Copyright © 1996 by Deepak Bakshi. All rights are reserved.
It is very important that all the documents described in this article are
collected from the client well in advance of starting a Sthapatya ved design.
Jyotish chart of owner
Because Sthapatya Ved design is based on and intends to re-establish the connection between the individual (microcosm) and the universe (macrocosm), it is very important that a Jyotish (vedic astrology) chart is prepared by an experienced Jyotish practitioner. Errors in the Jyotish chart will feed false information back in to the calculations of the Sthapatya Ved design and the resulting design which will not produce the desired benefits for the occupants.
The Jyotish chart must contain the following information:
- Birth time/day/month/year
- Birth place
- Birth Nakshatra(constellation)
- Birth Rasi
- Gane. Prior to consulting Jyotish, it is very important that the birth time is checked for accuracy. An experienced Jyotishi will be able to determine the correct time of birth from significant events in your life. It will help if vedic Architect is well literate in Jyotish knowledge, however as long as an experienced Jyotishi is accessible, one can design a building with Sthapatya veda knowledge.
Site plan
Prior to visiting the site, the vedic architect or designer needs to obtain site plan
of the land. This site plan should include land location, road layout, contour
layout, vegetation, location of pond, river, creek and well. Also location
of mountains, mounds, or slopes, or other natural features that are offsite, yet have an influence on the site. Of course, a north arrow is required, as Sthapatya Ved designs buildings according to such natural influences as the sun’s path.
Information of town
Prior to buying land or deciding to build a house in a city or town, one needs to consult an experience Jyotishi. The Jyotishi should be given the name and location of the town, and the relative location of the land you are considering. He should also be provided with the approximate “date of birth” of the town (such information is easily available from the local library or town hall). The Jyotishi will compare your personal Jyotish chart with that of the town, to see if it will be an appropriate move for you. If your moving there creates a good influence for you, you may then actually begin the process of purchasing, designing, and building.
Physical relationship of land with immediate surroundings
Selection of land is a very important aspect according to Sthapatya Ved. Once
you find land in an area that you would like to live in, you should check the surrounding area for negative and postive influences
Some influences which should be avoided:
- cemetery in a one mile radius
- hospital
- industry
- prison building
- police station
- electrical power station within approximately 1000ft, or high voltage
- electrical line
Some positive influences:
- school, church, temple, or religious building within one mile radius natural beauty such as parks or preserves
- clean water features (lake, river, pond, etc)
Copyright © 1996 by Deepak Bakshi. All rights are reserved.
I have been asked by several people for sources of more information on Sthapatya Ved. The best place I know of to find a good collection of original source material is at Motilal Banarsidas, for instance, the Mayamata. I have also read a number of other texts; some that I would recommend are “The Temple in the House: Finding the Sacred in Everyday Architecture” by Anthony Lawlor, and “Mayamata” translated by Bruno Dagens, (can be hard to find). — Bill Christensen