Vedic: Vastu Vedha

Dosh-3
By
M.M.Mistry, India.

arlier articles have narrated types of

defects called Vedha and its
interpretations
used
by
the
Shilpacharyas of various treatises. They
have coined the one word terms
Terminology wherein it explains the
meaning of defects that may occur in
design and construction of buildings.
Sanskrit words are self explanatory. This
article is intended to offer analysis of
exceptional rules advocated by our ancient
scholars. These rules are on the basis of
diurnal sun movements and wind
directions during various seasons of the
year.

M. M.Mistry s 71 yrs old & hails from

Baroda, India. He is a graduate in
Architecture from M.S.University, Baroda.
He was Asst. Director in National Buildings
Organization & later promoted to Deputy
Director Designs in same organization.
Took voluntary retirement and joined
Building Materials Technology Promotions
Council, New Delhi as Chief of Planning &
Design. He started learning astrology in
1964 & Vastu from 1974 onwards.

Forty one types of Vedha Dosh and ten

exceptional rules to qualify as good for a
house or a building. These are
recapitulated as under.
i.
The distance of twice the height
being left from door or building
to the Vedha, there occurs no
Vedha Dosh.
ii.
The Vedha falls in diagonal line
of house or a building creates no
Dosh.
iii.
The building and the Vedha is
separated by road or compound
wall or any other wall or fort or
castle, it forms no Vedha Dosh.
iv.
The Vedha if not visible from
the house or building has no
Dosh.

257

v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.

The Vedha happens to be across the river, it does not form part of a Dosh.
The Vedha is not applicable to lower caste.
Dilapidated temple or ancient building or restored house causes no Vedha Dosh.
Silpa Acharya Garga Muni has said Mind and eyes feel satisfied at a first glance,
such Vastu are always innocent
Building devoid of Vastu doctrines, but increases positive feelings in mind and
liked by eyes, it is free from Vastu Dosh.
Sukracharya has observed that Scholars do not appreciate the buildings which do
not conform to Shastriya dimensions. But few scholars feel What so ever house
may be if it is captivating and satisfying, Vastu Dosh should be ignored.

Rule Nos Viii, IX and X are based on aesthetic aspects. Rule no I, is inter linked with ii
which covers height and orientation of building. Rule no iii & iv deals barriers and rule no v
relates to the human eye field of vision. Rule no vi and vii are related to caste and fractured
and repaired old buildings.
Rule no i and ii reveals the insight of our Shilpa Acharyas on solar azimuth and altitude at
different hours of the day. They have determined the distance between building and Vedha
as two heights. To prove the point, examine following table.
SUN AZIMUTH an ALTITUDE
STATIONS ON LATITUDE 23N
SUN
JUNE
MARCH
Hours
AZ
AL
AZ
AL
Rise Set
64 0
90 0
O6 18
68
9
07 17
73
22
96
14
117
08 16
77
35
103 27
124
09 15
80
49
111
41
134
10 14
83
62
124 53
146
11 13
85
76
146 63
162
12 noon
00
9
180 67
180
Source: CLIMATOLOGICAL AND SOLAR DATA FOR INDIA,

DEC
AZ
AL
116 0
04
15
26
35
41
44
C.B.R.I. ROORKEE

Altitude of sun and height of object or building is known, the distance can be worked out
trigonometrically. Tan = H / D [opposite side divided by base]
Hindus consider 60 Ghatis as day length from sunrise to next sunrise, is divided by eight
called eight Prahars starting from local sunrise. Prahar duration is 7 Ghati 30 pala
=approximately 3 hours.
Normally, at 9 am and 3 pm sun altitude varies from 44 to 35 for stations falling between 8
to 35 degrees latitudes for the month of March. On December 22nd at 9 and 15 hours of
morning and evening, before 2nd and after 3rd Prahar, altitude 27 angle tan value is twice
the height. Thus, statement made by ancients hold good. [e.g. D=2H]

258

SUNALTITUDE459am&3pmon22april

SUNaltitude278am&4pm22march

tan?
HOUSE

27
HOUSE/
VEDHA

2H

SUN ALTITUDE AND SHADOW ANGLES

This can also be used to assess the shadow of building or object casting in a well after 2nd and
3rd Prahar of the day. In other words, well should be equal distance to the height of the
building or object.
Housing for king, minister, chief of army and four castes are specified in width to length
Ratios such as length is 1/10, 1/8, 1/6 and more than width dimensions. These ratios have
tan value of 4218; 4136; 4036 and 3836 for Brahmins, Kshatriya, Vaishya and
Sudras having orientation in north, east, south and west direction respectively. However,
door direction for Sudras is west facing, Brahmins north, Kshatriyas east and Vaishyas
should have door facing to south. Plots in east direction controlling fiery signs should have
four numbers of doors facing S, W, N & E; southearthy signs should have no doors on west
wall; westairy signs should have only one door on eastern face wall and in north watery
signs should blank walls on north and west directions.
It is of interest to note the building dimensions are base on azimuth of sun angle within the
range of June to December month at local mean time at 0900 hours.
[Refer: figure below] Some one may question Gandhinagar capital town of Gujarat did not
exist when Vastu Shastra was written. This Latitude is very near to tropic of cancer and
obliquity of ecliptic angle has prompted for selection.

