Vaastu, according to vedic words, means a suitable place for construction of a house. In Sanskrit, it literally means a place where people reside. It is applicable for houses, mansions and palaces, temples, townships and places where people work. The ancient townships of Mahenjodaro and Harappa were constructed as per vaastu.
The sages or Rishis used vaastu principles in their rituals. The altars, mandapas and places of fire worship or havan were made according to vaastu norms. In “Upanishads”, there are numerous mentions of palaces, student homes, temples, cowsheds, ashrams etc being constructed as per vaastu.
DEVELOPMENT:-
Unlike other studies, there is no particular book or scripture dedicated entirely to vaastu. There are ancient books on yoga like Patanjali’s Yoga or nmedicine like “Charak Samhita” but none on vaastu. But in almost all the ancient vedic books have mentioned about the use vaastu principles. The ancient times can be divided into vedic kaal,Purana kaal and Madhya kaal or time.
VAASTU BOOKS DURING VEDIC PERIOD:
1. Rigved 2. Yarjuved 3. Samved
4.Atharbaved 5. Sthapatya Ved(corollary of Atharbaved)
VAASTU BOOKS DURING PURANIK PERIOD:
1. Matsya Purana
2. Varah Purana
3. Brahma Baibarta Purana
4. Skanda Purana. 5. Agni Purana
6. Devi Bhagawat Purana
7. Garuda Purana
8. Shree Madbhagawat Purana
9. VishnuDharmottar Purana
10. Bhabishyottar Purana
Books like Agni purana mentions the use of fire element.
ANCIENT EPICS :
1. Valmiki’s Ramayana
2. Mahabharata.
In Mahabharata, there is a mention of use of vaastu in the construction of the City of Indraprastha.
ANCIENT BOOKS HAVING MENTION OF VAASTU:
1. Briha Samhita 2. Viswakarma Vaastu shastra 3. Mansar 4. Sarangan Sutradhar 5. Aparajita Prischha 6. Mayamatam
7. Jaya Prisccha 8. Praman Manjari
FEW SUBSEQUENT OLD BOOKS ON VAASTU:-
1. Vaastu Mandan 2. Vaastu Rajballav 3. Prasad Mandan 4. Kodanda Mandan
5. Shilpa Ratna 6. Vaastu Ratnakar
7. Vaastu Sutrapanishad
8. Brihadavaastumala 9. Jyotirnibandh
Hemanta Kumar Sarmah
Readers may send their queries if any to Hemanta Kr. Sarmah, c/o mélange, The Sentinel or on
Mobile No. 94350-14668. e-mail: hksarmah@yahoo.com |
