Matsya Purana 253: adhyāyaḥ 253

253.1

gṛhanirmāṇakālavarṇanam.

Sûta said —"I shall now tell you about the different auspicious periods of building a house One should always select an auspicious time to start a building —1

253.2

sūta uvāca.
athātaḥ sampravakṣyāmi gṛhakālavinirṇayam.
yathā kālaṃ śubhaṃ jñātvā sadā bhavanamārabhet .. 253.1

253.3

caitre vyādhimavāpnoti yo gṛhaṃ kārayennaraḥ.
vaiśākhe dhenuratnāni jyaiṣṭhe mṛtyuṃ tathaiva ca .. 253.2

If the foundations of a house be laid in the month of Chaitra, the owner of it gets ill, if in Vaisâkha, he gets cows and gems, if in Jyeṣṭha, he dies, if in Âśâḍha, he gets good servants, gems and domestic animals, if in Śrâvana he gets good servants, if in Bhâdra, he becomes a loser of something, if in Aśvin, he loses his wife, if in Kârtika, he gets wealth, if in Mârgaśîra, he gets plenty of grains and eatables, if in Pauṣa he has a fear of thieves, if in Mâgha he gets good lots of various things but there is a risk of fire also, if in Phâlguna, he begets a son and gold, such is the influence of time, of these different months Now I shall tell you about the influence of different asterisms Aśvinî, Rohinî Mûla, Uttarâṣâḍhâ, Uttarâ Phâlgunî, and Mṛigaśira, Svâtî, Hasta, and Anurâdhâ are said to be the auspicious asterisms.—2 6

253.4

āṣāḍhe bhṛtyaratnāni paśuvargamavāpnuyāt.
śrāvaṇe bhṛtyalābhantu hāniṃ bhādrapade tathā.. 253.3

253.5

patnīnāśo'śivane vindyātkārtike dhanadhānyakam.
mārgaśīrṣe tathā bhaktaṃ pauṣe taskarato bhayam .. 253.4

253.6

lābhañca bahuśo vindyāt agniṃ māghe vinirdiśet.
phālgune kāñcanaṃ putrāniti kālabalaṃ smṛtam .. 253.5

253.7

aśvinī rohiṇīmūlaṃ uttarātrayamaindavam.
svātī hasto'nurādhā ca gṛhārambhe praśasyate .. 253.6

253.8

ādityabhaumavarjyāstu sarve vārāḥ śubhāvāhāḥ.
varjyaṃ vyāghāta śūle ca vyatīpātātigaṇḍayoḥ .. 253.7

Barring Tuesday and Sunday all the other days are said to be auspicious The following are known to be the evil Yogas for building a house, viz, Vyâghâta, Sûla, Vyatipâta Atigaṇḍa The following Yogas are beneficial —Viṣkambha, Gaṇḍa, Parigha and Vajra The following are said to be the best Muhûrtas, viz, Śveta, Maitre, Mâhendra, Gâmdharva, Abhijita, Rohinî, Vairâja and Sâvitra First see that the Sun and Moon are benefic, and fix an auspicious Lagna; then leaving all other work, fix a pillar within the ground This is the rule to start a building, well or tank —7-10 In laying the foundations of a building or digging a tank or well first it is necessary to test the nature of the soil before commencing the operations and lying Vâstua. White earth is lucky for the Brâhmaṇas, red is good for the Kṣatrıyas, yellow earth for the Vaiśyas, and black earth is auspicious for the Śudras. This can be ascertained by digging. The earth tasting sweet is good for the Brâhmaṇas, pungent one is suited for the Kṣhatriyas, the bitter earth is fit for the Vaiśyas and the astringent earth is good for the Sûdras. After the earth is examined a hole is to be dug one foot and a half square and it is to be leeped with cowdung, melted butter is then to be placed on a kuchcha earthen pot and four wicks should be placed in it, one in each direction. If the eastern wick burns more bright than the rest, it means the plot of land is good for the Brâhmaṇas, similarly if the southern wick is more bright, the land is good for the Kṣatrıyas, if the western wick is more bright the land is good for the Vaiśyas the brightness of the northern wicks shows that the land is good for the Sûdras, and if all the four wicks are equally bright the land is good for all the four class of people. Such is the test of the land dugged in one and a quarter cubit of land.—13 16.