259

20

30
50

60

70
80

Brahmin
1:1.10

6
7

AM

9
11 10

ju ne

Sudra
1:1.25

127

132

134

m ar ch

110

1 10

10 0

100

132

40

80

30

NOO N

20

70

PM

10

60

10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1 80
90

50

10

A LTITU DES

40

0
12

13
0

0
13

Kshatrya
1:1.125

12
0

dec

Vaishya
1:1.66

131

AZIMUTHOFSUN@
9amand3pm134

0
14

0
15

1 60

17 0

180

17 0 1
60

15
0

14

SUNPATH23NLat.
Ghandhinagar[Gujarat]
2315'N7245'E

DIAGONALANGLES
OFPLOTS/HOUSES
FORFOURVARNAS

These are some of the very simple examples. Vedic culture has highly developed knowledge
base in Astronomy, Astrology, Physics, and Mathematics. Together with Arabs and the
Chinese the oriental knowledge base has been supreme, even without the modern
instrumentation of the contemporary science.
Vedha situated in diagonal line of building or plot, does not obstructs the sun light
penetration at sun rise to 2nd Prahar. The azimuth of sun has been deciding factor for size of
plots as well as non Vedhable location of the object.
Walls or barriers creates hindrance and restricts ingress of energy in the building so these
are Vedha. It appears the Vedic scholars have considered road, a distance wall or river are
non obstructive, do not create Vedha Dosh.
Human vision has 60 solid angle and vision length 6x6 means 6 meter is normal clear
vision. Thus, any Vedha beyond the orb of 6 meter 20 feet or 13 Hasta 6 Angula, is
ineffective.
Old or dilapidated, fractured or reconstructed or renovated temple or buildings or structure
have no further renewable, reflectivity or refractivity of energy. Therefore, it appears
ancients have considered as innocent Vastu. It may be noted that the broken, fractured or
damaged icons of God are not worshiped as they have lost their energies/ power.
Minimum width of building is 16 hands =4.8 m particularly for Sudra. Buildings having
width less than 4.8 m Vastu/ Vedha Dosh is not operative. Considering contemporary
4

260

scenario in housing field, low cost housing schemes have plot/building width does not
exceed the stipulations recorded in Vishwakarma Prakash.
Every human being has perceptibility to judge positive and negative energies aspects within
the orbit of Vastu principles. Aesthetics is debatable, to overcome such situations if
individuals inner mind appreciate the work, it has no relevance of Dosh.
Perhaps, readers would be more inquisitive to know the influence of Vedha Dosh on the
occupants. Sages have not advanced any reasons for the effects. The effects of Dosh relate to
owner of the property or some times to aged or children; elders or younger; son or daughter;
male or female relations who happens to be the occupants of the house/property. The
gravity of influence depends on combination of both man made and natural defects
particularly plot and structure. House does not remain the home. Efforts are made to
compile the results of Vedha related to subject from various text books.
Influence of Vedha Dosh Defects on the occupants

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Nature of defects
Plot width too wide
Plot width too narrows
Plot level high/ low
Plot/building Diagonals uneven
Court yard not right angle
Surround ground low/ high
House without verandah
House with more corners
Builtup are in Brahmsthan
Fire/ water in Brahmsthan
Low foundation height
Plinth level different
Plinth height too high/low
Side or rear Common wall
Wall inside or outside tilt
Compound wall high/low
Grills in compound wall
Lattice, small windows
Window size small/big
Base of column/ pillar up/down
Column height low
Columns/ Pillars nos less/more
Loft height too less or more
Entablature high/ low / flat
Main door in middle of Vastu
Tree in front in front of door
Road/entrance on main door
Mud in front of door / gate
Water in front of main door
Well in front of door/ gate

Influence
Separation from spouse
Poverty
Separation from son
Losses due to food poison
Defective eye sight
Loss of progeny
Destruction of children
Food poisoning
Progeny denied
Blindness
Incurable disease
Loss of fame
Losses, no gains
Troubles to brother
Decrease in wealth
Theft fear
Loss of wealth
Loss of status
Fame disturbed
Loss of grand children
End of family
Destruction in Family
Mental worries/agony
Destruction to owner
Longevity of owner in danger
Doubtful character of children
Contagious disease
Restlessness
Losses
Sudden illness / Fits
5

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32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54

Temple in front of house

Pillar in front of door
Doors in mid pada of wall
Opposite door too high
Door in front of door
Deformed shape of door
Door self open
Door self close
Door size large
Door size small
Door tilting out side
Door/window frame thick/thin
Beam/ Truss over mid of door
Doorhead thin/thick
Shadow on building
Shadow in well
Building height more
Building height less
Domes /roofs unequal size
Roof height/slope more
Roof height/slope less
Variable stairs risers/treads size
Uneven courses of wall
Masonry/ashlars joints thick

Destruction to owner
Doubtful reputation of females.
Losses to occupants.
Troubles to occupants
Enmity with brother
Troubles
Worries in mind
Loss of heritance
Fear from king
Danger from thief
Traveling
Stomach ache
Depression
Various ailments
Unhappiness
Debtor
Enmity in family
Deceases
Brain problemsTumors
Family /dynasty vanishes
Short life span
Paralysis
Unstable mind
Instability

rchitectural or constructional defects occurring in structure are some times not

acceptable to eyes. Workmanship defects like uneven plaster, flooring, minor
defects or uneven sizes of elements and components or plumbing heights and
installations are occasionally tolerated by the users. Major defects listed by the ancients can
prevail in the building and are relevant in present day also with insitu concrete or pre cast
concrete or factory made components and elements.
Defects such as lack of precision in workmanship of joinery or joints may lead to weakness
to physical structure. Rishimunis knew the nature of defects. In order to avoid such defects
Vedha Dosh in building, the Shastras merely indicate to us what kind of consequences may
follow in life of occupants. Creation of fear phobia is more effective on the owner and
designers. No need to panic to self or others after reading this. Put it on hammer test and
convey your feed back to the editor for furtherance of knowledge. This will be service to the
VASTULOGY.
[Vedic: Vastu Vedha Dosh1, 2, 3 may be treated as Code of Practice for Building
Construction.]
ETI SUBHAM

262