Chapter 56.36 - Description of Vāstu-lakṣaṇa (Construction of Houses)

[Full title: Natural Astrology (36) Vāstulakṣaṇa (Construction of Houses)]

539b-400a. Testing if the ground. Towards the construction of a town, village, house etc, first examine the ground for its qualities of smell, colour and taste.

540b-41. For Brāhmaṇas, (Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas and Śūdras), it is auspicious if the earth has, respectively, the smell of honey, flower, sour fruit and flesh; has, respectively, the colours white, red, green and dark; and has, respectively, the tastes sweet, hot, bitter and astringent.

542. It is beneficial for all people if the ground slopes towards north-east, east or north. Slopes towards the other directions would always be highly harmful to them.

543. Dig a (cubical) pit of the depth of one cubit and fill it (with the excavated earth). It would be extremely beneficial if there is earth to spare, if less, it is inauspicious and if just enough (to fill the pit), it is middling.

544. Dig a similar pit at dusk and fill it with water. When examined in the morning, if there is water still, the place would be prosperous, if there is just slush, it would be middling, and if it is dry, it is inferior.

545. Orientation (East-west determination). When a ground with good characteristics as above has been selected, prepare a level surface in its middle and draw a circle thereon, for determining the east-west line.

546a. Fix a 12-inch gnomon at its centre and with its help, determine the directions.___94___

546b-47a. Construction if the building. In the ground measured out as a rectangle and tested through the sixfold divisions (Ṣaḍvarga).___95___ a beautiful edifice should be erected, along the lines drawn.

547b-48. Windows in the outer walls of the residential enclosure. Along the directions on the four sides, reckoned from the east, eight gates each should be put up. In the clockwise order they will have the undermentioned effects:

549. East: (i) Misfortune, (ii) Loss of wealth, (iii) gain of wealth, (iv) propitiation of the king, (v) great wealth, (vi) big theft, (vii) rage and (viii) fear.

550. South: (i) Death, (ii) imprisonment, (iii) fear, (iv) attainment of riches, (v) increase in wealth, (vi) freedom from doubts (vii) fear from diseases, and (viii) destruction of creatures.

551. West: (i) Loss of a son, (ii) prosperity to the enemy, (iii) attainment of riches, (iv) receipt of wealth, (v) happiness, (vi) extreme misfortune, (vii) unhappiness, and (viii) distress.

552. North: (i) Loss of one’s wife: (ii) destruction of creatures, (iii) Misfortune, (iv) attainment of grains and wealth, (v) wealth, (vi) prosperity, (vii) intense fear, and (viii) hunger.

553. Doorways. The main doorway to the house is to be in the west or the south, its height being twice its breadth.

554. 81-division concept.___96___ Divide the ground inside the boundary walls into 81 squares (by dividing the sides into nine equal divisions). Nine squares in the centre form the Brahmasthāna (‘place of Brahmā’), which is highly inauspicious (for residential quarters).

555-56a. The thiry-two squares close to the outer wall, (i.e., the border squares, all round) pertain to the ghosts. Resi-dential construction in the ghost region will result in unhappiness, distress and fear.

The other squares (are auspicious and) tend to bless one with sons, grandsons and wealth for one’s constructing the house.

556b-58a. The east-west and north-south lines in the construction form its bloodvessels. The Brahmā squares, the ghost squares and the intersecting points of the bloodvessels are to be understood as the vital junctures of the construction. The vital junctures are not commended for residential use.___97___

558b-59a. Time for building construction. The months Mārgaśiras (Saumya), Phālguna, Vaiśākha, Māgha, Śrāvaṇa and Kārttika conduce to sons, health and wealth (to one who builds a house during these months).

559b-60. Digvargayoni. The (eight) groups (vargas) beginning with a (viz., (1) the vowels a etc., (2) ka-varga, (3) ca-varga, (4) ṭa-varga, (5) ta-varga, (6) pa-varga, (7) ya-ra-la-va and (8) śa-ṣa-sa-ha) are placed, in order, against the (eight) directions beginning with the east. (The eight animals and birds, viz.) (1) eagle, (2) cat, (3) lion, (4) dog, (5) serpent, (6) rat, (7) elephant and (8) deer are the yoni-s (animal-births) of the (eight) said direction-groups. Of these the fifth counted from its group is its enemy.___98___

561. Auspiciousness based on Varga-cakra. (In order to determine whether the selected spot would be beneficial for the owner’s residence), the varga of the sādhya (here, the village) and that of the sādhaka (owner) are separately (calculated) and each divided by 8. If the remainder got from the Varga of the sādhaka is greater, the land is good for him, otherwise, it will destroy him.___99___

562. Or, count the asterisms from the asterisms of the sādhaka (owner) to that of the sādhya (village), multiply that number by 4 and divide by 7. The greater the remainder, the owner will fare better in that land.___100___

563. Auspiciousness based on area. The product of length and breadth forms the area of a house. From it is calculated, in order, the numbers indicating (the nature of) its positiveness,, negativeness, income, asterism, week-day and navāṃśa.___101___

564. Positiveness conduces to prosperity, while negativeness is inauspicious. An odd number indicating income points to auspiciousness while an even number indicates penury.