253.9

viṣkambhagaṇḍaparigha vajrayogeṣu kārayet.
śvete maitre'tha māhendre gāndharvābhijiti rauhiṇe .. 253.8

253.10

tathā vairājasāvitre muhūrte gṛhamārabhet.
candrādityabalaṃ labdhvā śubhalagnaṃ nirīkṣayet .. 253.9

253.11

stambhocchrayādikartavyamanyattu parivarjayet.
prāsādeṣvevamevaṃ syāt kūpavāpīṣu caiva hi .. 253.10

253.12

pūrvaṃ bhūmiṃ parīkṣeta paścādvāstuṃ prakalpayet.
śvetā raktā tathā pītā kṛṣṇā caivānupūrvaśaḥ. 253.11

253.13

viprādeḥ śasyate bhūmirataḥ kāryyaṃ parīkṣaṇam.
viprāṇāṃ madhurā svādā kaṭukā kṣatriyasya tu .. 253.12

253.14

tiktā kaṣāyā ca tathā vaiśyaśūdreṣu śasyate.
aratnimātrevaigarte svanulipte ca sarvaśaḥ .. 253.13

253.15

ghṛtamāmaśarāvasthaṃ kṛtvā varticatuṣṭayam.
jvālayed bhūparīkṣārthaṃ tatpūrṇaṃ sarvadiṅmukham .. 253.14

253.16

dīptau pūrvādi gṛhṇīyād varṇānāmanupūrvaśaḥ.
vāstuḥ sāmūhiko nāma dīpyate sarvatastu yaḥ .. 253.15

253.17

śubhadaḥ sarvavarṇānāṃ prāsādeṣu gṛheṣu ca.
aratnimātramadhogarte parīkṣyaṃ khātapūraṇe .. 253.16

253.18

adhike śriyamāpnoti nyūne hāniṃ same samam.
phālakṛṣṭe'thavādeśe sarvabījāni vāpayet .. 253.17

The hollow is then to be filled with excavated earth, if the excavated earth be greater than the hollow filled, then the buildings reconstructed on that ground will bring in riches and influence, if the earth be insufficient it means loss and if it be just equal, then the result will be normal. The second test is to get the land ploughed and sown with some seeds, if the seeds sprout and become big in three five or seven days the land should be known to be best, if the sproutings are small, that land is to be avoided, if the sproutings are tolerably high, that land is middling—17-18.

253.19

tripañcasaptarātre ca yatrārohanti tānyapi.
jyeṣṭottamā kaniṣṭhā bhūrvarjanīyatarā sadā .. 253.18

253.20

pañcagavyauṣadhijalaiḥ parīkṣitvā ca secayet.
ekāśīti padaṃ kṛtvā rekhābhiḥ kanakena ca .. 253.19

After thus testing the land one should wash it with Panchagavya and sprinkle with the water of all the medicinal herbs, then lines should be drawn in gold forming 81 squares (a square containing eighty one smaller squares in it). Then the lines should be encircled with a thread dyed in lime or any other mixture of colours. Ten lines should be drawn towards the east, ten towards the north and on the nine divisions on each side 9× 9=81 divisions are known to be 81 feet or rooms of Vâstu Deva (ten lines are to be drawn to have nine divisions within them) and 45 Devas should be worshipped there and out of these 32 Devas should be worshipped outside (the smaller squares lying on the eastern, southern, western and northern sides) and 13 inside. The 32 Devas outside should be worshipped with ghee in the north east (Iśâna) corner. The following are the 32 outside Devas:—(1) Śikhı, (2) Parajanya, (3) Payanta, (4) Indra, (5) Sûrya, (6) Satyâ, (7) Bhrıśa, (8) Âkâśa, (9) Vâyu (10) Pūṣna (11) Vitatha, (12) Grıhaksatı, (13) Yama, (14) Gandharva, (15) Mrıga, (16) Bhṛingarâja, (17) Pitṛıs, (18) Dauvârıka (19) Sugrīva (20) Puṣpa danta (21) Palâdhıpa, (22) Asura (23) Śeṣa (24) Papa, (25) Roga (26) Ahı, (27) Mukhya, (28) Bhallâṭa, (29) Soma, (30) Sarpa, 31) Adıtı, (32) Dıtı, these 32 Devas (31?) are worshipped outside Vâstu in the north-east corner and the following are worshipped inside the Vâstu. Apı, Sâvitrī, Paya Rudra and Brahmâ and the other eight Devas close by. these 13 Devas are worshipped in the nine feet of Vâstu and around Him are eight Devas, the Sadhy as in their respective stations viz, Aryamâ, Savitâ, Vivasvâna, Virudhâdhipa, Mitra, Rajyaksâ, Prithvîdvara, Apavatsa, these are to be worshipped in the eastern side and the five Devas, viz, Âpa, Apavatsa Parajanya, Agni and Diti are to be worshipped in south eastern corner This is the mode of worship of the Devas at several corners Aryamâ, Vivasvâna, Mitra Prithvîdhara, these are worshipped amongst the twenty and on the outside, and on the eastern and southern side are worshipped the Devas presiding over three feet Brahmâ is in the centre of all In such a way 45 Devas are present in Vastu—19 33

