Vaasthu is the only vedic science in which the role of our environment is well defined. The main aim of Vaasthu is to provide us a happy and healthy living place. It is the technique of creating a comfortable living place using all the materials available in nature , which facilitates the fulfillment of one’s karmic mission in any particular birth. The quality of the energy pattern around us depends directly on the balance and harmony between the environment and our place of living. Therefore, the energy of our house should be aligned properly with the habitat in which the it is constructed.
A strict adherence to Vaasthu principles ensures this automatically as Vaasthu deals with the cosmic forces in the universe and their relation to the structure and surroundings in which man lives in. We all know – ‘ Health is Wealth’. ‘A sound mind in a sound body’ is essential for enjoying a long life span. Maintaining good health is thus very important. Only if one is possessing good health one can enjoy and relish his comforts in life.
Otherwise, living itself would be a punishment than a pleasure and death is preferable to chronic suffering from serious or crippling ailments. The science of Vaasthu helps us in designing our living place properly and aligning it well with the environment around us and ensures a prosperous and healthy living . According to Vedic philosophy, all men and matter in the physical world are created out of the Pancha Bhutas.viz., Prithvi, Apa, Tejo, Vayu, akasha. The Physical body of human beings and all its physical activities are also governed by the Pancha Tatwas/Panchabhutas through the ‘Pancha Koshas’ and the ‘Panchendriyas’. Each of these tatwas has a direct link to the Tridoshas i.e.,Vaata, Pitta and Kapha which ultimately govern the status of Health.
In any location where vaasthu is applicable, the concept of panchatatwas/ Pancha bhutas and tridoshas is simultaneously applicable. By knowing the type of Vaasthu Dosha in a house and relating it to the tridosha that is affected, the effect on health can be easily understood. On the same lines, by effecting a change in the Vaasthu alignment in a place , a corresponding change can be expected to take place in the way it affects the health of all people who are living in that house . This principle was adopted and a technique of diagnosing the health problems that may be caused due to the Vaasthu defects in a house was developed by me as a research project for obtaining my Doctorate in Vaasthu. This method of diagnosing health problems through Vaasthu is briefly discussed in this article on Medical Vaasthu. 2. ANALYSIS OF VAASTHU DEFECTS The first step is to identify the Vaasthu defects in the house. In my practice for over a decade, I have found the following three methods of detecting Vaasthu defects to be very effective .
They are: i. The Tatwa-imbalance method ii. The Planetary-Rulership method iii. The Energy-attunement method Using all these methods together has been yielding 100% accuracy for me in predicting the problems faced by the inmates of a house. Let us discuss each of these methods briefly. i. The Tatwa-imbalance method: In this method, the relationship between the tatwa(s) naturally ruling a directional location and the tatwa(s) ruling the utility in the corresponding location in the house is found out and the result is assessed . As we all know, the four angular directions Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and Northwest are ruled by Water, Fire, Earth and Air respectively with the Ether interspersed in all four of them. At cardinal directions there exists a balance between the two tatwas ruling the adjoining angular directions on either side of it. Thus, East is harmonized by Water and Fire, South is harmonized by Fire and Earth, and West is harmonized by Earth and Air while North is harmonized by Air and Water. Also, each and every room/utility in a house is meant for a particular activity/purpose. Based on the purpose, the tatwa(s) predominantly ruling each of these utilities has been identified by me after a deep study .
A representative list is given below for an easy understanding of this article:
Sl. Utility Ruling Tatwa(s)
- Staircase Earth
- Pooja room Ether (akasha)
- Master Bedroom Earth
- Bedroom in West Earth + water
- Bedroom in South Earth + Fire
- Kitchen Fire 7 Toilet Air + water (-ve)
- Well/Borewell/Sump Water
- Septic tank Air+ water(-ve)
- Lift Earth + Fire
After knowing the natural and utilitarian tatwas based on the above principles, their relation- ship is examined and conclusions are drawn based on the following points :
- The presence of inimical tatwas at a point affects very seriously, causing strong negativities.
