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The Ancient Indian Architectural text Mayamatam

or Manasara of Vastu Sastra
Dr. UDAY DOKRAS
B.Sc., B.A. (Managerial Economics), LL.B., Nagpur University, India
Certificat' en Droit, Queens University, Canada,
MBA CALSTATE, USA,
Ph.D. Stockholm University, Sweden,
Management and Efficacy Consultant, India

SRISHTI DOKRAS
B.Arch. (Institute for Design Education and Architectural Studies) Nagpur India
Visiting Architect, Australia & USA
Consultant - Design and Architecture, EsselworldGorewada International Zoo
Largest Zoo in India

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Throughout the 20 century a wide variety of essays had been written by numerous people.
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Especially at the beginning of the 21 century these essays brought a new light on the subject
of Indian HINDU temple architecture. The idea for this essay is to connect the different
puzzle pieces and to give a short and clear introduction on the system that was used to design
a South Indian temple.

The Hindus were in the position of numerous treatises on architecture and sculpture. These
are collectively called the Silpa Sastra or Vastu Shastra. Only few traces of them remain. How
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much theremay have been is not known. Some say, thirty-two, and others sixty-four.
However there are many works of acknowledged antiquity that talk about thirty-two principal
ones. The origins of the Silpa Sastra remain unknown. Some writers of these texts claim that
the origins were to be found in the Vedic literature.

Vāstu Śastra represents a body of ancient concepts and knowledge to many modern architects, a
guideline but not a rigid code. The square-grid mandala is viewed as a model of organisation, not
as a ground plan. The ancient Vāstu Śastra texts describe functional relations and adaptable
alternate layouts for various rooms or buildings and utilities, but do not mandate a set
compulsory architecture. Sachdev and Tillotson state that the mandala is a guideline, and
employing the mandala concept of Vāstu Śastra does not mean every room or building has to be
square. The basic theme is around core elements of central space, peripheral zones, direction
with respect to sunlight, and relative functions of the spaces.

The pink city Jaipur in Rajasthan was master planned by Rajput king Jai Singh and built by 1727
CE, in part around Vastu Shilpa Sastra principles. Similarly, modern era projects such as the
architect Charles Correa's designed Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya in Ahmedabad, Vidhan
Bhavan in Bhopal, and Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, adapt and apply concepts from the Vastu
Shastra Vidya. In the design of Chandigarh city, Le Corbusier incorporated modern architecture
theories with those of Vastu Shastra.
During the colonial rule period of India, town planning officials of the British Raj did not
consider Vastu Vidya, but largely grafted Islamic Mughal era motifs and designs such as domes
and arches onto Victorian-era style buildings without overall relationship layout. This
movement, known as Indo-Saracenic architecture, is found in chaotically laid out, but externally
grand structures in the form of currently used major railway stations, harbours, tax collection
buildings, and other colonial offices in South Asia.

Vāstu Śastra Vidya was ignored, during colonial era construction, for several reasons. These
texts were viewed by 19th and early 20th century architects as archaic, the literature was
inaccessible being in an ancient language not spoken or read by the architects, and the ancient
texts assumed space to be readily available. In contrast, public projects in the colonial era were
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forced into crowded spaces and local layout constraints, and the ancient Vastu sastra were
viewed with prejudice as superstitious and rigid about a square grid or traditional materials of
construction.  German architect Klaus-Peter Gast states that the principles of Vāstu Śastras is
witnessing a major revival and wide usage in the planning and design of individual homes,
residential complexes, commercial and industrial campuses, and major public projects in India,
along with the use of ancient iconography and mythological art work incorporated into the Vastu
vidya architectures.

Vastu and superstition

The use of Vastu shastra and Vastu consultants in modern home and public projects is
controversial. Some architects, particularly during India's colonial era, considered it arcane and
superstitious. Other architects state that critics have not read the texts and that most of the text is
about flexible design guidelines for space, sunlight, flow and function.