565. Auspiciousness based on asterisms. The third asterism (of the house) from that of the master of the house indicates depletion of wealth, the fifth asterism indicates depletion of prestige, and the seventh asterism foretells death.

566. Auspiciousness based on the signs. The second and twelfth sign conduces to poverty and triangular sign conduces to sonlessness. The sixth and eighth signs indicate death. The other signs are auspicious.

567. Auspiciousness on the basis of week-days. Sundays and Tuesdays conduce to fear of fire. The days pertaining to the other planets conduce to the fulfilment of all desires.

568-69a. Deity of the dwelling and entrance to the house. The Deity of the dwelling (Vāstu-pumān) would be lying prostrate on the house-site with his head towards the east during the three months beginning with Nabhasya (i.e., Bhādrapada, Āśvina and Kārttika). This pot-bellied deity, called also Cara ‘the moving’ shifts its position anticlockwise every three months, (thus remaining with his head towards north during Mārgaśīrṣa, Pauṣa and Māgha, west during Phālguna, Caitra and Vaiśākha, and south during Jyeṣṭhā, Āṣāḍha and Śrāvaṇa).

569b-70. The main entrance to the house should be in the direction in which the head of the Deity of the dwelling is (at the time when construction is started). A house with its entrance turned opposite to the said direction will bring disease and distress (to the master of the house). This drawback will not affect a house which has entrances on all sides.

571. Commencement of construction. A mud pot, with gold, gems, grain and lotus seeds should be placed in a pit of the depth of a cubit in the centre of the house (-site) as a deposit).

572a. The middle point of the longer side of the housesite is termed (nābhi) (navel) and an area of three digits around it is its belly.

572b-74. At the navel a gnomon adorned with gold, clothes, etc., and conducive of sons and grandsons, has to be fixed. The measure of the gnomon for (the houses of) Brāhmaṇas, (Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas and Śūdras) are, respectively, 24, 23, 16 and 12 digits. The gnomon should be constructed from the wood of
khadira, arjuna, sāla and pūga or from red sandal, palāśa, raktasāla or visāla.

575. Divide the gnomon into three, construct a square around it, then an octogon and then an unbroken circle (?) (anasram ṛjum āvaraṇam).

576-78. Fix the gnomon prepared as above at the appropriate place duly marked with a string used to mark off the quadrants, signs etc. (ṣaḍvarga-śuddhi-sūtra) [ṣaḍvargaśuddhisūtreṇa],___102___ on an auspicious day, the prevailing asterism being one of the mṛdu, dhruva or kṣipra classes___103___ the lunar day being not new moon or one of the riktā ‘empty’ days (viz., the 4th, 9th and 14th tithis), the day being not Sunday nor Tuesday, the lagna and the eighth house being not occupied by evil planets, the eighth house being vacant, the lagna being auspicious, and so also the navāṃśaka division thereof, and the lagna being occupied or aspected by beneficent planets,

579-80a. The fixing of the gnomon should be accompanied by the utterance of sacred hymns and the sounds of musical instruments played by the most auspicious ladies. The kendra and trikoṇa houses (quadrants and trines) should be occupied by beneficent planets, the third and the eleventh (dya) and sixth houses being occupied by the other planets, and the Moon occupying the sixth house from lagna.

580b-82. Classification of dwellings. There are six types of dwellings having, respectively, one, two, three, four, seven and ten halls; each of these are of sixteen types, which carry the appellations: Dhruva, Dhanya, Jaya, Nanda, Svara, Kānta, Manorama, Sumukha, Durmukha, Krūra, Śatru, Svarṇaprada, Kṣaya, Ākranda, Vipula and Vijaya.

583-84a. The possible types of dwellings can be calculated by the method of permutation and combination (as is done ṃ metrics, where, in order to find the number of possible forms of a metre, the following procedure is adopted): Place the short syllable below the long syllable; and further, too, place the syllables, progressively. Thus fill the set entirely with long syllables and then add one with all short.___104___

584b-85a. Verandah. Construct narrow verandahs (alinda) round the building, starting from the entrance. Considering the verandahs from the east, there can be sixteen types of houses.

585b-87a. Location of the rooms. The bathroom shall be to the east and the kitchen to the south-east. The room for sleeping shall be to the south and the armoury to the southwest. To the west shall be the dining room and the granary to the northwest. The room for worship is to be in the north and the room for the storing of milk, curds etc. to the north-east.

587b-89a. Rooms for (1) bed, (2) urine, blood and faeces; (3) food, (4) auspicious things, (5) grain, (6) enjoyment with women, (7) wealth, and (8) ornaments, are to be located (in between the eight rooms mentioned above) beginning with the north east-east. Construction of residences in this manner is auspicious.___105___

589b-90a. Birds, beasts etc. of the direction. Flag, smoke, lion, dog, cow, ass, elephant, and crow—these eight are ascribed, in order, to the directions beginning with the east.___106___

590b-91. Inauspicious trees around the house.—Plakṣa, udumbara, cūta, snuhi, nimba, vibhitaka, thorny trees, milktrees, vaṭa, aśvattha, kapitthaka, agasti, sindhuvāla and tintiḍīka are not recommended (for being planted around a residence).

