Vastushastra - An Introduction

Energy Dynamics

Vastushastra essentially deals with two energy sources - the solar energy flux and the geomagnetic energy flux. The science of vastu aims at controlling the flow of these energies in a vastu by selecting proper directions and alignments for the vastu. Location of doors, windows, color scheme, flooring patterns, planting of trees - all these parameters play an important role in enhancing energy field for human being to live in harmony with nature.The south, southwest and the west are the directions subjected to excessive cosmic particle activity.

Conventionally, the north is source and the south is the sink for electromagnetic flux lines. Sub atomic particles travelling along the geomagnetic flux lines end up at the southern tip. Excessive cosmic radiation particles, particularly, positively charged particles, enter the earth from the west rather than the east.

Specially, in Indian context, excessive solar radiation come from south, southwest, and southeast directions. It is always suggested that the compound walls in the south direction should be greater in height and thikness. Also, the plinth of all the rooms in the south should be more. It is suggested to construct basements, underground water tanks and extra floor on the south side, with terraces towards the north and east directions.

Cosmic Energy, Helix And Golden Ratio

To contain these vortices of cosmic and thermal imbalances, vastushastra offers a remedy in the form of the helix concept. Helix , the natural growth shape is known as the mystery and the magic of the almighty. It finds refrence in all the ancient scriptures as the centre of energy balance is located at the origin of a a logarithmic helix fitted in a rectangle with sides having proportianate golden ratio of 1:1.618.

The effects of most of the vastudosha diminish automatically if this helix centre lies in side the vastu. The idea of constructng the vastu in the south west zone implies arranging of the centre of energy balance in the actual building area.This center is the nabhi or the focal point of the plot and is the source of all cosmic energies. The centre is confined to the vastu by constructing the vastu in the south west zone. Rather the vastu experts should try to position this power in the north east zone of the vastu.

Before planning any vastu, the plot should be demarked in the ratio 1:1.618 (length:breadth) known as the golden ratio. A helix flowing from north east to south west should be marked to fix the nabhi (energy centre) of the vastu. The nabhi is treated as the brahamsthal (focal point) of the vastu and around this focal point, equidistant borderlines should be drawn. With nabhi as vastu centre, other rooms can be planned easily.

The two activities, breathing of vastu and manifestation of energy, are centred around nabhi. If the nabhi and brahamsthal of the vastu coincides, there is an enhancement of the vital characteristics and virtues of the vastu. The flaws in the vastu can be traced to and technically analysed on the basis of the difference between the nabhi and the brahamsthal of the vastu.

If the north east, north and east sides of the plot are provided with slopping terrain and then the massiveness is increased systematically from south east to south west, with a gradual rise towards the south west and slope towards the north east, then the nabhi of such a plot acts as the centre of all energies emerging from the interior of the earth and other cosmic energies. This results in the creation of an envelope of life sustainig energy vibrations around the entire vastu.

Raising of the plinth in the south direction, having a underground water tank or open water body in the north, east or northeast direction and all such tenets of vastu planning as explained before, help to achieve the golden ratio and implement the helix concept in a house. A few predominant effects are -

1. Interrupting the south pingala current flow.
2. Achieving energy-mass balance through, proportionate compensation for geomagnetic and energy disturbances.
3. Augmenting the north idla current flow, bestowing the vastu with drive bliss.
4. Regulating the excessive southern zone temperatures through water vapour emission processes of trees like nilgiri and neem.
5. Creating healthy atmosphere in the house through the scent and aroma of herbal plants.
6. Enhancing the quality of the vastu through beneficial effects of transverse polarisation of sunlight falling on an open water surface.

The Importance Of Shape

Every shape in nature has definite role to play. Environmental circumstances and conditions dictate shape, and other qualities of living and non living entities. The helix or the spiral has been considered as a shape that is union of right angle and a sphere. The right angle represents the existence, a thought (purush) and the sphere represents the shadow of existence, a sentiment (prakriti). The right angle with the spiral flow of energy forms the sacred and growing shape.

The circle represents a state of flux, the expanding energy from it's centre evolving it's shape, ultimately culminating in the square.

Squares and rectangles represent dynamically balanced figures and shapes. Squares and rectangles match their axes with geo-magnetic axis. Force lines of gravitation and magnetism do not form any zigzag pattern in square and rectangle. The flow of elementary particles through such figures will hardly intersect the network of force lines. This will lead to a healthy, good and salubrious cosmic environment.

The most prefered shape in the vastushastra is square as it does justice to all the eight directions. The square symbolises order, stability, and the final state of evolving life. It is perfection beyond life and death. The essence of the square is retained by any mandala as long as the area is kept unaltered. It embodies prithvai tatwa which in turn symbolises shabda (speech), sparsha (touch), roop (shape), rasa (taste), and gandha (smell), the entities catalysts of wordly pleasures.

Rectangles with the minor axis along the east-west direction and major axis along the north-south will have the least lateral perimeter exposure to the sun, resulting in cooler and shadow sections, whereas in the reverse case where the minor axis is along the north-south direction, a very large perimeter gets exposed to the sun which is objectionable in vastushastra.

Any excessively high temperature characteristics create disturbance in magnetic force lines, imparting them with random zigzag pathways leading to cosmic hazards. Hence in old structures, thick walls are found on the south side which has outstanding characteristics to resist radiation effects.

Planning Vastu In Plots Of Irregular Shape

The position of house in a plot, the size and the shape of the house are of extreme importance for attaining requisite virtues in a vastu through balancing of known and unknown forces made possible by proper location of the vastu in a vastu kshetra. A good balanced posture of a house in a plot bestowing divine bliss on the household can be planned by giving due consideration to the effective influence of each direction.

Extended south direction means reduced stress concentration requiring reduced matter content.

Elevate the south east and south west plinth sides.Construct additional floors on the south east and south west sides simultaneously and add heavy gravitational mass to the shaded direction. Additional length on the south side and narrowing of the north side require the usual treatment of normal gravitational mass on the south side and maximum open spaces on the north side.Creating maximum terraces on the north zone is the basis of planning for this case.

Due to additional northeast and reduced south and southwest, there is excessive stress concentration towards the south due to coagulation of magnetic force lines from extended north region getting focus on a small width of south region.

Creating basements towards the north and noth east, with provision for higher and dense zones towards the south, south west and south east sides. can reduce the vastudosha in this case. Landscaping and plantation should also be considered to minimise the stress on the south.

Extended south implies reduced stress concentration, thereby allowing normal loading on the south side. Load in the south east zone is to be increased by raising south east plinth or adding extra floor in south east. Reduced north can be compensated by construction of basement and placing some water source in the north direction.

Availability of excess southeast zone permits the building alignment to be shifted to the south east corner to match the overall centre of construction with the shifted centre of energy of the entire plot.