253.21

paścātpiṣṭenavālipya sūtreṇāloḍya sarvataḥ.
daśapūrvāyatālekhā daśacaivottarāyatāḥ .. 253.20

253.22

sarvavāstu vibhāgeṣu vijñeyā navakā nava.
ekāśīti padaṃ kṛtvā vāstuvitsarvavāstuṣu .. 253.21

253.23

padasthān pūjayeddevāṃ striṃśatpañcadaśaiva tu.
dvātriṃśadbāhyataḥ pūjyāḥ pūjyāścāntastrayodaśaḥ .. 253.22

253.24

nāmatastān pravakṣyāmi sthānāni ca nibodhata.
īśānakoṇādiṣu tān pūjayeddhaviṣā naraḥ .. 253.23

253.25

śikhīcaivāthaparjanyo jayantaḥ kuliśāyudhaḥ.
sūryyasatyau bhṛśaścaiva ākāśo vāyureva ca.. 253.24

253.26

pūṣā ca vitathaścaiva gṛhakṣatayamāvubhau.
gandharvo bhṛṅgarājaśca mṛgaḥ pitṛgaṇastathā .. 253.25

253.27

dauvāriko'tha sugrīvaḥ puṣpadanto jalādhipaḥ.
asuraḥ soṣapāṇau ca rogo hirmukhya eva ca .. 253.26

253.28

bhallāṭaḥ somasarpau ca aditiśca ditistathā.
bahirdvārtriṃśadete tu tadantastu tataḥ śruṇu .. 253.27

253.29

īśānādi catuṣkoṇa saṃsthitān pūjayed budhaḥ.
āpaścaivātha sāvitro jayorudrastathaiva ca .. 253.28

253.30

madhye navapade brahmā tasyāṣṭau ca samīpagān.
sādhyānekāntarān vidyātpūrvādyānnāmataḥ śruṇu .. 253.29

253.31

aryyamāsavitā caiva vivasvān vibudhādhipaḥ.
mitro'tharājayakṣmā ca tathā pṛthvīdharaḥ smṛtaḥ .. 253.30

253.32

aṣṭamaścāpavatsastu parito brahmaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ.
āpaścaivāpavatsaśca parjjanyo'gnirditistathā .. 253.31

253.33

padikānāntu vargo'yamevaṃ koṇeṣvaśeṣataḥ.
tanmadhye tu bahirviṃśa dvipadāste tu sarvaśaḥ .. 253.32

253.34

aryyamā ca vivasvāṃśca mitraḥ pṛthvīdharastathā.
brahmaṇaḥ parito dikṣu tripadāste tu sarvaśaḥ .. 253.33

253.35

vaṃśānidānīṃ vakṣyāmi ṛjūnapi pṛthak pṛthak.
vāyuṃ yāvattathā rogāt pitṛbhyaḥ śikhinaṃ punaḥ .. 253.34

Now the Vamśas are being stated in due order, viz, from Vâyu to Roga, from Pitṛis to Agni, Mukhya to Bhriśa, Śeṣa to Vitatha, Sugriva to Aditi, Mṛiga to Parjanya, at certain other places from Mṛiga to Jaya is considered one family or Vamśa The smaller squares where the Devas are located are termed Pada Madhya and Sama, they are named also Madhya, Trisula and Konaga These are always to be avoided in the ceremonies Stambhanyâsa and Tulâdividbi (where gifts are made in gold equivalent to the weight of the performer of the ceremonies) The Vâstu is always to be fixed on the lines of Pitṛis and Vaisvânara Impurities (Uchhiṣta) and Upaghâtas, etc, are to be carefully avoided—34 38

253.36

mukhyātbhṛśaṃ tathā śoṣādvitathaṃ yāvadeva tu.
sugrīvādaditiṃ yāvan mṛgātparjanyameva ca .. 253.35

253.37

ete vaṃśāḥ samākhyātāḥ kaviñca jayameva tu.
eteṣāṃ yastusampātaḥ padaṃ madhyaṃ samaṃ tathā .. 253.36

