According to Amarakosha (an encyclopedia written by Amara, who lived thousands of years ago), Vaastu means a place fit to build a house on. Vaastu is the matter or material form, wherein energy exists. Mayan (the mythological entity who propounded the treatise on Vaastu) in the Mayamata Vastu Shastra (the treatise itself) says that though building are called Vaastu, in fact, they are energies by virtue of their association with Vastu (articles or things). Vaastu are embodied energies. According to Vaastu, a building or premises is a living organism and can be designed in harmonic resonance with the underlying energy structure of the universe. Such a building or premises becomes a generator of coherence, attuning the occupants to the universal laws and increasing health, wealth and spiritual well being.

This is the reason that a new term is being used to relate to Vaastu and allied sciences. Today, it is being called Energy Architecture. It is the highly evolved, comprehensive building philosophy.

The significance of all the tenets of Vaastu is the optimization of positive energy and minimizing or removal of negative energy in any structure. Once you do this, you pave the way to a healthy and happy life for people in the building,

Inference: - If we could understand and follow these guidelines with a positive attitude, we can increase our positive energies at least to balance our negative energies for better health.

Vastu Shastra is a traditional Indian architecture and design system, which specifies in detail the method of designing buildings, plots and lands so that it produces positive vibrations and creates a healthy environment for the dwellers. Vastu Shastra is a Sanskrit name, where vastu means nature, surrounding or environment, and shastra is science. As the name suggests, this science is based on laws of nature.


Vastu suggests the layout of the house, the placement of the furniture, the appropriate colour scheme for different rooms and the placement of water storage tanks or other storage systems. The most important element considered by vastu shashtra experts is the topography of land and water resources. Other elements like trees, electrical poles, direction of the place, and the size and shape of the land are also taken into account. The position of the owner's star as per his vedic horoscope is also equally important.


Five elements of Vastu Shastra

Vastu Shastra is an ancient science that helps get the natural benefits freely offered by the universe's five basic elements: prithvi (earth), paani (water), aakash (space), agni (fire), and vayu (air), commonly called panch maha tatva or bhutas. Vastu Shastra requires that all these elements be in harmony.


The basic principle of this science is that both man and nature are composed of these elements and it is only logical that one influences the other. The magnetic effect of the earth affects us and controls the way we live. Vastu shastra believes that the human body is itself a magnet with the head as north pole corresponding to the magnetic field of the earth. Nearly 75% of our body is made up of water, the same percentage as the extent of oceans on earth. The moon exerts influence on the waters of the oceans, as a result we have tides, similarly, we cannot ignore the power that the moon and other celestial bodies have on a human body


Fire is very significant to our existence. We get heat and light or energy from the sun, which is essential for human existence. Fire is represented in our body as its temperature. Various gases in the atmosphere constitute air that we breathe and our very survival depends on this. All the planets, satellites and stars in the space have its own gravitational and magnetic force, which exert some sort of influence on our body.


How Vastu Shastra helps

Vastu shashtra helps in determining the following:
* Selection of suitable land for construction of house, office premises or factories,
* Shape of land and its effect,
* Effects of the direction of the house on your life,
* Guidance on placement of household items and business materials or tools,
* Defects within the house or of land and its effect,
* Effects of the vastu on the land-owner and his family,
* Details of placement of doors and windows and so on.

It is simpler to apply laws of vastu for a new house plan than for a structure that is already in place since one cannot undertake drastic alterations or demolition. It takes nearly six months to see the effects of vastu on your life. This time period also depends on the amount of rectification done, the percentage of defects, the topography, as well as the strength of the owner's Vedic horoscope.


Vastu Shastra believes that you can bring peace, harmony and prosperity into your lives and home by following the guidelines therein.

Many a times students complain that they "can't remember the lesson" or "our retention power is weak" or "we can't concentrate on our studies" etc. The remedy to these problems was formulated by our saints in the olden times, in the form of the secretive science of Vaastu Shastra. For students eager to do well, here are a few techniques, following which the students can achieve success in their studies and obviously bring about a positive change in their grades. The room to be chosen for study should be in the East, North or the North-East direction of the house. These directions improve the absorption power and increase the knowledge content. Along with that if the door of the room is also in either of these directions, the result turns out to be the best.

