46 - Vastu-puja 

Vastu means the site for building and also the house, Hence Västu půja means the worship of the site chosen for building a temple or a house. It is treated as a must for the safe and sound construction. 

Hari said: 

1. I shall now briefly describe the Vastu Puja (worship of the site) which destroys obstacles in the building of houses. Beginning from the north-east corner the worship shall extend to eighty-one feet. 

2-3. The Vastu Purusha's² head is worshipped in the north east; the feet in the south-west and the hands in the south-east and north-west. In building temporary sheds, houses, cities, villages, bazaars, palaces, parks, forts, temples and monasteries the twentytwo deities shall be worshipped outside the plot and thirteen within.

2. Vastu-purusha is the presiding deity of the site. According to a legend in the Matsya-purăņa, Lord Shiva assumed a ferocious form to kill the demon, Andhaka. Drops of perspiration fell from Shiva's forehead and therefrom a fierce ghost came out. He was given a boon by Shiva. There after he fell down covering the entire earth. Then he came to be worshipped. In Vedic literature, we come across Våstoshpati, the Protector of Howes, (GPEA, p. 395; CDHM, p. 342).  

4-7. The deities are: -Isha, Parjanya,³ Jayanta⁴, Kulishayudha (Indra), Sürya, Satya⁵, Bhrugu⁶, Akasha (sky), Väyu, Pushan, Vitatha⁷, Graha⁸, Kshetra⁹, the two Yamas, Gandharva, Bhrugurája, Mruga,¹ Pitrugana, Dauvärika,² Sugriva³, Pushpadanta,⁴ Ganadhipa. Asura,⁵ the two Seshapadas, Roga,⁶ Ahimukhya⁷, Bhallata, Soma, Sarpa⁸, Aditi, Diti—these thirty two are to be worshipped outside. Listen to the four to be worshipped within. 

3. A Rugvedic deity. He is the deity of the rains or the rains personified. 

4. Son of Indra.

5. Truth (personified). 

6. A famous tage progenitor of the Bhargavas. The planet Venus is also called Bhrugu. 

7. Falsehood (personified). 

8. The planet. It also means a class of demons supposed to seize upon children and produce convulsions. (SSED p. 195.) 

9. Field or ground. 

1. The constellation Mrugashiras.

 2. A door-keeper. 

3. The monkey-chief mentioned in the Råmāyaṇa. He helped Rama in his war against Ravaņa. (CDHM, P. 306). 

4. One of the attendants of Shiva: Puşhpadanta is also the name of one of the guardian elephants. 

5. Asura generally means a demon. However, it is also the name of Rahu. 

6. Disease (personified).

7. Reference may be to Väsuki.

8. Generally means a serpent.

8. In the four corners beginning with the north-east, the four devas stationed therein shall be worshipped by the scholarly devotee. They are Apa, Savitra⁹, Jaya and Rudra. 

9. The sun.

9. In the middle, Brahma and his eight attendants all round shall be worshipped from the east. Their names are as follows: - 

10. Aryaman¹⁰, Savitri, Vivasvän¹¹, Vibudhadhipa¹², Mitra, Rajayashkma¹³, Pruthvidhara.

10. One of the Adityas.

11. The sun.

12. Indra.

13. The disease called consumption. 

11. And the eighth Apavatsa. These are to be placed all round Brahma. The group of deities beginning with north-east is called Durga. 

12. And that beginning with south-east is called Durdhara. These Västudevas-Aditi, Himavanta¹⁴, Jayanta,

14. Himalaya. 

13. Nayikā, Kalika, Shakra¹⁵, and Gandharvaga shall first be worshipped and then only the work of building houses and palaces should be commenced. 

15. Indra. 

14. The image of Bruhaspati¹⁶ shall be installed in front. The kitchen shall be made in the south-east with a ventilator just enough to let a monkey pass through. In the east, the sacrificial altar shall be erected.  

16. Bruhaspati is a Rugvedic deity. He is also called Brahmanaspati. He is invoked as the deity of the prayers. He is a well called Purohita. In later mythology he is referred to more as the preceptor of the deities than As a deity. It is also the name of the planet Jupiter. (CDHM, PP. 63-4).  

