Vastu Shastra
The Science of Dwellings and Architecture.
One of the Great Vedic Sciences of Ancient India.
The Vastu Way to Better Prosperity
by B. Niranjan Babu
Author of: Handbook of Vastu
The ancients were past masters not only in philosophy but also in literature, medicine, mathematics, Jyotisha etc. In fact, the reach of the ancients was across our borders. In the Mahabharata, Sage Vyasa, describes the Romans coming to the Emperor Yudhishtira with precious gifts for the Rajasuya Yaga at Indraprastha.
Experiment, observation and inference were the main criteria of arriving at the truth. However, the additional tool that the wise men of ancient India had was the intuitional perception with which many disciplines of knowledge developed.
The ancients saw the influence of the cosmic energy on the living beings. They held that various energies that run around us in a particular pattern could be harnessed such that they resonated with the individual being or the people residing in the building positively to make their lives meaningful and harmonious.
They had exceptional analysing powers apart from great intuition and this is how they gave us a set of guidelines for planning a building, village or town. They took into consideration the various creative, destructive and sustaining energies present in the cosmos.
Ancient Civilisations
The Mohenjadaro and Harappan civilisations which date back to 3000 B.C. are examples of the exquisite and elaborate planning that went into their construction. Several cities have been discovered and it is said that the planning was based on a rectangular grid or Mandala oriented to the cardinal directions viz., east, south, west and north. The main construction material was the brick. The houses had courtyards with well-designed drainage systems. Timber was used for floors and roofs and the cities had walls on all the four sides.
Another notable centre of ancient architecture and civilisation is Pataliputra lying between the Ganges and the modern Patna in Bihar. It is said that this town was protected by timber fence of pointed stakes. It was fortified with 64 gates and had 570 towers surrounded by a deep moat. The palace was an extensive collection of buildings standing in a beautiful park that had trees and nice water pools.
I have often come across many people who live in rented homes and apartments and have absolutely no choice in changing doorways or relocating kitchens or filling up wells or sumps that are located in the wrong zones. These people have often wondered whether the science of vastu is earmarked only to house-owners and the rest are at their mercy for getting the benefits of Vastu. This article is intended to assure these 'hapless' people that by balancing the five elements of nature within the house the flow of cosmic energies can be regulated for the happiness of the people. The basic concept that we need to understand is:
1) Heaviness (related to the Earth element) should be on the south, west and southwest. 2) Lightness (related to the water element) should be on the east, north and northeast. These principles are applicable to every room in the house or apartment. The northwest and southeast of each room relate to the wind and fire elements respectively and the center of each room to the space element. The balancing of the primary elements of nature is done by proper placements of furniture, water bodies, electrical and electronic gadgets, relocating doors with the help of aids like wooden screens, mirrors, etc. We will now look at how we can strengthen various portions of a home.
Heavy furniture can be in South, West or South-west Light furniture can be in North-east
Main Door
This is said to be the most important aspect of a home involving the proper flow of the cosmic energies within the house. Demerit: Let us suppose you have an east of southeast or a south of southwest entrance which is said to be not good.
Remedy: Place a wooden screen about 6 feet high about 3 feet away from the main door so that your take a right turn and enter the house through the east of northeast or south of southeast respectively.
Kitchen
The placement of kitchen is very important as it involves use of agni. Demerit Kitchen in northeast or southwest. Remedy: Shift the cooking to the agneya (fire) corner of your kitchen.
A small bench to the height of the normal cooking platform will do the job. Face the east while cooking. Place a mirror on the eastern wall to the corner as shown in the picture. Place the cooking gas cylinders always in the southeast corner of your kitchen or room.
Develop the habit of closing and opening the doors ever so gently so that your mind is calm and your health remains good. Our ancients have specifically spoken about doors that make noises.
So, dear reader do not lose heart. Open up ears and eyes. Examine your home, listen to the sounds (harsh and soft), look at your doors and windows, study the placement of furniture and plants, observe the beams and columns, see whether your sleeping and sitting positions are alright, carefully do the changes indicated above.
Let the science of Vastu redifine your life and give you health, happiness and prosperity.
B. NIRANJAN BABU Chief Executive and Publisher, THE ASTROLOGICAL MAGAZINE Trustee, RAMAN & RAJESWARI RESEARCH FOUNDATION Partner RAMAN PUBLICATIONS Counsellor, VASTU-THE ANCIENT SCIENCE OF ARCHITECTURE "Sri Rajeswari" 28, Nehru Circle, Seshadripuram, Bangalore 560020, INDIA Tel: +91-80-3348646 (O);+91-80-3366864 (R); USA 001- 847 438-2675. Fax: +91-80-3313260; +91-80-3366864
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