north directions is better to be
selected.
23. 'Garbh' means
the space or width in between two walls.
24. The essence of
Vaastu Shastra is actually to make the house in total conformity with the
utilisation of five basic materials, viz, earth, water, air, fire, space for
specific functions in the directions of places determined for the same. For
example, south-east corner is best for fire (kitchen etc.) North-West direction
for air and the North-East direction for attaining the bliss for divine favour.
25. Specially,
while constructing a house due care is to be taken regarding position of doors,
windows, Chulha (fire, burner), well, bath room, bed room, toilet (latrine) and
these should be constructed strictly in the places allotted as per Vaastu
principles.
26. If there is a
well or any other pit in the south-east, south-west or north-west direction,
there will always be quarrels in the family and there will be no peace.
27. West portion
of the land should be raised and there should be slope towards the east, which
is auspicious.
28. Four sided
(square) shaped plot of land is considered to be the best as per Vaastu Shastra.
All the architects (Vaastu Shastris) have this opinion.
29. Almirahs, Sofa
Set, Table and other heavy items which can be placed permanently at a place, are
auspicious if placed in the South-West corner or near it in the west.
30. A temple can
have doors on all the four sides.
31.Divide the
length of the wall, on the side in which main door is to kept, in nine equal
parts; then leaving 5 parts on the right and 3 parts on the left, door should be
constructed in the remaining one part or in the 7th part.
32. If living in a
newly built house is stared without worshipping Vaastu, several troubles and
difficulties arise in the family. Therefore Vaastu Poojan is must.
33. For interior
decoration of the house, pictures and scenes of war and battles, idols/statues
of demons, pictures of pig (boar), leopard, tiger, jackal, serpent, eagle, owl,
pigeon, hawk, crow, crane etc. are not auspicious. These should not be put on
the walls in the house for decoration.
34. Flow of water
and its outlet in the directions other than east, north-west, north-east and
north is inauspicious and causes troubles.
35. Toilet
(Latrine) is auspicious if constructed in north-west corner. If necessary or in
case of lack of space it may be constructed in any direction, but the seat in
the toilet should be such that when using the toilet one should face towards
south or north only.
36. Only new wood
should be used throughout in the construction of a house, there remains no
default relating to Vaastu. At the most two or three types of wood may be used.
37. If only one
kind of wood is used throughout in the construction of a house, there remains no
default relating to Vaastu. At the most two or three types of wood may be use.
38. It is not
auspicious to construct any thing towards the south or west of the Vaastu zone.
Construction should be done towards north and east of this zone.
39. If extension
is to be made, it should be extended in all the sides. Extension only in one
side is not auspicious.
40. Door of the
stair-case should face either east or south. It will be auspicious if the stairs
are constructed in the west or south on the right side.
41. If the earth
(soil) on the land site is excavated and removed, and fresh pure earth from
elsewhere is filled in it, there remains no defect of Shalya in the land.
42. Shadow of
trees falling on the building in the duration 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is inauspicious and causes troubles.
43.T.V., Radio or
any other such device for entertainment should be placed near the south west
corner.
44. If more than
one door are required, doors should be constructed in the positions as suggested
in the Vaastu-Shastra, but no two doors be opposite each other.
45. Guest room or
drawing room should be in the north or west direction.
46. Room for the
watchman or guard should be built near the gate in the boundary wall on the left
side. His quarter should be on the left side of the gate.
Determination of Directions
It is very
essential to determine the directions correctly. In absence of the correct
demarcation of directions, positions of various rooms, and doors etc. will be
faulty which will change the whole situation of the house. It may turn into
situation against the principles of Vaastu Shastra rendering the house
inauspicious. Necessity of correct marketing of directions is also expressed in
our scriptures: Prasade Sadane alinde dware kunde visheshtah; Dik moodhe
kulnashah syatasmatsa shodhay eddishah. i.e.; It is necessary to determine
the directions correctly while constructing a temple, palace, house, gates,
porch, pond etc. in proper direction. Therefore as per instructions of Vaastu
Shastra, a building construction should be started only after marking of the
directions, east-west etc. In ancient scriptures, methods for determining the
directions with the help of the shadow formed when a cone is placed in sun on
the open plot, or by observing the pole-star or other constellations in the
night. Now a days, directions can easily be marked by the architects with the
help of the compass. Direction and position of a room or gate etc. can be
correctly decided only when the construction work is started after marking the
directions properly.
It can be noted
that several magnificent buildings built without proper consideration of
direction are being rectified under the expert guidance of learned architects
and scholars or Vaastu Shastra. Therefore it is better to start the work after
determining the directions so that the building is constructed according
verandahs (balconies) and also the rooms are constructed in proper place and in
proper direction, there remains no defect in the building, and inmates are
blessed with all the happiness and good fortune. Just as it is necessary to
think over the merits and demerits of the plot of land as mentioned in Vaastu
Shastra, one has to be much more cautions in the construction of the building. A
building constructed according to the basic principles given in Vaastu Shastra
keeps the inmates happy and prosperous. In modern sense, to make the five basic
materials, i.e.; earth, water, fire, air and space, favorable to the house is
the very essence of Vaastu Shastra. Therefore while constructing a house, rules
or principles given in Vaastu Shastra regarding direction, shape, level should
be taken into consideration. For example, south-east corner is the seat of the
god of fire, Agnidev. So kitchen and any room for works related to fire/heat
should be made in this corner, then only the house will be trouble free.
Constructions
against the laws of nature at one's own will may cause pollution, which gives
rise to many other problems of health, fear etc. that will result in loss of
wealth, property and life also. Directions have very much significance in the
construction of a building. The four directions have their own importance, where
as the corners formed by the concurrence of two direction are much more
important because effects of both the directions can be felt at the corners.
The gods governing
these directions are noted below:-
Directions :
Name of the God : Effect
East: Indra :
Progress & growth
South-East :
Agni : Energy, vigour, strength
South: Yama :
Death
South-West :
Nairut (Demon) : Purity & Cleanliness
West : Varun :
Water
North-West :
Vayu : Air/Winds
North : Kuber :
Wealth&Prosperity
North-West :
Eeshwar Religion : Divinity Vertically worldly pleasures.
These gods govern
the directions and control the various areas as given above. For successful
implementation of any plan, the concerned god is worshipped. Room or space in a
particular direction should be used for a purpose suitable to the nature of the
god and the material he controls in that area. That is how to avoid defects of
Vaastu. The god controlling the area in the house is worshipped and offers made
to please him, requesting for his blessings and peaceful happy life.