- Affliction by friendly tawas cause manageable problems of general nature.
- mbalance caused by the influence of more than one tatwa causes mixed results and multiple problems. For example, the location of water in Southeast seriously affects the health of the lady of the house.
While continuosly flowing water causes chronic diseases, stagnant water causes defects in the functioning of some vital organs like Lungs, uterus, etc. In this case, watery tatwa is inimical to Fire, the natural tatwa ruling southeast. This inimical relationship affects very seriously. Similarly, a staircase in Northeast causes some sort of anxiety due to children. In this case, Watery Northeast is contaminated by the Earthy staircase.
The direction Northeast being ruled by Guru, signifying children, affects the portfolio of children. As the tatwas are friendly, the problem persists but may not be very serious. ii. The Planetary-Rulership method: This method is based on the planetary rulership of various directions. East is ruled by Sun, Southeast is ruled by Venus, South is ruled by Mars, Southwest is ruled by Rahu, West is ruled by Saturn, Northwest is ruled by Moon, North is ruled by Mercury and Northeast is ruled by Jupiter and Ketu.
It is first identified whether a particular utility in a directional area in the house is in harmony with the natural significations of the planetary lord of the direction or not and then its effect is assessed. If the utility corresponds to the significations of the planetary lord, then there will be no discord. Otherwise, it would result in problems. The seriousness depends on the scale of afflictions. If the number of afflictions is more, then the problem would be serious; otherwise, not. For example, North – East is Ruled by Jupiter and Ketu. Jupiter signifies Divine grace, higher wisdom, Religiousness, Children,etc. Ketu is Moksha karaka. Hence, the Pooja Room activating Divine influence is to be located in Northeast.
As Guru rules Akaasha Tatwa which engulfs all other tatwas within it, the location of Hall/Living room which is common to all family members can also be located in northeast. Thus, affliction to northeast would affect all the inmates or exclusively children depending upon the utility located in Northeast in that house. Similar examination is to be made in respect of all utilities in various locations in the house for a clear picture of the actual state of affairs prevailing in the house. iii. The Energy-attunement method: An essential feature of Vaasthu is to enhance the life-supporting solar and bio-magnetic energies emenating from East , North and Northeast and to block the harmful infra-red energy ruled by the Southwest quadrant. In this method, compliance to these core principle and alignment of different parts/utilities in a house in resonance with the direction of flow of these energies are analysed and their effects are understood.
In Vaasthu there are many ground rules for properly orienting the house to the energy of its environment. Let us examine some of these rules which are directly based on the influences of various energies available in our environment. For example , let us consider the rules for provision of different openings in the house like Doors, windows, etc. More windows are kept in East, Northeast and Northeast directions. No window is permitted in South, Southwest and West except in South of Southwest and West of Northwest.
The Main door is oriented either to one of the naturally favorable directions like East or North or to the direction favourable to the owner based on his janma nakshatra /nama nakshatra. (Although there are three main conventions adopted in deciding the location of the main door, orienting it to East or North is acceptable in all schools of Vaasthu.) .Vidhisha plots are not considered to be favourable. Not only that. The slope of the land or the roof must be from west to East or from South to North. Otherwise, it must be sloping down from Southwest corner to Northeast corner. In either case, it must be a smooth gradient and stepped gradient is not preferred as they same would introduce unwanted additional corners which are deemed to be sources of negative energy. Even the thickness of walls and height of compound walls is regulated in Vaasthu. All these above mentioned rules are based on the simple reason that the Morning sun rays are good for our health.
According to modern science, they carry vitamins. The ultra-violet rays received from northeast at sunrise are capable of killing the germs. But, the rays of sun become hotter and hotter as the day progresses and at mid-day its energy is at its peak. Afternoon sun rays are said to emit infra-red rays which are harmful to plant and animal life. Hence, afternoon sun rays are considered as harmful. Therefore, the house we construct should be designed in such a way that there are more windows, doors and all sources of ventilation in eastern side to let-in as much energy as possible during morning times and in order to shield the afternoon rays very less windows and more walls western side. Also, the Magentic energy of the earth originates from North and moves towards south.
