โหราศาสตร์พระเวท(ภารตะ)

CHAPTER XII
House Building

The instinct to possess a house is to be found not only in man, the acme of creation, but throughout the animal kingdom. The cells of bee's honey-comb are models of economy and mathematical skill while the ant-hills are noted for their strength. Man cannot be an exception to this primary instinct. Unfortunately, man, due to pride and arrogance, fails to give the thought and attention due to astrological factors which are as important as the selection of a site or planning of the building.

In Sanskrit, house-building goes under the name of Vastu Shastra and a lot of useful literature composed by great sages are extant on this most important subject. It must be within the experience of a number of persons that in spite of the best engineering skill displayed in the construction of a house, it would sometimes be lacking what is usually termed the 'charm' with the result the builder does not feel really happy at all. In India at least mere external appearance, however attiiactive. does not give the owner the mental satisfaction that a man Of slender means enjoys when the house is built in confofmity wrth astrological canons. So strong is the sentiment that even the most educated and "cultured" modern man would not afford to take risks in laying the foundation-stone or fixing the door-frame or entering the house without reference to astrological factors.

A house may look grand and attractive on the outside, may command and may possess all the anpurtenances according to sanitary principles. Here the external factors, which we shall term the morphology of a house, are intact. But what about the internal or psychological factors involved? Every object in nature has the power of radiating cosmic force in some form or other. The materials collected for building a structure and the commencement of the structure itself involve the influx and interaction of a series of such invisible forces that the time selected should be capable of exerting forces harmonious to such invisible radiations. The ancient Maharshis had realised the importance of the interplay of such forces between objects in nature and man, though, in recent times, it has fallen to the lot of a Russian scientist and engineer, Georges Lakhovsky, to demonstrate its reality.

All objects in nature, whether mineral, vegetable or animal, are produced and destroyed under the influence of the solar ray and its various modifications. Many of the great buildings, intended for the use of an individual, community or a nation, have caused ruin to the parties concerned. It cannot be said that those buildings which have inflicted loss or ruin to the promoters of the schemes had no good engineering skill bestowed on them. When large sums of money are spent on such undertakings, it is natural to suppose that the best Intellects in the field of engineering had been consulted and the greatest care had been taken in collecting proper materials. If the best heads and the best materials are used. it Is natural to suppose that the results would also be most satisfactory.

On the contrary, we find that some buildings are spared the ruthless hands of time, some others crash very soon; some bring prosperity to the owner while some bring about unhappiness, misery and ultimate destruction. It cannot be an accident that while some buildings are spared the ruthless hands of wild conquerors, others close to them, or forming part and parcel of them, get destroyed under exceptional circumstances. There must surely be some reason for these variations in the ups and downs in the life of a building. The causes for these have to be searched far behind the superficial strata of argument and ordinary conception. The explanation is to be found in the great works on astrology composed by the sages.

If a construction is begun at a time when the strength of the materials is found in plenty - which can be ascertained by the rules of astrology, when the influences which work against the forces of cohesion; adhesion and chemical combination, etc., are counteracted by zodiacal and stellar influences, when the magnetic currents are favourable to the union and permanency of the materials, it is said to prosper long.

There is an important branch of astrology dealing with this absorbing subject under the name of Vastu Sastra and its study is very material to the securing of permanency and prosperity, to the buildings constructed. The mysterious influence of time (Kalapurusha) is well marked. It accounts for the neglect or care of these buildings, their dilapidation or freshness, their occupation by men in power or by owls and other birds of illomen, their being covered up by mounds of earth or sand, and discovered after a long series of future generations to furnish facts and evidences for civilization which have disappeared, for societies which have passed away and for knowledge of construction which was concealed in the Little Heads which planned their commencement.

The combinations of planets at the time of commencement, the position and strength of constellation, the waning and waxing of the ever unsteady Moon, the rising or sinking of the principal designer, and the Luck of the party, who first lays the foundation-stone, hate their own influence 10 exert.

The animal magnetism of the principle man has much to do with the prosperity of the edifice and also his heart and soul with reference to community who are to be profited by the construction. It is not astrology and sheer superstition when a lucky king or governor or president is asked to open an institution, to unveil a statue, to lay the foundation-stone for large buildings, and dig but a bit of earth for the success of the undertaking? These are the legitimate works of the humblest coolies, and if astrology has no hold, if influence of Luck has no place, why on earth do the most enlightened nations invite the luckiest man to open such proceedings?

Laying stones or digging the earth is not the legitimate function of any so-called big man. On the other hand, it belongs to the ordinary labourer who is present on the spot. If the most civilised nations of the earth do not believe in such Nonsense as luck and astrology let them not be making themselves fools by resorting to such stupid ceremonies.