* Learners should face East or North in order to memorize quickly and accelerate retention as well as concentration power. The study room should have images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Saraswati.
* The books in the study chamber should be kept in the South-West, South or West direction and not in the North-East. In addition to that if the North-East direction bears heavy weight it shall pressurize the student's mind.
* Furthermore, if the student studies on the table and chair, the table should not stick to the wall. It should be at least 2-3 feet away from it. Along with that unnecessary books shouldn't be piled up on the table.
* Only the books which are needed should be kept on the table. Loads of books on the table create unnecessary mental pressure on the mind.
* The study books should be placed in the cupboard or the cabinet rather than in the open. And if the shutter of the cabinet or cupboard is kept shut, the flow of energy is constantly maintained.
* If the learner makes use of a table lamp while studying then the lamp should be kept in the South-East corner of the desk. Plus if it is a square table then nothing like it.
* The study table and the chair must not be facing the door. Further the size of the study table should neither be too big nor too small. It should be just the size which is comfortable for the working of the student.
* A big sized table diminishes the working capacity, whereas a small table gives rise to depression.

Moreover, if possible, the walls of the study room should be light in colour as it is very auspicious and enhances the wishing power as well as supports the speedy progress of mind. Along with that, at the time of study, the learner should use the pyramid cape as it proves to be extremely beneficial. Not only that it embellishes the remembering power and absorption. The student should ensure that after studying, when they go off to sleep, their head is in the South direction. It helps in maintaining the magnetic balance of the body and the earth. And last but not the least, a watch is a must in each and every study room. So, if you keep in mind these easy techniques you shall note a drastic upward shift in you grades. With hard work, of course. Keep studying hard but remember in the right direction, as Vaastu Shastra is nothing but the science of directions.

VAASTU & ONE OF THE ANCIENT TREATISES ON VAASTU, the Brihat Samhita, includes a myth about the origin of Vaastupurusha, the deity of vaastu. The God Shiva was once engaged in a battle with a demon. As the fierce struggle went on, Shiva began sweating profusely. Vaastupurusha was born out of Shiva's beads of sweat. His origin in strife made him very hungry and he started devouring everything in his path. The other gods went to Lord Brahma for protection, begging him to do something about this new creature that was destroying their world. Brahma gave Vaastupurusha a push and he fell to earth, landing face down. Immediately Brahma told the gods - who were forty-five in numbers - to sit on Vaastupurusha and not allow him to get up. After they did so. Vaastupurusha prayed for Brahma's mercy, entreating that he had been created hungry and that he was only following his nature. Brahma felt sorry for him and granted him the blessing of having his endless hunger fed by offerings from the inhabitants of the dwellings built upon him. In return, Vaastupurusha was to stay embedded in the earth and take care of the inhabitants' health and prosperity. But he could seek his own sustenance if the inhabitants didn't feed him properly. Those who did not abide by Brahma's rules would awaken the creature's hunger and suffer the consequences. As with all myths, the true meaning of the symbol of Vaastupurusha is much deeper than the story. Understanding its importance will enable us to penetrate further into the mysteries of life. The story of Vaastupurusha is our own story. A human being is both a material body (vaastu) and the subtle energy or spirit (vaastu or purusha) within it. Similarly, Vaastupurusha can be seen as the living energy of a physical structure. In the same manner as our body and spirit are connected, the house (body) and Vaastupurusha (spirit) are connected. Vaastupurusha is nourished by the energy of the structure. If the physical layout of a dwelling fosters a flow of energy that supports the Vaastupurusha, then there is harmony within the house as well. Whenever there is a mismatch, there is disharmony. Whatever vibrations take place in the house evbentually has an effect on the people who occupy the house. The forty-five deities sitting on Vaastupurusha to restrain him represent our own angelic and demonic qualities that bind us to worldly life. When these qualities are properly understood and experienced, our life is harmonious and we enjoy health, peace, and prosperity. The house built following vaastu principles satisfies Vaastupurusha by allowing the flow of cosmic energy to be in balance and yield good things to the inhabitants. By picturing Vaastupurusha lying facedown in this classic position, as shown in figure 1, and applying traditional Indian ayurvedic knowledge about different parts of the body, we can begin to see the proper roles for various sections of a house or plot. Vaastupurusha is understood to be lying facedown facing northeast, the direction of wisdom and spirituality. That puts his right side to the East and South (representing dakshina) and his left side to the North (representing uttara) and West. In Ayurveda the right side of the body represents masculine qualities, so when the life force is moving in the right side (pingala), one is more active, critical, judgmental, and analytical. The left side of the body represents feminine qualities, so when the life force moves in that side (ida), one's intuitive and compassionate nature dominates. The Brihat Samhita describes a square or rectangular plot of land as ideal for the construction of a dwelling because Vaastupurusha's entire body fits within it, as in figure 1. If the square is incomplete-thus cutting off some part of Vaastupurusha-the inhabitants will suffer dire consequences. If Vaastupurusha has no right arm, they will be a loss of money and food. If his head is absent, the owner will suffer losses of virtue and prosperity. If his feet are missing, the male head of the family will become weak and the women will be troubled. On the other hand, if Vaastupurusha is endowed with all his limbs in fine shape, the inhabitants of the house will be famous and prosperous. The ancient scriptures describe three different conditions regarding the position of Vaastupurusha's head:

* Nitya (daily) vaastu, wherein Vaastupurusha alternates the position of his head between right and left approximately every three hurs.
* Chara (moving) vaastu, wherein Vaastupurusha changes his head position one every three months.
* Sthira (non-moving) vaastu, wherein Vaastupurusha's head is permanently established toward the Northeast direction.

Each of the three positions has great significance to our physical and spiritual health. The turning of Vaastupurusha's head in nitya vaastu signifies the alternation of the breath or prana (life force) between our right and left nostrils. Normally healthy person breathes predominantly through one nostril or the other, alternating sides every three hours. The dominant side can be determined by holding a mirror in front of your nose while breathing once gently and then examining the moistus that has collected on the mirror. It will usually be uneven or one side will evaporate faster than the other. The side that evaporates more slowly reveals the dominam nostril. Knowledge of this movement of prana is called Swarashastra (science of breath and consciousness). The movement of th life force is a person is very significant in relation to one's feelings and emotions as well as to one's health, spirituality, and prosperity. In nitya vaastu the energy movement in the house ins in tune with the energy movement of the inhabitants. This synergy of energy is key to health and contentment. Chara vaastu signifies the seasonal changes that take place in our constitution. According to Ayurveda, each person's constitution is composed of varying amounts of three principles known as the dhaataus (vaata, pitta, and kapha). These principles govern all of the physiological and psychological aspects of our existence (described in more detail in the next chapter, "Basis of Balanced Life"). The movement of Vaastupurusha's head every three months symbolizes the effect of the seasons on the dhaatus. From March to June, Vaastupurusha's gaze is to the North and kapha is predominant, moving toward pitta. From June to Septamber, Vaastupurusha's gaze is to the East and pitta is predominant, moving toward vaata. From September to December, Vaastupurusha's ghaze is to the South, and from December to March it is to the West, during which vaata is becoming predominant and then moving toward kapha. Thus seasonal changes can create imbalance in the dhaatus of the inhabitants. This can be counteracted by balancing the energy flow of the house between these three principles according to vaastu. In sthira vaastu Vaastupurusha's head is fixed toward the Northeast, the direction governed by the two planets of wisdom and knowledge - Jupiter and Ketu (described I more detail in chapter 4, "Directions, Deities, and Planets"). It thus signifies one's commitment to wisdom and knowledge leading to enlightenment, fostered by the energy in a good vaastu home.