Vastu-pada-vinyasa—the plan

This interesting topic corresponds to the modern conception of a graph dividing the ground plan into squares and giving a name to each square. According to the Puranas there are two types of diagrams one consisting of 64 equal squares and the other of 81 squares. The diagram of 64 squares is called Manduka Mandala and of 81 Parama-Sayika. Diagram of the padas agrees better with the body of Vastupurusa which is shown on the plan. 50 The Matsya Purana makes it clear that a vastu of 64 squares is for worship by Brahmanas and one of 81 squares for worship by kings. 51 The Brihat Samhita of Varahamihira enjoined that the area of the temple should always he divided into 64 squares. 52 Similarly, the Hayasirsapancaratra lays down that the diagram of 64 squares is for the construction of shrines, and a diagram of 81 squares for the construction of houses. 53 The diagram of 64 Vastupadas reproduced in this thesis after Samarangana Sutradhara and 81 Vastupurusa after Stella Kramrisch (see figs. 3 and 4). From the figs. 3 and 4 we see that there are 45 gods, 13 on the inside and 32 on the outside. Their exact names and positions will be clear on the diagram. The subject is treated in several texts as Agni Purana, GP, Brihat Samhita of Varahamihira, Hayasirsapancaratra, ISGP, Samarangana Sutradhara and other texts there is a general agreement in the names and their positions.

DITI 51 ISA ANTARTERSED PARJANYA JAYASIA MAHINDRA ADITYA SATYA BHRUSA AGNI ADITY APA SAVIA PUSHAV ARYA ARGALA APAYATSA SAVITRI VITHATHA INDU GRAHAKSHATELN MAHIDHARA BRAHMA VIVASWAN BHALLALA YAMA MUKHYA INDRA GANDITARVA RUDRAILI MURA NAGA RUDRA VAYU INDRAHT BERINGA MRIGA SASHA ASURA VARUNA PUSHPADANIA SUGRIVA DWARAPALA ROGA NIRURTHE Fig. 3 Vastupurusamandala of 64 squares (redrawn after Bhojraj Dwivedi, 1998)

VAYU NAGA ROGA OR PAPA RUDRA MUK HYA SOS HA RUDRARAJA OR RAJAYAKSHMA ASURA VAR UNA PUSHPA DANTA DAUVARININDRA OR A JAYA S ITRA BHAL LATA SO MA BHUDHARA BRAHMA MRIGA OR ARG ALA ARYAMA ADI TI 52 DITI OR ISANA ADITI APA PARJAN APAVATSA JAYAINTA SUG RIVA INDRARAJ VAIVASVAN SAVITA BHR SA PITRAGA- MRSHA NA BHRNG ARAJ GANDH ARVA YA MA RAKS HASA OR GRAHAK SHATA Fig. 4 Vastupurusamandala of 81 squares (redrawn after B. Niranjan Babu, 1997) VITA THA MAHENDRA ADITYA SAT YA SAVITRA ANTARISPUSHA AGNI HA

53 In the ground-plan (pada-vinyasa), when a site is selected for construction of a village, town or building, there the ground is divided into different numbers of squares. Thirty-two types of Vastupadas are prescribed by Mayamata. 54 The Agni Purana prescribes the vastu of a country (desavastu) as of 3,400 squares (pada), there the Brahmasthana has 64 squares. The highest number of squares in a vastu is given as 20,000.55 Those of even numbers should be treated according to the Manduka plan of 64 squares and those of a uneven number of squares should be laid out in accordance with the Paramasayika plan of 81 squares. These two plans once more are called sakala and niskala 56 which would mean that in either of them, the Supreme Principle should be worshipped beyond manifestation as well as in manifestation in a temple, symbol or image. In Sanskrit, a house, a palace, a city and a town are called vastu. A mandala which is drawn for the purpose of a ritual before the beginning of the construction of the structure, is called Vastumandala. The ritual is known as vastupratistha, and historically dates back to the sixth to seventh century BC. 57 The Puranic mandala consist of 64 and 81 houses but during medieval period the types and the numbers of mandalas increased to a large figures of 32 x 32. The elaborations are available in many of the treatises on silpasastra. In Puranas we will discuss only two main types of diagrams.