Foundations of Vastu Shastra: Origins, Classical Texts, and Basic Concepts
What this domain tests
This domain checks whether you can place Vastu Vidya in its textual tradition and use its vocabulary precisely. Expect questions on classical authorities, the meaning of vastu and bhumi, and the difference between Vastu and Jyotish.
Core rules and concepts
- Vastu Vidya is traditionally linked with the Sthapatya Veda and the Atharvaveda tradition. It deals with settlements, temples, houses, and furniture.
- Its cosmology uses Purusha and Prakriti, the three gunas, and the panchamahabhuta: earth, water, fire, air, and space.
- Key texts include Mayamatam, attributed to the architect Maya; Manasara, a shilpa compendium; Brihat Samhita, whose Vastu chapter is by Varahamihira; Samarangana Sutradhara by King Bhoja; Rajavallabha; Aparajitaprccha; and Vishvakarma Prakasha.
- Basic terms: vastu (site or building), bhumi (land), dik (direction), mandala (diagram or grid), ayadi (proportional formulas), dosha (defect), and upaya (remedy).
Worked example
A question asks which classical text is attributed to Maya and is a major source for South Indian architecture. The answer is Mayamatam. Maya is the divine architect of the Puranic tradition, and the text bearing his name is distinct from Vishvakarma Prakasha, which is attributed to Vishvakarma. Brihat Samhita is by Varahamihira and is encyclopedic, not a standalone Vastu manual.
Traps that cost marks
Do not call Vastu a branch of astrology; the two are correlated but separate. Do not attribute Mayamatam to Vishvakarma. Do not treat Manasara as the work of a single named author in the same way as Mayamatam. Do not use Vastu Purusha as a synonym for the site; the site is bhumi.