253.38

marmacaitatsamākhyātaṃ triśūlaṃ kopagañca yat.
stambhaṃ nyāseṣu varjyāni tulā vidhiṣu sarvadā .. 253.37

253.39

kīlocchiṣṭopaghātādi varjayed yatnato janaḥ.
sarvatra vāsturnirdiṣṭo pitṛvaiśvānarāyataḥ .. 253.38

253.40

mūrddhanyagniḥ samādiṣṭo mukhe cāpaḥ samāśritaḥ.
pṛthvī dharo'ryamā caiva stanayo stāvadhiṣṭhitau .. 253.39

Agni is on the head of Vâstu, Âpa on the mouth Prithvidhara and Âryamâ on its breast, Âpavatsa on the chest, Diti and Parajanya on the eyes Aditi and Jayambhaka on the ears, Sarpa and Indra on the shoulders, the Sun and the Moon on the two arms Rudra and Râjyaksmâ on the left hand, Sâvitra and Savitâ on the right hand, Vivasvâna and Mitra on the stomach, Pûṣâ and Aryamâ on the wrist Asura and Sesa on the left side, Vitatha and Grahaksata on the right side Yama and Varuna on the thighs, Gandharva and Puṣpadanta on the knees, Sugriva and Bhriśa on the shanks Dauvârika and Mṛiga on the ankles, Jai and Sakra on the organ, manes on the feet, Brahmâ in the heart and on the ninth feet in the centre—39 46

253.41

vakṣasthale cāpavatsaḥ pūjanīyaḥ sadā budhaiḥ.
netrayoditiparjanyau śrotre'ditijayantakau .. 253.40

253.42

sarpendrāvaṃsasaṃsthau tu pūjanīyau prayatnataḥ.
sūryasomādayastadvat bāhvoḥ pañca ca pañca ca .. 253.41

253.43

rudraśca rājayakṣmā ca vāmahaste samāsthitau.
sāvitraḥ savitā tadvaddhastaṃ dakṣiṇamāsthitau .. 253.42

253.44

vivasvānatha mitraśca jaṭhare saṃvyavasthitau.
pūṣā ca pāpayakṣmā ca hastayormaṇibandhane .. 253.43

253.45

tathaivāsuraśeṣau ca vāmapārśvaṃ samāśritau.
pārśvetu dakṣiṇe tadvat vitathaḥ sagṛhakṣataḥ .. 253.44

253.46

ūrvoryamāmbupau jñeyau jānvorgandharvapuṣpakau.
jaṅghayorbhṛgusugrīvau sphiksthau dauvārikau mṛgaḥ .. 253.45

253.47

jayaśakrau tathā meḍhre pādayoḥ pitarastathā.
madhye nava pade brahmā hṛdaye sa tu pūjyate .. 253.46

253.48

catuḥṣaṣṭi pado vāstuḥ prāsāde brahmaṇā smṛtaḥ.
brahmā catuṣpadastatra koṇeṣvardhapadāstathā .. 253.47

Brahmâ has said that Vâstu with 64 feet should be worshipped in the Prâsâda (verandah or outer yards) There Brahmâ is located in the 4 feet or smaller squares in the centre, the Devas with half feet are in the corners the Devas with 1½ feet are in the outer corners, 20 Devas are with 2 feet. Vâstu thus has 64 feet—47-48

253.49

bahiḥ koṇeṣu vāstau tu sārdhāścobhayasaṃsthitāḥ.
viṃśati dvipadāścaiva catuḥṣaṣṭi pade smṛtāḥ .. 253.48

253.50

gṛhārambheṣu kaṇḍūtiḥ svāmyaṅge yatra jāyate.
śalyaṃ tvapanayettatra prāsāde bhavane tathā .. 253.49

At the commencement of a building if the owner feels an itching sensation on his body, it is to be inferred that there is a nail or some foreign matter under the ground And he should remove the nail from the portion of Vâstu in which corresponding part of his own body he feels itching—49 four classes are each 8 hands less respectively The length of all of these is 1¼ of their breadth—15-16

253.51

saśalyaṃ bhayadaṃ yasmādaśalyaṃ śubhadāyakam.
hīnādhikāṃ gatāvāsto sarvathātu vivarjayet .. 253.50

253.52

nagaragrāmadeśeṣu sarvatraivaṃ vivarjayet.
catuḥ śālaṃ triśāla़ñca dviśālaṃ caikaśālakam .
nāmatastān pravakṣyāmi svarūpeṇa dvijottamāḥ .. 253.51