People are not frank. They do one thing and preach another. It is better that if they have no belief at all in the science of astrology they may not enact "tom fooleries" on ignorant and superstitious humanity.

The Muhurtham refers to auspicious combination of various planetary influences, and the Worship offered during such occasions before the work is commenced. has special reference to the ave ting of 'evils' which may be in store for the Buildings under question.

Astrology, as applied to engineering, goes under the special name of Vastu Sastra and merits deep study and understanding by modern engineers.

The construction of a house according to astrological works involves four important stages, viz., (1) Laying the foundation, (2) Digging the well, (3) Fixing the door-frames, and (4) Entry into the new house. Of the four stages, the first and the last are very important and significant.

Laying the Foundation. - According to ancient astrological savants just as Kalapurusha personifies Time, Vastu Purusha personifies the House. The Vastu Purusha is said to sleep on his left with his head to the East during the months of Bhadrapada, Aswayuja and Kartika (August to October); with his head to the South during Margasira. Pushya and Magha (November to February); with his head to the West during.Phalguna, Chaitra and Vaisakha (February to May) and with his head to the North during Jyeshta, Ashadha and Sravana (May to August). No building should be erected on the ground covered by his head, his legs, his hands and his back. as it is said to prove fatal to the father, wife and children respectively and cause fear of thieves. The most suitable section would be the ground covered by the stomach of Vastu Purusha as it gives rise to plenty and prosperity.

No house-building should be commenced in the lunar months of Jyeshta, Ashadha, Bhadrapada, Aswayuja, Margasira, Pushya and Phalguna as they connote respectively death, destruction, disease, quarrels and misunderstandings, loss of wealth, incendiarism and physical danger The lunar months of Chaitra, Vaisakha, Sravana, Kartika and Magha are the best. The Sun should occupy fixed signs or at least movable signs but no building work should be undertaken when the Sun is in common signs.

Rohirii, Mrigasira, Chitta, Hasta, Jyeshta, Uttara, Uttarashadha and Sravana are the best constellations to lay the foundation,

Swati, Pushya, Anuradha, Aswini, Satabhisha, Uttarabhadra and Revati are ordinary or middling while the remaining twelve asterisms should invariably be avoided.

All odd tithis (lunar days) except the 9th are good. Of the even tithis the 2nd, 6th and 10th are auspicious. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are the best, Even Monday should be rejected when the Moon is waning. Sunday and Saturday are approved by some but in our opinion Saturday should be rejected as it connots frequent thefts. Sunday should also be avoided unless the day is otherwise very auspicious.

Fixed signs are the best. Movable signs, should be rejected. Common signs may he preferred provided they are occupied by strong benefics. In movable signs and fixed navamsas can also be considered in cases of urgency, subject to the satisfactory disposition of other astrological factors. The rising sign, at the time of laying the foundation should be highly fortified by the disposition of malefics in 3rd, 6th and 11th houses and benefics in kendras and trines. The 8th house should be vacant and in no case should it have the aspect of malefic planet.

The following are some of the special combinations recommended as highly propitious by aincient astrological writers for laying the foundation so that the house could last long and ensure happiness and prosperity to the owner as well as the tenant.

Foundation is to be laid in Cancer, the superstructure erected in Gemini or Virgo and the roofing done in Taurus or Libra. The house becomes, fire-proof. A house built when Jupiter or Venus is in Lagna, end the Sun exactly on the meridian or at the western horizon, is supposed to last for at least one hundred years.

When the 10th house is occupied by the Moon, the 4th by Jupiter and the 11 th by Mars and Saturn, the house will remain undestroyed for at least 80 years.

Jupiter in Lagna, Mercury in the 7th, Saturn in the 3rd, the Sun and Venus in the 6th, the house will stand for a century.

Mercury occupying Lagna, Jupiter the 7th and the Moon the 10th indicate similar stability.

Varahamihira suggests that after finishing the puja, the first foundation - stone shall be laid on the north-eastern corner of the site.

Fixing the Door - Frame. - The Hindus attach special significance to the fixing of door-frames. Even today the so-called educated man publicly scoffing at astrology stealthily consults an astrologer in private, and gets an auspicious time for fixing door-frames. Probably the door-frames have the peculiarity of attracting the best electric and magnetic forces from the atmosphere. Then fixed in auspicious times - times at which the different planetary bodies would be so disposed as to concentrate the maximum of benefic influence. The door-frame should always be fixed at a time when the rising sign is a fixed one. Rohini, Mrigasira, Uttara, Chitta, Anuradha, Uttarashadha, Uttarabhadra and Revati may be elected. The tithi (lunar day), asterism, the day and the rising sign should all be carefully selected, for the moment of fixing the door-frame has an important bearing upon the prosperity of the master. The doors, etc., maybe furnished on Wednesday or Friday ruled by any beneficial lunar day, a common sign and any of the following constellations, viz., Aswini, Pushya, Nasta, Rohini, Uttara, Uttarashadha and Uttarabhadra.

