| Vastu Purusha is the body on which every aspect of | | | | Paramatman. |
| human activity is carried out. Whether we build a | | | | The Vastu Purusha is considered to be awake when |
| house, a factory, school, well, compound-wall, tank or | | | | he is oriented towards the cardinal points, and is said |
| playground, we are placing it upon the sacred body | | | | to be asleep when oriented towards the non-cardinal |
| of the cosmic being who has come to reside with us. | | | | points like the NE, SW, SE, NW. |
| Every part of his body is sacred, with energies and | | | | During the period of Dhanur (December-January), |
| characteristics that add to and enhance our life on | | | | Mina (March-April), Mithuna (June-July), Kanya |
| earth. Therefore, it is to him we bow in gratitude | | | | (September-October), it is considered inauspicious to |
| when we start upon any endeavour, and to him we | | | | begin building activities. |
| offer our thanks through flowers and incense, | | | | During the period of Mesha (April-May), Vrishabha |
| minerals and metals, herbs and colours, amidst music | | | | (May-June), Kataka (July-August), Simha |
| and chanting. | | | | (August-September), Tula (October-November), |
| The story of the Vastu Purusha goes thus: In the | | | | Vrischika (November-December), Makara |
| ages gone by, there lived a demon called Vastu who | | | | (January-February), Kumbha (February-March), it is |
| was fierce and powerful and in the habit of | | | | auspicious to build. |
| terrorizing the world. As the situation became | | | | It can be said that we too are earth or Bhoomi and |
| unbearable the gods came together to fight him. Yet, | | | | the energy within us is Vastu Purusha. When the |
| his powers were such that his essence continued to | | | | earth is dormant, the Vastu Purusha is considered to |
| permeate the land causing untold misery to the | | | | be asleep. At this time it is not beneficial to begin |
| humans and gods alike. In response, the gods went | | | | house-building activities. The Shastras state that this |
| to Lord Brahma for help. | | | | 'wrong' time could lead to negative effects on the |
| Affected by the grief of the gods, Lord Brahma | | | | residents. The face of the Vastu Purusha is oriented |
| fought and pinned the demon firmly to the ground, | | | | towards the position of the sun, says the text. |
| and as a further precaution ordered a certain number | | | | One school of thought says that the central axis or |
| of gods to sit on him and stop his activities. The | | | | Madhya sutram that runs through the Vastu Purusha |
| popular belief is that the Vastu Purusha lies | | | | and the one which runs through the house should be |
| face-down on the ground, though a few texts claim | | | | one and the same. |
| he lies face up. | | | | In another school of thought, the Vastu Purusha set |
| Though it is a myth it can be interpreted to mean | | | | out on the plot and the building are superimposed in |
| that the energy comes from cosmic space and | | | | such a way that the central axes of both do not |
| manifests itself as the contained energy within | | | | coincide. Pada Vinyasa is the method by which a site |
| material phenomena. The cosmic energy manifests | | | | of land is divided into a uniform grid. Each part of the |
| itself as a phenomenon after moving through a series | | | | grid is ascribed to a god, corresponding to the gods |
| of transformation-ether, fire, water and earth. Hence | | | | who were to have held the Vastu Purusha down |
| the built space is created according to the impulses | | | | (stated earlier in the myth). Each of these modules is |
| of the earth, in consonance with the waking and | | | | given an offering at the time of building, during the |
| slumber of the earthly energy. | | | | ceremony of Bhoomi Puja. |
| Vastu or bhoomi is vibrating and alive. This is the | | | | Every traditional culture has related to the physical |
| space of the earth or land. This energy resides in the | | | | environment in terms of states of consciousness of |
| earth and is called by various names such as Vastu | | | | the cosmic spirit, and has built legends and myths |
| Nathan, bhoomi Purusha and Vastu Purusha. This is | | | | around the gods and goddesses. There are |
| the energy of the material sunbstance. | | | | half-human nymphs and devas, part animal or bird |
| Similarly the energy of Akasham or cosmic space is | | | | deities that are winged marvels or extraordinary |
| known as Vishwa Purusha, Vishwa atman, | | | | composite creatures. |