Hence, in order to maintain the bio-magentic flux in its natural form and to allow its free passage through the house more open space is left in North and more windows are kept in Northern side than on the south. Besides these, the requirement of off-set around the building , Formula for distribution of weight within the plot/ any room, Roads around the plot, Favourable shapes of plots and buildings, Vaasthu Vedhas, etc are all based on energy orientation requirements only. 3.IDENTIFYING THE DEFECTS CAUSING HEALTH PROBLEMS All Vaasthu defects do not cause only health problems. According to Rajamarthanda, certain shapes of plot/building themselves are potential enough to cause health problems.
They are: 1. If wheel shaped (chakra), it causes poverty and death.
2. Eye disease is caused by a Kettle-drum (Panava) shaped plot/building.
3. Winnowing basket shaped one (Soorpaakara) causes serious diseases.
4. The shape of a Kumbha (pot) causes leprosy (Kushta roga).
According to Ayurveda, the Vedic science dealing with Medicine, health defects are caused in human body due to the imbalance caused in the tridoshas viz., Vata, pitta and Kapha. On the same analogy, in vaasthu also, the defects involving imbalance in panchatatwas results in health problems to the inmates of the house. Thus, the main key for identifying health problems through Vaasthu is detecting the defects causing imbalance in the panchatatwas pertaining to a particular location of the house. The defects caused by other types of improper alignments of materials, etc may or may not cause health problems although it may affect other areas of the lives of the inmates. That means all vaasthu defects will not cause health problems.
For example, consider the effects of location of Kitchen in various directional areas in the house.
- Kitchen in Southeast is in tune with the fiery energy and hence is best suited there.
- Its location in South dislocates the balance between the fiery and earthy tatwas in South. This imbalance increases the influence of fiery energy and hence the earthy element suffers to some extent. As fiery influence is already present in South, this imbalance does not create a total conflict. As a result it only causes some problems with respect to the male child of the house and it need not be health problem.
- Kitchen, if located in Southwest, totally antagonizes the inimical earthy tatwa ruling southwest. Hence, it either causes serious health problems to the owner or fatalistic accidents and wounds.
- Kitchen in West imbalances the harmony between Air and Earth. Air being a friendly tatwa to Fire, this mismatch does not cause health problems .But, the confluence of three different tatwas surely causes a conflict and creates other sorts of problems like misunderstanding between family members, especially with elders.
- Kitchen in Northwest gets located in a friendly Airy tatwa and hence acceptable. But, in this case also, it has been observed that either all the in-mates in the house donot take their food simultaneously or there is some wasteful expenditure in the Kitchen.
- Kitchen in North creates imbalance in the harmonized Air and Water. Air is friendly and water is inimical to fiery Kitchen. The confluence of three tawas creates sserious problems but only in profession and finance and not in health.
- Kitchen in Northeast gets located in an inimical tatwa. Fire struggles to exist with its identity in the pool of water and ultimately gets neutralised. This compromises the fiery influence of the lady of the house as well as all children and creates problems in their health and growth.
- Kitchen in East increases the fiery influence and imbalances the harmony between water and fire in east. As the involved tatwas are inimical in nature, it causes health problems to all the in mates besides seriously affecting the health of owner’s father. This may also cause misunderstandings in the family between the owner and his father.
Kitchen in Brahmasthana ruins the whole family. As could be seen from the above, not all defects cause only health problems. The influence of other types of utilities has to be analysed on the above lines and their effects may be understood. It is my personal observation based on research and practical experience that the tatwa imbalance is the primary cause for creating health problems even in vaasthu.
