Vastu Purush Mandala Home Design and Happiness by

Niranjan Babu Bangalore

There are two specific aspects
covering Vastu Purusha Mandala.
Vastu Purusha is the mystical or
spiritual lord of a Mandala or the
enclosed ground area, wherein he lies
with his face down. The mandala is a
cosmic diagram of the enclosure
where Vastu Purusha manifests. Vastu
Purusha identifies the importance of an
area by placing his head to the northeast (balanced thinking) and his lower
body to the south-west (stability and
strength). His navel is in the center of
the area (cosmic awareness) and his
hands to the north-west and south-east
(movement and energy). Vastu
Purusha is space personified and he is
said to have been born from Lord
Siva's perspiration, when the Lord
fought the demon Andhaka and
ultimately killed him.
Each enclosure, whether it is for human habitation (residences, offices, etc.) or divine habitation
(temples and other religious structures) is identified with a plan that is referred to as the Vastu
Purusha Mandala. It symbolically signifies the three aspects of a structure - para, sookshma and
sthoola. Most texts on Vastu Sastra talk about the 64 module plan for temples and shrines and
the 81 module plan for residences and other buildings that are not religious structures. The
mandala is an area of space defined by an enclosure. Vastu Purusha is super imposed into the
enclosure to indicate the birth of a structure from Nature. The Vastu Purusha is held in place by
45 deities 32 in the outer enclosure and 13 in the inner enclosures. Food and fruit are offered
to these deities before construction to please the Vastu Purusha, who confers health, prosperity,
peace and happiness to the residents.
The concept of Vastu Purusha Mandala extends beyond the mere physical aspects of
construction. While the modern architects identify the physical aspects of a structure in terms of
beauty, ventilation, sunlight orientation and location, the ancient masters looked into the
metaphysical (spiritual) and subtle aspects of a structure too. The mandala provides a useful
design module for locating the various rooms of a habitation, the measurements (in units of
hasta and angula) of which are based on a set of six formulae normally referred to as the Ayadi
Shadvarga. The ancient masters did not overlook the importance of comfort and convenience of
the residents in terms of ventilation and sunlight.
The diagonals running from the south-west to the north-east and south-east to north-west
through the center of an area, known as Konasutras, are sensitive. The points that the
horizontal and vertical lines of each module of a mandala intersecting these diagonals are
known as Mahamarmas or Marmas and are also highly sensitive zones, the sensitivity being

extreme around the central module or Nabhi of the enclosure. The sensitive width of the
diagonals, the horizontal and vertical lines and the Marmas that should not coincide with the
walls, beams, etc., are 1/24th, 1/16th and 1/8th of a module (of the 81 module plan)
respectively. Beams, depressions, water, columns and pillars are to avoided in these areas.
The placement of the deities in specific areas of the mandala has significance in deciding the
location of the foundation, the walls, beams, pillars and columns. The Brahmastana (or the
central nine modules of 81 module plan) is the most important and sensitive area of a structure.
Generally this is best left open as a courtyard in human habitations (residences, etc.) that has a
shikara pyramid based on the paramasayika mandala. The Brahamasthana is ideal as the
sanctum sanctorum in divine habitations (temples). The shift in the placement of walls and
pillars ensures that the construction is within the buildable area and does not disturb the
marmas or the sensitive zones. The corners of the outside of the mandala are said to be
negative energy zones with the presiding deities being Paparakshasi (north-east), Charaki
(south-east), Vidari (south-west) and Putana (northwest). It is for this reason that corner doors
are normally not recommended for buildings.
Dividing the sital area into four concentric zones (Brahmastana, Daiva, Manushya and
Paisacha) identifies the buildable area. Construction is approved in the Daiva and Manushya
zones. The Paisacha zone of a Paramasayika Mandala covering one-ninth of the sital length
and breadth on the outer periphery is generally kept free for movement around the building.
Once the site is selected, the entire area is cleaned and levelled. Land can be tilled by cattle or
mechanical tillers and bones, hair and other dirt removed. The tilling also ensures removal of
holes, depressions, etc., created by termites and rodents. Ant-hills if found indicate not only
hollow soil beneath but also the possible availability of water under ground. The ant-hill can be
removed by offering prayers with fruits and flowers before and after it removals. The entire area
is then watered and liberally germinated with seeds that sprout. This is to induce fertility in the
soil. When the soil is heavily sprouted, a cow and its calf are allowed to graze and go around
the site for a day or two. The 81 module Vastu Purusha Mandala is drawn on the site with flour
and proper offerings of food and fruit are made to the forty-five deities. This signifies respect
and regards to the Vastu Purusha, the lord of the site, while at the same time it enhances the
physical and metaphysical quality of the site.
The Vastu Purusha Mandala can be adapted to the various design needs of residences,
temples, factories, offices, departmental stores, sub-divisions and other constructions. We will
address the many aspects covering the design needs in the future articles.

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