The durability or duration of a dwelling house in a state of prosperity should be determined from the moment at which the foundation-stone is laid. Foundations laid under the following combinations assure prosperity and a long life for the house to be constructed.

(1) From the Lagna, the Moon should be in the 10th; Jupiter in the 14th and Mars and Saturn in the 11th. (2) Jupiter in Lagna, Mercury in the 7th, Saturn in the 3rd, the Sun in the 6th and Venus in the 4th. (3) The rising sign should be occupied by Venus, the 10th house by Mercury, any kendra by Jupiter and the 11th by the Sun. (4) The Moon in the rising sign, Jupiter in the 7th and Mercury in the 10th. (5) Venus in the 10th, Jupiter in the 7th and Mercury in Lagna - which should be a fixed sign. (6) Jupiter in Lagna (fixed) Mercury in the 7th and the Moon in the 10th.

Any of the above planetary positions at the moment of laying the foundation will establish the building in prosperity for a long number of years.

Jupiter in combination with Rohini, Mrigasira, Aslesha, Uttara. Poorvashadha, Uttarashadha, Sravana and Uttarabhadra, on a Thursday forms what is known as Rajayoga and this is considered very fortunate for starting the construction of a house.

Digging Wells. - The object of sinking a well is to get a perpetual supply of clean and healthy drinking water. Varahamihira deals exclusively with the topic of divining the presence of water by reference to the growth of certain types of vegetation. The water falling from the clouds is soaked into the earth and according to internal conditions, runs into different channels. These channels of water are what are called under-currents. The type of vegetation present in the soil is said to give a clue to the distance of these under-currents from the ground level. For instance, Varahamihira says that if one sees a Vetasa (Calamus viminalis) plant in a waterless tract, one can find water by digging the ground at a distance of 3 cubits to the west of it, half a purusa (about 3 1/2, feet) below the earth. These can be easily tested by our water-diviners before condemning them as antiquated or superstitious. Soil conditions are influenced by climatic factors which in their turn have reference to planetary radiations. Therefore when wells are dug under favourable planetary conditions, a plentiful supply of water is expected without much expense.

Revati, Uttarabhadra, Hasta, Anuradha, Makha, Sravana, Rohini and Pushyami are favourable for digging wells. The rising sign should be Pisces, Cancer or Capricorn. Aquarius and Taurus will not give a good supply of water. Venus and the Moon should be in kepdras. If the digging operation is begun in the sign occupied by the Sun, delay will be caused on account of the presence of hard-rock. An abundant supply of sweet water is indicated when the Moon or Venus is in a quadrant identical with a full watery sign. Venus and Moon are watery planets, while Cancer, Capricorn and Pisces (full) are watery signs.

Entering a New House. - If the house, which one has built, is calculated to give happiness to the family, one must take proper astrological counsel in entering it under a propitious moment. Soon after the eventful day - the day on which one's house is first occupied - if per chance something untoward happens, he will not only be heckled sarcastically by the family members, but his; pride of possession disappears and he feels life not worth living though his sense of vanity would not allow him to own his short-sightedness.

Entering new houses will be a matter of great importance as the results produced by the local magnetic and electrical currents at the time of the entry of the family into it, may leave upon its members very far-reaching influences for good or bad. There is no mythology or superstition here. All human actions are productive of electrical currents.

"Vastu refers to the form of construction of the house, and the energies or forces called into existence by the arrangements made and the materials used in the construction. The subtle chemical results, effected by the conjunction of various materials, though not seen by the naked, eye, are still there and any evil tendencies they may have, to produce danger, disease, or death to the occupants, must be very sensibly and dexterously neutralised or counteracted. Therefore the astrological works lay down certain principles and they are explained in the Mantra Shastra, where the processes by which those evil influences are averted are detailed at great length."*

* The Astrological Mirror by Prof. B. Suryanarain Rao.

New houses should be entered when the Sun is in Uttarayana, and when Jupiter and Venus are strongly disposed, after necessary worships and Bhootabali.

"Then term Bhootas is generally applied to represent the influences of the earth, fire, water. Sky and air and the various compounds called into existence by their union. When special classes of materials and life beings - including men and cattle - were absent from a particular plot or piece of ground the influences of the Bhootas (forces or energies) were naturally working in their own inscrutable ways.