The physical world being formed out of Pancha tatwas, any artificial effort by man either to neutralise or supersede its influence in any location causes serious health defects. Hence, in every direction, this tatwa influence needs to be maintained properly and any utility should be in harmony with the tatwa(s)-energy ruling that direction. If there is any mismatch, then it causes health problems. Let us discuss another example to further illustrate this point. Southwest is ruled by Earth element. If utilities ruling inimical tawas are located there it would affect the health of the master. Hence, location of Kitchen or Toilet in Southwest is unacceptable. Besides, it is found by experience that location of underground water bodies like well, borewell, sump, septic tank, etc affect the health of the master simultaneously creating negative influence on his status as well. Although water is friendly to Earth, water in southwest affects the earthy Southwest because water is an universal solvent in which almost all earthy materials get dissolved and lose their originality.
Also, if we analyse the dissolution cycle of the panchatatwas, we find that Earth dissolves in to water and loses its independent identity. Many cases in which such under ground water bodies were located in Southwest, it has been observed by me that the owner of the house invariably got affected with B.P. or heart related problems. On the contrary, if an Earthy utility like staircase or store room is located in Northeast corner ruled by Water, it only affects the other characteristics of Northeast like lack of growth, anxiety due to children, etc and does not affect the health of inmates.
But, if northeast is afflicted with a toilet, it affects both the health of inmates and the other areas like lack of growth, problems to children, etc. This is because, the purity of positive water in Northeast is spoiled by the influence of negative water and inimical air ruling the toilet. Similarly, if a kitchen is located in Northeast, it affects the health of inmates, especially the lady of the house. Fiery kitchen affects the watery Northeast being an inimical tatwa. The lady of the house being the main occupant of kichen she gets affected most.
This defect may also affect the health of all the inmates with one or the other problem in health. The influences in other directional areas have to be analysed on similar lines and understood properly. 4. IDENTIFYING AS TO WHOSE HEALTH WILL BE AFFECTED: The person whose health is likely to be affected may be identified as follows: 1. So as to know the health problem or any physical deformity that may be caused to the owner of a house, the afflictions to a particular area in the house is to be first identified. Then, the body part(s) of Vaasthu purusha corresponding to the afflicted direction(s) is/are identified.
According to the classics like Mayamata, there will be disease or deformity in the body part of the owner corresponding to the afflicted body part of the Vaasthu Purusha. This rule is found to be very useful in knowing the health of the owner only. 2. But in actuality, apart from the owner’s health other inmates also get health problems in the same house depending on the doshas. This point was seriously pondered over by me and based on my observations the following method has been devised by me to know as to whose health may be affected in a house. It has been observed by me that each direction in the Vassthu Mandala signifies a particular relationship to the owner of the house.
The following chart, arrived at by me based on my personal research, indicates the relationship ruled by each directional area in a house: Direction Governing Relationships NorthEast All members in the family, Children East Father SouthEast Owner’s Wife ( sometimes, mother or eldest lady also) South Son(s) SouthWest Owner West Daughter (s) NorthWest Mother/Eldest lady/ Eldest daughter/ married daughter North Professional and financial /left arm of the owner Brahmasthana All members in the family The relationship ruled by each direction provides a clue to the identification of the person to whom health problems may be caused in that house. Once the defects are identified and their results are understood, we come to know of the location where a defect capable of causing any health problem is existing in the house. By referring to the above chart the person to whom the health problem may be caused is easily identified. For example, if there is a defect in Brahmasthana which is capable of causing health problems, all members of the family will be affected by it.
The rest of the relationships can be easily known from the above chart. This method has been found to be very effective and has yielded accurate results in almost all the cases. 5. IDENTIFYING THE NATURE OF HEALTH PROBLEM It is possible to clearly establish, with some practice, the nature of the health problem i.e., whether the problem is related to Vata, Pitta or Kapha. The affected tatwas and their relationship with the tatwa of the planetary lord ruling the affected direction indicate the nature of the disease. In order to know this, we must be familiar with the tridoshas ruled by the panchatatwas and also the tatwas ruled by the planets.