592a. An elder brother’s house to the south or west (of one’s own) (is recommended) as that of one’s own father. (?)

592b. The foundations of a house are to be commended if they are level and the pillars equal (in height), not otherwise.

593. The walls should not be too high nor too low, the height being fixed as one likes it. So also, the storeys, one over the other. In all such cases, the above shall be the consideration.

594-95. Drains and gargoyles. Drains in houses are of eight types (as obtaining in different regions). They are, in order: Pāñcāla, Vaideha, Kaurava, Kaujanyaka, Māgadha, Śūrasena, Gāndhāra and Āvantika. In all these the breadth is one fourth of the height.

596. The Pāñcāla type is the smallest and the others, Vaideha etc., are larger, in that order.

597-98. The Pāñcāla measure is applicable to all. However, for the residences, in two or three storeys, of Brāhmaṇas etc., drains of special suitability are those of the Avanti measure to Brāhmaṇas, Gāndhāra measure to Kṣatriyas and Kaujaneya measure to Vaiśyas.

599-600a. Stables. Stables for camels and elephants should have their heights with accord with the dhvaja or gaja measures. However, for cattle and horses, the height of the tables shall accord with the dhvaja or vṛṣa measures. The entrance, place for penning and place for feeding should accord respectively, with the dhvaja, siṃha and vṛṣa measures.___107___

600b. Vāstupūjā. I shall now set out the procedure for the worship of the building before it is occupied.

601. On husked rice spread in the centre of the house, draw ten lines, (west to) east, a cubit in the length, and ten lines (across south to) north, thus forming 81 squares.

602. Mark the 45 deities mentioned below (in the appropriate squares), 32 of them in the border squares and 13 inside.

603. Now, shall I state their names and places, in order. Here are the 32 deities (to be marked) from the northeast.

604-5a. (1) Śiva, (2) Parjanya, (3) Jayanta, (4) Indra, (5) Sūrya, (6) Candra, (7) Bhṛśa, (8) Ākāśa (Antarikṣaka), (9) Vāyu, (10) Pūṣā, (11) Nirṛti, (12) Gṛhākṣata, (13) Yama (Daṇḍadhara), (14) Gandharva, (15) Bhṛṅgarāja (Bhṛgurāja), (16) Mṛga, (17) Pitṛgaṇādhīśa (18) Dauvārika, (19) Sugrīva, (20) Puṣpadanta, (21) Varuṇa (Jalādhīśa), (22) Asura, (23) Śeṣa (? Śoṣa), (24) Pāpa (Rājayakṣmā), (25) Roga, (26) Nāga (Bhogi), (27) Mukhya, (28) Niśākara (? Bhallāṭa), (29) Soma, (30) Śūnya (? Sarpa), (31) Aditi, and (32) Diti.

These are the 32 deities.

605b-7a. (As has already been noted, Brahmā occupies the nine squares at the centre). Outside (this Brahmapada), are the four deities, Āpaḥ, Sāvitra, Jaya and Rudra in the corners, beginning from northeast.

607b-9a. Again, in the alternate squares around Brahmapada, beginning from the east, are the eight deities Aryamā, Savitā, Vivasvān, Indra (vibudhādhipa) [vibudhādhipaḥ], Mitra, Rājayakṣmā, Pṛthvīdhara and Āpavatsa. These are the 55 deities (to be marked in the squares)___108___.

609b-11. Classification of the deities. Āpas, Āpavatsa, Parjanya, Agni and Diti—these deities, form in order, (five) square-groups in all the corners. From among the deites, twenty are always two-square deities. Aryamā, Vivasvān, Mitra, Pṛthvīdhara who are on the four sides of Brahmā are three-square deities.

612. Worship of the deities. The knower of house construction should worship Brahmā and the two-square and three-square deities with the hymn of house-building and with dūrvā-grass, curds and rice grains.

613. With the chanting of the Brahmā-hymn shall be offered two white pieces of cloth. In due order shall be performed the invocation of the deity and the bestowing of honours.

614. Offering of three types of cooked rice shall be made, as musical instruments are played, (after which) betel shall be offered. Then shall the master of the house pray (as follows):

615. “O lord! Deity of the dwelling! Obeisance to you, who are intent on lying on the ground! May you make my dwelling always rich in cash and grains.”

616. Having prayed thus, he should pay the priest dakṣiṇā according to his mite and later feed the Brāhmaṇas in consonance with his capability.

617. One who performs properly the worship of the dwelling in this manner, will attain health, birth of a son, wealth and grains.

618. On the contrary, one who enters (and dwells) in the residence without performing the worship of the dwelling, will have to endure disease, all kinds of difficulties and every calamity.

619. Enter not a house which is either doorless or roofless, or for which neither sacrifice has been made nor people fed, for such a house is a source of danger.