"But the advent of new forms of energies or forces will certainly have their own influences and if the first set of Maha-Bhootas are found to be inimicable to the second set of forces, which are brought upon them for safety and prosperity, it becomes the duty of intelligent beings like men, to study the first set of physical and spiritual energies which had their permanent abode in them, so that the second set may not suffer from the "frowns" of the first set, and thus, have the very same objects defeated for gaining which men spent so much money, time and mental labour. Bhootabali therefore will be the special sacrifices which are enjoined upon men to offer to the Bhootas (forces) in the new house before they enter into the same and seek safety under its roof."

The lunar months of Vaisakha, Jyeshta, Magha and Phalguna are the best while Kartika and Margasira are neutral or middling. The most auspicious lunar days are the first of the dark fortnight, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th and 13th of the bright half.

Rohini, Mrigasira, Uttarashada, Chitta and Uttarabhadra are the best constellations. Anuradha and Revati are also permissible. The other constellations should be rejected.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are auspicious. Saturday is also recommended by some Muhurtha writers, but there is risk of frequent thefts.

The Lagna or the ascendant should be a fixed sign. Common signs are ordinary white movable signs should be generally avoided. Provided, however, the Navamsa Lagna is Taurus, a movable sign may be selected. The 8th house from the Lagna should be vacant.

Malefics should be disposed in Upachayas, benefics should fortify quadrants, the Moon must be strongly disposed and the rising sign should preferably be owned by Jupiter or Venus. When entry into a new house is effected under such a combination, prosperity and long fife are said to be conferred on the person concerned. Griha Pravesam. done in one's own Janma Rasi. Janma Nakshatra or Janma Lagna, will produce highly beneficial results

Griha Pravesam should not be done when the wife is in advanced pregnancy (above 6 months).

Buying Lands for Buildings. - The best asterisms for buying a land are Aswini, Rohini, Mrigasira, Punarvasu, Pushyami, Uttara, Hasta, Swati, Anuradha, Uttarashadha, Sravana, Dharushta, Satabhisha and Uttarabhadra. Riktha tithis must be scrupulously avoided. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday are good.

It would be better if the lord of the weekday concerned occupies the Lagna at the time of the transaction. Some ancient astrological works recommend Tuesday also as suitable. But in our humble view, Tuesday should be rejected.

At the time of making the final negotiations, let preferably a fixed sign rise and let Jupiter occupy a kendra or trikona. Mars should be placed in the 11th house and he should not be in Lagna. The lords of Lagna and the 7th should be harmoniously disposed. Avoid the 11th lord in the 12th.

The land can be taken possession of when the Lagna and Navamsa are occupied by the Sun and Ketu. When these planets are together in Lagna or Navamsa, the land is supposed to remain with the purchaser, permanently.

Buying Houses. - As usual Nanda* thithis ate favourable. New and old houses can be purchased on Thurs- days and Fridays. The auspicious constellations are Mrigasira, Aslesha, Makha, Pubba, Visakha, Moota, Punarvasu and Revati. Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Libra and Scorpio are the best signs. Malefics should be avoided in the 7th house, as they may cause trouble and annoyance. Mars should not be in Lagna.

* See appendix for explanation.

Repairing Houses. - Do not commence repairs on Tuesdays. Friday at a moment when Lagna is Taurus or Libra and Monday when Cancer is rising are very suitable for beginning repairs. The Lagna must be occupied by a benefic and the Moon should be in an aquatic sign. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday are the best.

Walls can be whitewashed on Monday, Wednesday. Thursday and Friday. As usual, inauspicious lunar days and fiery, constellations should be avoided.

No repairs should be started under the constellations of Krittika, Makha. Pushyami, Pubba, Hasta, Moola and Revati when Mars is transiting these constellations.

The most ideal combination either for laying the foundation or for entering houses or for buying and selling property is a Thursday identical with the presence of Jupiter in the following constellations:

Rohini, Mrigasira, Aslesha, Uttara, Poorvashadha, Uttarashadha, Sravana and Uttarabhadra.

Dismantling Buildings. - When you want to pull down a house, see that it is done on a day ruled by a fiery constellation preferably when the rising sign is movable. Then the Moon should be waning. Mars should be in an Upachaya. Avoid Thursdays, and the 8th, 9th and 30th lunar days.

Removing to Another House. - This can be done when the usual Tarabala and Chandrabala are present, one's birth constellation would be propitious. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are favourable. Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday should be rejected as also Riktha tithis or negative lunar days. If the house is taken for a purpose other than residential, then strengthen the Bhava or house denoting the purpose. Thus if the house is taken for investment purposes, see that the 11th house is strongly disposed. In any case an auspicious lunar day, a favourable constellation and a good weekday are very necessary so that the object in view may be gained.