The Tatwas ruled by Planets are as follows:
- Sun and Mars rule Pitta dosha or Biliousness caused
- Moon and Venus rule Kapha dosha or coldness
- Mercury rules all three Doshas i.e, Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas
- Jupiter rules vata and pitta doshas
- Saturn rules Vata dosha The Doshas /humours related to Panchatatwas is as follows:
- Fire tatwa causes Pitta Dosha
- Water tatwa causes Kapha Dosha
- Air tatwa causes Vata Dosha
- Earth tatwa causes all three Doshas
- Ether ( Akasha) tatwa causes Vata and Pitta Doshas.
Take for example the location of a small Sump in Southeast. The watery sump neutralizes the fire of the Southeast and creates cold or kapha related complaints in health. If the sump is a very big one, it may cause serious Kapha related health problems like Asthma, Bronchitis, Sinusitis, etc. On the same lines, other influences must be deduced.
6. IDENTIFYING THE POSSIBLE DISEASE(S) In order to identify the possible diseases that may afflict the people living in a house, a thorough knowledge of Ayurveda is also essential besides a sound exposure to Vedic Vaasthu and Astrology. Only with the knowledge of Vaasthu identifying the actual disease is almost impossible. Not only that. The detection of the actual disease is rendered difficult by the factors like multiplicity of afflictions in a house, energy -inter -link between various utilities and various combinations that are possible by the location of different utilities in various directional areas in Vaasthu Mandala. When multiple influences are at work, it would be rather difficult to know only from Vaasthu as to whether a particular area is fully affected or not or whether a particular tatwa influence is totally neutralized or not. For example, consider a house with kitchen located in Southeast quadrant with a bath room situated exactly in Southeast corner along with a boiler for boiling hot water for bathing installed in Southeast corner of the bath room. In this case, fire and water are intermingled in Southeast and it is very difficult to decide whether it is very serious or not. The intuitive ability of the Vaasthu consultant plays a significant role in such cases. However, we would be able to identify the probable disease(s) that may affect the inmates of a house only by a careful and thorough synthesis all the related information such as the area of the room, volume of tatwa (Eg. HotWater in bathroom, waste water in toilet , etc) influencing/handled daily, who frequents that place, the affected direction and its ruling tatwa, the nature (humour) of the affected tatwa, the planetary ruler governing the afflicted area and its tatwa and humour, Relationships of various diseases to the three humours (tridoshas ), etc. Readers are requested to first acquaint themselves with the principles of Ayurveda before attempting this area . The technique of synthesis is illustrated in the following case study.
7. CASE STUDY 1. The plan of the house (an apartment)
2.Description: This is a double bed room apartment, facing west, with its main entry door located in West of Southwest. Both the bedrooms are on northern side and the master bedroom is located in Northwest. There is a bath cum toilet in Northeast. Kitchen is in Southeast but the lady faces south while cooking. Pooja room is in Southwest of kitchen and store is in northwest of kitchen. The Balcony extends fully from Northeast to Southeast. The Balcony in east was fully stacked with waste materials like Newspaper, broken furniture, etc.
3. Diagnosis of health problem: Step 01: Identifying the Vaasthu defects in the apartment As already discussed , this is done in the following 3 ways. a) The Tatwa Imbalance method : Fiery kitchen is located in the fiery quadrant (SE). Earthy master bedroom is located in the airy quadrant (NW). Toilet ruled by air and negative water is located in watery quadrant (NE). Second bedroom being used by son, signified by earth and fire, is located in harmonized air and water (N). The washbasin in exact Southeast corner of the kitchen adds negativity by neutralizing the fiery tatwa of kitchen. Pooja room (akasha tatwa) is located in South (fire+ earth) area.The hall/ living room in Southwest was having very less furniture. The plane mirror in north wall of the living room/hall was not only amplifying the emptiness of Southwest by reflecting back the light-energy incident on it but also artificially extended that emptiness of the hall to Northwest area as well. As such, the whole of west portion of the house seemed to have become lighter than the other areas in the house. Thus, except kitchen all other rooms are located in areas ruled by opposite tatwas which is defective. b) The Planetary Rulership method: Waste materials are dumped in Eastern side.
