Vastu
Purush : Myth & Reality
The
system of Vastu Science came into being thousands of years ago. The vastu
tradition holds that there are five gross elements--earth, water, fire, air, and
space. All of these elements are present in the vast space of the universe as
well as in all living being and worldly objects.The ancient Rishis were aware of
the hidden forces underlying the universe and used symbols and myths to describe
them. Vastu Shastra was given in a codified manner. The most important tool of
understanding and decoding the science of Vastu is the Vastu Mandala Pada
Vinyasa. The Mandala and the deities of different padas provide the key to
unlock and understand the workings of underlying energies in the universe. Vastu
Purush is essentially an abstraction based entirely on the site plan.
Vastu Purush is the
‘spirit’ or ‘essence’ representing the all-pervasive
‘prana’ inherent in all existence. For thousands of years mankind
employed mythology to describe and assimilate the mysteries of the universe.
Human beings naturally understand, identify and relate to the human form. All
the deities we worship are in human form. Myths and stories are created to give
concrete form to the formless and abstract. This is to enable the common man to
understand the complex forces at play. The myth of Vastu Purush can be seen to
represent real forces in a fictional form. The symbolism of Vastu Purush
represents the multi-layered forces that are at work within a confined space.
Vastu Purush is the constituting metaphor for harmonising and synthesising the
different forces and spirits at play on the cosmological, metaphysical and
architectural levels within a confined space.
When it is said that the Vastu
Purush exists in every structure, it is a reminder that every house, every
structure and site is a living breathing organism with life, rhythm and
harmony.
To understand the
rationale of Vastu Purush, it is important to understand the concept of Mandala,
Brahmasthan and Marmasthan. Vastu Mandalas are the various site plans or basic
ground plans of any type of construction. It is said that Vastu is the canvas,
Purush is the rupa or form and Mandala is the tool. Thirty-two kinds of Mandalas
are mentioned in the ancient texts. The most favoured shape of Mandala is a
square, oriented to the cardinal directions. The central point is known as
Brahmanabhi or Brahmabindu. The Mandala is divided into a set of number of cells
or grids called Pada. The most recommended Mandala or building plan for dwelling
of human beings is the Paramsayika Mandala, each side is divided into nine equal
parts resulting in a total of 81 parts of the entire structure. The
super-imposition of the image of Vastu Purush on the Mandala or building plan is
called Vastu Purush Mandala.
For
more click below
• History
of Vastu
• Importance
of Vastu
• Fundamentals
of Vastu
• Determination
of directions
• Basement
/ Cellars
• A
note on trees
• Vastu
Is An Art
• Vastu
Purush Myth and Reality
• Vastu
Purush Mandala
• Vastu
And Feng Shui
• How
Vastu is different from FengShui?
Content
Source: Suman Pandit
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