Vastupurusha, Vastu-purusha, Vāstupuruṣa: 10 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Kannada
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Introduction:

Vastupurusha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit term Vāstupuruṣa can be transliterated into English as Vastupurusa or Vastupurusha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts (vastu)

Vāstupuruṣa (वास्तुपुरुष) is the name of a deity to be pacified with homa and bali offerings (before the construction of a temple), as discussed in chapter 1 (Kriyāpāda) of the Padmasaṃhitā: the most widely followed of Saṃhitā covering the entire range of concerns of Pāñcarātra doctrine and practice (i.e., the four-fold formulation of subject matter—jñāna, yoga, kriyā and caryā) consisting of roughly 9000 verses.—Description of the chapter [grāma-svīkāra]:—[...] A man who wants to build an abode of the Lord on earth and who undertakes to support the various rituals connected with the construction of the temple is called a yajamāna-patron, his qualifications are given. His first task is to appoint a qualified ācārya who will supervise the entire building program (12-19). [...] Then pegs and strings are laid to mark off the plot, and a pacification of vāstupuruṣa is sought with homa-offerings, followed by a bali-offering (48-55).

Source: Ancient Indian Wisdom: Vāstu-puruṣa-maṇḍala

Vāstupuruṣa is the deity that is believed to be in control of a place un-inhabited by humans, a place, whereupon any structure is to be constructed. The Vāstupuruṣa is also the deity that is believed to protect any structure. He is the same as Vāstoṣpati mentioned in the Ṛgveda. According to Kramrisch (P. 45), Vāstoṣpati is but another name for Vāstupuruṣa, the puruṣa who is vāstu.

Vāstupuruṣa is to be worshipped at the construction of a new dwelling; and his figure is to be placed in the foundation at a suitable place. When the figure is to be placed at a wall, in the foundation etc., it should be shown as down-faced (adharānanaṃ). It is said that Vastupuruṣa came out for the destruction of the gods and men. The gods tried to control him and struck him variously for many years. At last Viṣṇu subdued him and also pacified him; and it was agreed that the deities springing from various parts of his body would be worshipped by people; and if anyone did not worship Vāstu the latter would devour him.

context information

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Vāstupuruṣa (वास्तुपुरुष).—In days of yore a ghost of immense size, who was feared by all other ghosts came into existence. This ghost was buried inside the earth by the Devas. This ghost is called Vāstupuruṣa. He is the deity of whatever we build on the earth. The offering made to this Vāstupuruṣa on completion of a house is called "Puravāstubali". (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 40).

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: Wisdom Library: Pancaratra (Samhita list)

Vāstupuruṣa (वास्तुपुरुष) or Vāstupuruṣanirṇaya is the name of chapter 1 of the Saura-Kāṇḍa of the Hayaśīrṣapañcarātra: an ancient Pāñcarātra consisting of four sections (kāṇḍas), deriving its name from the fact that according to its frame-story (ādikāṇḍa) it was revealed by God in the form of Hayaśiras, the Horse-Headed One. The Agnipurāṇa chapters 62-69 have parallels with the Saṃkarṣaṇakāṇḍa of the Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra.

Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts

Vāstupuruṣa (वास्तुपुरुष) is the name of a deity invoked after water-immersion rites (jalādhivāsa), as discussed in chapter 17 of the Puruṣottamasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra text consisting of more than 1800 verses devoted to temple-building and the practical concerns of the Pāñcarātra priestly community.—Description of the chapter [vāstupuruṣa-āvāhana-jala-uddhāraṇa]: The next morning [continuing from chapter XV], vāstupūjā is done (1-12a.) That afternoon the Ācārya removes the icon from the water and takes it to the yāgamaṇḍapa (12b-17).

Source: eScholarship: Chapters 1-14 of the Hayasirsa Pancaratra

Vāstupuruṣa (वास्तुपुरुष) is the name of a demon that used to terrorize all living beings.—The Kāpilapañcarātra describes Vāstupuruṣa as a terrible demon (asura) of immense size. While this myth does not relate the origin of the demon it states that he terrorized all living beings (sarvabhūta-bhayaṅkara) and that the gods fell him to the ground.The Kāpila-pañcarātra also states that the Vāstupuruṣa will disappear when the earth disappears.—(Cf. Kramrisch 1946/2007:vol 2, p 330; See also Gāruḍa Purāṇa ch. 46 and chapter 10.5).

context information

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Oxford Reference: A Dictionary of Hinduism

The figure of a person (puruṣa) bound diagonally into a square or quadrangle (referred to as a maṇḍala), representing the ground plan for a building, particularly a temple. The Vedic gods, with Brahmā at the centre, are supposed to be pressing the puruṣa into the ground, the whole presenting a divinely appointed template for the ordered construction of the building. The geometry is worked out in considerable detail in Vāstuśāstra.

Source: AIKTC: Journal of the Bombay branch of the Royal Asiatic Society - Volume 79

Vāstupuruṣa (वास्तुपुरुष):—The Bṛhatsaṃhitā has described Vāstupuruṣa, the presiding deity of the ground on which the house is to be built. The concept of Vāstoṣpati or Vāstupuruṣa i.e. the presiding deity of Vāstu i.e. land or house is as old as the Ṛgveda. In the Ṛgveda hymns have been addressed to Vāstoṣpati (Ṛgveda VII 54.1-3, VII 55.1).

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vāstupuruṣa (वास्तुपुरुष):—[=vāstu-puruṣa] [from vāstu > vāstava] m. = -nara, [Agni-purāṇa]

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Vastupuruṣa (ವಸ್ತುಪುರುಷ):—[noun] a man trained in or having the skill for discerning one object from the other.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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Search found 24 books and stories containing Vastupurusha, Vāstu-puruṣa, Vastu-purusa, Vastu-puruṣa, Vastu-purusha, Vāstupuruṣa, Vastupurusa, Vastupuruṣa, Vastupurushas; (plurals include: Vastupurushas, puruṣas, purusas, purushas, Vāstupuruṣas, Vastupurusas, Vastupuruṣas, Vastupurushases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

4.3. Vāstupada-vinyāsa (site-planning) < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]

4.2. Dikpariccheda or Dikparicchedana (fixing the cardinal directions) < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]

6. Allocation of the Śālās < [Chapter 3 - Prākāra Lakṣaṇa]

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(ii) The Site-planning (Vāstupada-vīnyāsa) < [Chapter 6 - Fundamental Canons of Hindu Architecture]

Chapter 7 - Planning of Prāsāda—The Hindu Temple < [Volume 5 - Temple Architecture]

(i) Scope of Architecture (Vāstu) < [Chapter 2 - Scope and Subject-matter]

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4. Vastu-purusa (presiding deity of buildings) < [Chapter 3 - Architecture in the Puranas]

3. Selection of Site and Testing of Soil < [Chapter 3 - Architecture in the Puranas]

1. Introduction (ancient Indian architecture) < [Chapter 3 - Architecture in the Puranas]

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