East is ruled by Sun who signifies health and growth among other things. As such, activities like bath (physical health), studying (mental heath) and dining (health and Growth of body) are acceptable in east. But, dumping waste materials in east is not acceptable. Waste materials signify negative earth tatwa. The earthy influence disturbs the balance between water and fire elements in East, causing health defects. Sukra the lord of Southeast rules the lady of the house and hence location of kitchen in Southeast is all right. But, the lady facing South while cooking is not acceptable because south is the direction of Yama, the lord of death. The Planet Kuja ruling south also signifies accidents, strength and energy, etc. The lady’s energy and enthusiasm to work in Kitchen would be diminishing over a period of time as long as she continues to face south while cooking.. b) The Energy-attunement method: It is good that the balcony in east allows more of morning sunlight in to the house.
It is good that South side is blocked by walls. North side bedrooms and Notheast toilet disturb the bio-magnetic energy of the house which is not good. The main entrance in West of Southwest not only causes leakage of energy but also allows in to the house the heat and light from west direction which is not good. The leakage of energy through Southwest weakens the material comforts of the inmates, especially the owner . Thus, the Bedrooms in North and Northwest and the living room in Southwest along with the main door in Southwest corner are disturbing the solar and bio-magnetic energy pattern of the house. Step 02: Identifying the defects which cause health problems As already stated, those defects which are caused due to tatwa imbalance will be straight-away affecting the area of health and they are to be first noted separately. Then, each of the other defects noticed in step1 must be examined thoroughly linking them with the following: a) The significations of the planetary lord of the concerned direction. b) The characteristic influence of Ruling Deity (Dikpalaka) of the concerned direction. c) The flow of Solar and bio-magnetic energy flux in the house/plot. On such examination, if it is concluded that any of these defects is capable of causing health problems, then it should also be added to the list separately noted.
In the instant case, the following defects will be causing health problems to the inmates due to tatwa imbalance: 1. Location of Toilet cum bath in Northeast 2. Location of Master bedroom in Northwest 3. Location of Second bedroom in North 4. Location of washbasin in Southeast corner 5. Dump of waste materials in East and East of Northeast. In addition, the following defects have also been identified above. Let us recapitulate them for purpose of enlisting. I. In the kitchen, the lady is facing south while cooking. As the direction is ruled by YAMA the god of death and Planet Kuja which signifies accidents, it is also likely to add the health problem. II.
The dumping of waste materials in East blocks the flow of solar energy in to the house. East being the direction signifying health and growth with Sun as the ruler, it adds to the health problem. The other defects like location of mirror in the hall, Location of Pooja room in South, Leakage of energy through southwest, etc do not cause any negative impact on health. Step 03:Identifying as to whose health is likely to be affected The toilet in Northeast and waste dumped in East causes health problems to all persons living in this apartment.
As the Bedrooms of the master is wrongly located and the lady of the house faces wrong direction while cooking in the kitchen both their health will be affected more than their sons’ although the latter will only suffer from minor difficulties . Step 04: Identifying the type of health problem (i.e., whether the problem is related to Vata, Pitta or Kapha) In the instant case, Toilet in Northeast, waste materials in East and the master bedroom in Northwest are primarily causing the health problems. The tatwa of toilet is Vayu and –ve water predominantly.
The waste materials are ruled by both Earth and Vayu. The location of Master bedroom is in Northwest which is ruled by Vayu . Hence, the health problem will be due to Vayu i.e., Vata related problems. Step 05: Identifying the possible disease(s) As the problem is primarily Vata related, diseases like arthritis, joints-pain, lymphatic troubles, etc are possible. It was confirmed by the client that both the couple had severe arthritis which was causing great difficulties in their mobility. Also, the lady was finding it very difficult even to stand for more than 20 minutes continuously in the kitchen while cooking food.