What is Vastu? The science of Vedic architecture

Mon, 03/08/2010

“…this science deals with the eternal process of the subtle energy (Vastu) manifesting into material space or material form (Vaastu). In short, it is the science of manifestation of energy into matter or material form.” - Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati

Vāstu Shastra (or Vāstu Veda, Sthapatya Veda, Vāstu Vidya), is the most ancient and complete science of construction, architecture and sculpture in harmony with the nature, for the welfare of mankind as a whole. Developed in the Vedic times millennia ago, preserved and passed on through practice, oral transmission, visual transmission through sculpture and hand-written monographs/palm leaf texts.

While this immense body of information does not deal with the engineering aspect of construction, it aims at harnessing the abundant natural elements and energies like the heat and light of sun, combining the earth's magnetic fields, the influence of the planets and other celestial bodies along with cosmic rays to enable us to lead a peaceful life, by creating congenial living conditions. The words, like the English “vast” refer to all that exists. “Vastu” is the realm of the unmanifest and “vaastu” is everything that is manifest. More practically, vastu/vaastu has to do with everything that is created, from jewelry to airplanes, but most specifically to human dwellings.

Vastu Shastra is an extremely scientific and precise study (not based on assumptions) and is thus very rational. There is also surety about its permanency, as it takes into consideration the directions, which are static.

By unifying Ayurveda art, astronomy and astrology, Vastu Shastra makes visible deeply held beliefs as it links them with human lives, enhancing our health, happiness and well-being. The main goal of the ancient Vaastu architects and sculptors was to emulate through concrete expression the laws of the universe. Their structures expressed the truth of cosmic order and form, celebrated our connection with all life, and created harmony and spiritual bliss in the inmate.

There are many traditional names for this field of Vedic architecture and design:

Vāstu Shastra - ‘Vāstu’ (sanskrit) means the dwelling place of humans, and ‘Shastra’, (sanskrit) means 'science', thus the science that deals with human dwellings.

Vāstu Veda - ‘Vāstu’ (sanskrit) means the dwelling place of humans, and ‘Veda’, (sanskrit) means 'knowledge of natural law'.

Vāstu Vidya - ‘Vāstu’ (sanskrit) means the dwelling place of humans, and ‘Vidya’, (sanskrit) means 'knowledge'.

Sthapatya Vidya - from ‘Sthapan’ (sanskrit) which means to establish, and ‘Veda’, (sanskrit) means 'knowledge of natural law'.

Vāstu Shilpa Shastra - Vāstu consists of both the space and what is contained in the space while shilpa refers to the form.

Etymologically, in Sanskrit -

‘Vas’ - to be, to reside

‘Vastu’ - means primal energy that has not taken form or manifested. In modern physics we might call this energy such as the famous "E" in Einstein's E=mc² formula.

‘Vāstu’- means manifested and formed energy, which is what we might call matter in modern physics. This is when energy has taken shape and form and is clearly identifiable via our 5 senses.

‘Vāstu’ is a Sanskrit word packed with meaning: house of dwelling that renders happiness, prosperity and protection in life and even after death.  It is the perfect perception of geography, direction, topography, physics, the environment, and cosmology itself. For example gold is vastu, and a vessel made of gold is also vastu, but the space contained within the vessel is vāstu.

The crux of Vāstu Science and Technology is the manifestation process called "Vastu reva vāstu," - simply means unmanifest pure potential Energy (Vastu) turning itself into material form (Vāstu). With the understanding of this process and the simultaneous yet successive manner in which it occurs one comes to fully realize that Vastu is Vāstu. The movement of form into space and space into form is interconnected. Pure Consciousness, Brahman, is the same as the material world and the material world is the same as Pure Consciousness, Brahman. There really is no distinction between manifest and unmanifest. In other words, as Einstein said, energy becomes matter. These laws of nature, or mechanics of creation, are utilized in Vastu.

"When inner space and outer space resonate together in harmony then peacefulness, vitality, health, prosperity, and dynamic, ecstatic creativity become the natural order and effortless experience." - Brahmarishi Mayan, circa 10,500 BC

There are four categories of Vaastu-


• The earth/site - Bhoomi, the principal dwelling place on which everything else rests

• The structures on the earth - Prasada

• Movable objects (vehicles) - Yaana

• Furniture - Sayana

As these categories suggest, the principles of Vaastu Shastra extend from the macro level to the micro level - site selection, site planning and orientation, zoning and disposition of rooms, proportional relationships between the various parts of buildings, the character of buildings and so on.

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