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"
VAASTU SHASTRA "
is a voluminous and scattered ancient indian literature
dealing with knowledge of architecture, iconography
and art relating to structures and buildings. It comprise
of independent works which are classified under the
general heading of vaastu shastra.
The word " VAASTU " has been derived
from ' VAASTOSHPATI ' used in ' Rig Veda '
and is meant to provide protection, hapiness and prosperity
in this life as well as after death. Rig Veda says :
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VAASTSHPART
PRATI JATI HACHASMAN TVAVESHO ATBHIVO BHAVATAH
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YAT TVAMEH PRATI NATRO JUSHSVSHAN NO BHAV DVIPAD
SHA CHATUSHPADE ||
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It
is prayer to Vaastu purusha and means :
Oh
God of structures and building, we are your devotees.
Listen our prayer, make us free of disease, give wealth
and prosperity, help the well being of all persons and
animals living in the house.
Everything in this world is made of five fundamental
elements - Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Sky. Principles
of Vaastu Shastra are mainly dependent on the arrangement
of five essential elements of the world i.e. Earth,
Water, Fire, Air & sky in their proper order and
proportions to have better living conditions in a building.
The science of Vaastu is considered an integral part
of the Indian architecture. According to modern historians
Ferguson, Havell and Cunningham, this science developed
during the period of 6000 BC and 3000 BC. Being a technical
subject, it was confined only to the architects (Sthapathis)
and handed over verbally or in the form of hand-written
monographs. The principles of construction, architecture
and sculpture, as enunciated in the treatises on temple
architecture, have been incorporated in the science
of Vaastu.
In the Matsya Purana, seventeen
preceptors of Vaastu have been mentioned. They are Bhrugu,
Atri, Vasista, Viswakarma, Maya, Narada, Nagnajit, Visalaksha,
Purandara, Brahma, Kumaraswamy, Nandisa, Sounaka, Bhargava,
Vasudeva, Anirudha, Sukra and Bruhaspathi.
The first official treatise on
Vaastu, the Kasyapa Silpa, has been attributed to Sage
Kasyapa.
In the treatise Agama Shastra,
which explains the science of temples, Vaastu is considered
as the basis for any type of construction. Excavations
at Harappa and Mohenjodaro also indicate the influence
of Vaastu on the Indus Valley Civilization.
In vaastu, east and north direction are given great
importance. The suns rays, being a rich source of vitamin
D are vital for the sustenance of life on earth; and
the rays early in the morning from the east emitting
more light and less heat are the best. Doors and windows
in the east would allow the suns ultra violet rays to
penetrate into the house, bestowing their benefits to
the inmates of the house. In the afternoon on the other
hand the sun would be coursing to the west emitting
infra red rays which are detrimental to the health and
hence less number of windows and thick walls in the
rooms in west and Southwest.
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