15. The room for storing scents and flowers shall be made in the north-east paved with slabs. The store-room shall be made in the north and the cowshed in the north-west. 

16. The water-shed (Bath room?) having windows is to be made in the west. The room for storing sacrificial twigs, Kusha-grass, fuel, weapons, etc. shall be constructed in the south-west. 

17. The guest-room shall be in the south. It shall be furnished with beds, seats, sandals, water pots, fire, lamps, etc. It shall be beautifully laid out and servants shall be employed to look to their comfort. 

18. Other houses shall be made fully bedecked with flowers of five colours, plantain trees, water sheds, etc. 

19. An outer wall shall be erected five hastas (cubits) high. Thus Vişhnu-Ashrama shall be made with gardens and parks. 

20. In the case of palaces, etc., the Vastu of sixty-four feet is to be worshipped. In the middle, Brahmă occupies four feet and Aryaman, etc., are to have two feet each. 

21. In the hypoteunse Shikhi¹ etc, are the Deities. Along with them the other deities shall have two feet each.

1. Fire. 

22. Thus it has been explained how the deities come to occupy sixty-four feet. Charaki, Vidari, Pütana² and Paparākshasi, 

2. A demones who was killed by Krishna when he was still a child. 

23. Shall be worshipped in the north-east and other corners. Hetuka and others are to be adored outside Hetuka, Tripuranta, Agni Vetālaka, Yama, 

24. Agnijihva, Kalaka, Karāla, and Ekapadaka. In the north-east Bhimarupa (Terrific in appearances) is to be worshipped; in Patala Pretanayaka. 

25. And in the sky Gandhamálin. Then Kşhetrapālas are to be worshipped. The length divided by the width-that number is considered to be the Rashi¹ of the Vastu.

1. The numbers or figures put down for any arithmetical operation such as adding, multiplying, etc. (SSED, p. 469).  

26. Divided by eight, the remainder is called Aya. Multiply it by eight and divide by seven. (Rukshabhāga). 

27-28. Consider what remains as Ruksha. Multiply this by four. Then divide by nine. What remains is Vyaya according to Devala². If it is multiplied by eight it shall be Pinda.³ Divide it by sixty. 

2. There are several men of this name. One was an astronomer. (CDHM p. 85). 

3. Sum, total amount in arithmetic. (SSED p. 336.)

29. What remains is Jiva. The quotient is Marana (death). No one shall build houses behind the vastu. They are to be built inside the Vastu. 

30. He shall sleep on his left side. No hesitation in this matter. For persons born in the zodiacal sign of Simha,⁴ Kanya,⁵ and Tulã⁶ the main door is good if made in the north.

4. Leo.

5. Virgo.

6. Libra.  

31. For the persons born of Vruśhchika,⁷ etc. the door is advised in the east, south and west in order. The door shall have two units of length and one unit of width. There must be eight doors at least in a house. 

7. Scorpio. 

32. If the bed is slanting to the south, death due to a serpent, issuelessness and impotency may result. 

33. If it is slanting to the south-east, imprisonment is the result, if towards north-west, birth of a son and satisfaction; if it is to the north, harassment by the king, if towards west, sickness. 

34-35. If the door is in the north then there is fear from king, death of infants, issuelessness, enmity, wealth, loss of wealth, faults, death of son. I shall now say about the eastern doors. Fear from fire, plenty of daughters, wealth and honour, 

36. Death of king, sickness, these are the results if the door is in the east. In the north-east, etc., let it be in the east; in the south-east, etc., let it be in the south. 

37. In the south-west, etc. let it be in the west; in the north-west, etc. let it be in the north. When divided by eight, these are the results of doors. 

38. If Ashvattha,¹ Plaksha,² Nyagrodha³ and Udumbara⁴ are planted in the east and Shalmali⁵ (Silk cotton tree) in the north-east and they are worshipped, it shall be beneficent to the house and palace. 

1. Ficus religiosa. (GVDB, p. 29.)

2. Ficus Lacor. (GVDB, P. 264.)

3. Ficus bengalensis. (GVDB, p. 356.)

4. Ficus rachemosa. (GVDB, p. 51.)

5. Salmalia malabaricha. Bombax cheiba. (GVDB, p. 397.)