Vastu

Vastu Shashtra Myths and facts.

Panchmahabhuta Vaastu rests on the assumption that the Earth is a living organism out of which other living creatures and organic forms emerge, and so every particle on Earth possesses ‘live energy’. The life on Earth is possible because of the five basic and essential elements known as the ‘Panchabhutaas’.They are Aakaasha (Space), Vaayu (Air), Agni (Fire), Jala (Water) and Bhoomi (Earth). All creatures on the Earth including buildings are physically made up of these elements.

NORTH EAST (ISHAAN) NORTH-EAST , the direction of the supreme being is suitable for open space,Water source and Puja Room/meditation room: The Logic – Just before dawn, between 3am and 6am, the Sun is in the North-Eastern part of the house and as these hours are ideal for yoga, meditation or prayer, this is the right direction for the Puja/meditation room. Since the North-East corner gets constant sunlight (through the year) from the North and morning sunlight from the East, it is preferable to have lots of open space to allow unobstructed sunlight into the house. In addition, because of the available open space and the Sun’s germicidal UV rays, the Water source (in ancient times an open well) can be located here.

EAST – (POORVA) EAST ruled by the Sun god, Surya is the ideal direction for Main doors and windows, Bathrooms:The Logic-The rising Sun is in the East between 6am and 7.30am and as this is the right time for bathing etc, this is the ideal position for Bathrooms. Since the rising Sun represents the essence of all beginnings, having the main door here is a sign of veneration to the Sun. Lots of openings in the East will ensure that the UV rays of the morning sunlight can engulf the interior of the house and destroy the bacteria that would have multiplied during the night.

SOUTH EAST (Agneya) SOUTH-EAST (Aagneya) the direction of Agni, the god of fire is best for the Kitchen: The Logic- The Sun is in the South-East from 7.30am to 9am and as this is the best time for preparing and cooking food, the Kitchen can be located here. The germicidal UV rays of the Sun will keep the kitchen counter free from germs that spoil the food.

SOUTH (Dakshin) SOUTH (Dakshina), the direction of Yama is suitable for Office, Children’s bedrooms, Store rooms: The Logic – The Sun is in the South between 9am and noon and is the right time to do work. Therefore this is the best direction for an office and Children’s bedrooms. By noon, the intensity of the heat is high and so the South is also ideal for store rooms which need to be moisture proof.

SOUTH WEST(Nairutya) 

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-SOUTH WEST (Nairutya) the direction of Pitru, the ancestors is suitable for Master bedroom, safe, wardrobes, library : The Logic –The Sun is in the South-West section of the house between noon and 3pm and this period is called Vishranti (resting period). Hence, this is the best position for the Master bedroom. Since the owner sleeps here it also makes sense to have his safe here. However, the South-West tends to get heated up by the sunlight reflected from the West and so it is advisable to have a library or wardrobes on the West wall of the room to reduce the heat.

WEST (Paschim) WEST (Paschima) governed by the water God, Varuna is the best direction for Childrens’ bedrooms, study room, Bathrooms, Toilets,Trees: The Logic – The Sun is in the West between 3pm and 6pm and since this is the ideal time for children to study, the Childrens Bedrooms and study room can be located here. The West gets heated up more than the other directions beacuse of the hot afternoon Sun and the re-reflection of it’s infra red rays from the ground. Therefore, less used rooms like Toilets, Bathrooms and Store rooms can be placed here as they will serve as a buffer and prevent the rest of the house from getting heated up. Also, they will remain dry and hygienic due to the heat.

NORTH WEST( Vayavya) NORTH-WEST the direction of the wind God, Vaayu is right for the Dining room,Childrens bedrooms, Toilets, garages: The Logic –The Sun (though not visible) is in the North-West after 6pm and this is the time to eat, relax and go to bed. So this is the best position for a dining room and bedroom. The North-West too gets heated up by the evening Sun. So, the less used rooms like Toilets, Store rooms, garage can be placed here as they will serve as buffers and prevent the rest of the house from getting heated up.

NORTH (Uttar) NORTH (Uttara) ruled by the god of wealth, Kubera is the ideal direction for Living room, open spaces: The North is the direction of the Pole star, the fixed point in the sky that denotes stability and security. Hence, this is the direction to transact all business. The Logic –In India, (being in the northern hemisphere near the equator), there is constant light form the North, through the year. Hence it makes sense to have open spaces in the North, so that the light is not obstructed and can permeate into the House. Similarly, the Main entrance door can be here as it can be easily accessed from the open spaces. The Living room too, can be on this side as it is close to the main door and is convenient for business transactions, since the outsiders will be entertained

HOW DOES VASTU SHASTRA ENSURE THAT THE INMATES OF A BUILDING BENEFIT FROM THE USEFUL EFFECTS OF THE SUN? The main aim of Vastu Shastra in designing a house, is to ensure that the inmates of a house are inadvertently exposed to the useful rays of sunlight while performing their activities, even if they are inside the house the whole day. But during a day, people perform different activities in different rooms at different times and the Sun’s position keeps changing from sunrise to sunset. So to ensure that the inmates get exposed to sunlight constantly, each room is positioned so that it faces the Sun at the time of the day when it is most likely to be used by them. This has been prescribed in an ideal plan called the “Vastu Purusha Mandala”.

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WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO EXPOSE TO THE SUN?

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It is best to expose to the Sun when it is not too hot to cause sunburn and other harmful effects. The intensity of the sunlight and heat is related to the height of the sun in the sky and the pathway of the beam of sunlight through the atmosphere. At mid-day the sun is almost directly overhead and therefore, the pathway of sunlight is half the length compared to the pathway in the morning or evening. Hence the intensity is maximum at noon and least in the morning or evening.

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However it feels hotter in the evenings as compared to the mornings, because the ground reflects and rereflects the heat waves back into the air. Whereas, in the morning, since the sunlight just starts to heat up the cold Earth after a dark night, it feels a lot more pleasant. Also, since the morning air is thick with carbon dioxide (exhaled by living things through the night), it filters out most of the UV radiation allowing only a small amount which is not harmful to us.

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Hence it is most comfortable and beneficial to expose ourselves to the morning sunlight – when it is not too hot – for at least 15 to 20 minutes a day.

Today the scientific knowledge is much more than the knowledge of yesterday, but far too less compared with that of tomorrow. So naturally, what used to be considered a miracle, yesterday, can be rationally explained today. And what is still unexplained, or thought of as a miracle today, will be explained

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Here, I have tried to rationalise some of the superstitions and beliefs that have been followed in India for ages.

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One should not sweep after dark– The Logic-In earlier times, when there were only poor lighting systems, one reason must have been the fear of losing valuables, (like a small gold earring). The other reason must have been that the splinters of the broom, when swept were prone to catch fire from the lamps causing the risk of a fire.

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One should not pluck leaves, flowers of trees after dark – The Logic – One reason could be that there is the danger of getting stung by insects, snakes, thorns etc in the poor lighting. The other reason could be that one should not disturb nature, when she is resting, because like humans nature also needs rest.

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One should not give nor hand over nor exchange tamarind, salt, fire, light, lamps etc from hand to hand. The Logic- It may be to signify that nobody should be in a situation to beg or ask for basic essentials which should be available free for all to take without asking anyone.

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One should not use someone else’s shoes, ornaments, clothes, or water glass. The Logic – It is unhygienic to use other peoples shoes, clothes and drinking glass. It is a risk to use other’s ornaments because if they get lost, it can cause problems.

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If one stamps on another person’s cut nails, they will start hating each other. The Logic – One reason could be that one’s nails may be poisonous to another person, if it pierces the skin. The other reason may be a reminder that however useless the nails of a person may be, by stamping on them, it is like stamping on the ego of the person.

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One should not sleep with the feet towards the South, as it is considered a sign of disrespect to the elders. The Logic- The North-South magnetic axis affects our bodies at a micro level without us realisng it. Since our body is like a magnet, with the North Pole at the Head, one should avoid sleeping with the feet facing South as the head in the North will repel the magnetic North of the Earth, causing some irritations in the mind.

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One shall not place fire embers under a bed, nor at the foot of the bed when sleeping. The Logic- The cot may catch fire while you are sleeping and you may accidentally step on the hot embers when you wake up sleepily in the night to go to the toilet.

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One shall not pass urine facing the wind, the fire or the Sun. The Logic- This is to prevent the urine from getting carried away with the wind to someone else.

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One should not step over a rope to which a calf is tied. The Logic – When you try to step over the rope, the calf may be frightened and suddenly jump away causing you to trip.

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One should not run when it rains. The Logic- It is obvious that the ground will be slippery when it rains, and though you may want to run for shelter, it may be wiser to walk carefully.

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One should never look at the Sun when it is eclipsed or at noon. The Logic– It is obvious that the strong U-V rays of the sun can affect your eyes.