Sanskrit treatises on Architecture; Of the numerous Sanskrit treatises mentioned in ancient

Indian literature, some have been translated in English. Many Agamas, Puranas and Hindu
scriptures include chapters on architecture of temples, homes, villages, towns, fortifications,
streets, shop layout, public wells, public bathing, public halls, gardens, river fronts among other
things. In some cases, the manuscripts are partially lost, some are available only in Tibetan,
Nepalese or South Indian languages, while in others original Sanskrit manuscripts are available
in different parts of India. Some treatises, or books with chapters on Vaastu Shastra include:
1. Manasara
2. Brhat samhita
3. Mayamata
4. Anka sastra
5. Aparajita Vāstu Śastra
6. Maha-agamas (28 books, each with 12 to 75 chapters)
7. Ayadi Lakshana
8. Aramadi Pratishtha Paddhati (includes garden design)
9. Kasyapiya
10. Kupadi Jala Sthana Lakshana
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11. Kshetra Nirmana Vidhi (preparation of land and foundation of buildings including
temples)
12. Gargya samhita (pillars, doors, windows, wall design and architecture)
13. Griha Pithika (types of houses and their construction)
14. Ghattotsarga Suchanika (riverfront and steps architecture)
15. Chakra sastra
16. Jnana ratna kosha
17. Vastu sarani (measurement, ratio and design layouts of objects, particularly buildings)
18. Devalaya Lakshana (treatise on construction of temples)
19. Dhruvadi shodasa gehani (guidelines for arrangement of buildings with respect to each
other for harmony)
20. Nava sastra (36 books, most lost)
21. Agni Purana (Chapters 42 through 55, and 106 - Nagaradi Vastu)
22. Matsya Purana (Chapters 252 through 270)
23. Maya samgraha
24. Prasada kirtana
25. Prasada Lakshana
26. Tachchu sastra (primarily home design for families)
27. Manushyalaya Lakshana (primarily human dwelings)
28. Manushyalaya Chandrika
29. Mantra dipika
30. Mana kathana (measurement principles)
31. Manava vastu lakshana
32. Manasollasa (chapters on house layout, mostly ancient cooking recipes)
33. Raja griha nirmana (architecture and construction principles for royal palaces)
34. Rupa mandana
35. Vastu chakra
36. Vastu tattva
37. Vastu nirnaya
38. Vastu purusha lakshana
39. Vastu prakasa
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40. Vastu pradipa

41. Vastu manjari
42. Vastu mandana
43. Vastu lakshana
44. Vastu vichara
45. Vastu Vidya
46. Vastu vidhi
47. Vastu samgraha
48. Vastu sarvasva
49. Vimana lakshana (tower design)
50. Visvakarma prakasa (home, roads, water tanks and public works architecture)
51. Vaikhanasa
52. Sastra jaladhi ratna
53. Silpa prakasa
54. Silpakala Dipika
55. Silpartha Śastra
56. Sanatkumara Vāstu Śastra
57. Samarangana Sutradhara
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What is now generally accepted is that “In ancient India, all compositions, whether
religious, literary, or legal, were originally memorized and handed down orally from one
generation to another. A particular composition would thus be the intellectual property of
one group of followers of the composer and they preserved and guarded it to prevent its
appropriation by others. This monopoly over a composition gave them a special status in
society, in addition to brining them rich clients. By composing in Sanskrit, the language of
the Gods, the group gained an even higher, almost semi-divine status and were recognized
as ‘Brahmans’.” … “This spurred all other groups of composers and craftsmen who had
hitherto been using popular dialects, to also convert to Sanskrit.”

The intention of these texts was to show that they now had the status of learned Brahmans
and they not only wrote technical, but also gave esoteric, magical, mystical, and
astrological prescriptions to buildings. This included a whole set or rules of dimensions and
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proportions that were considered to make a structure theologically and ritually sound .

There is something curious about the Silpa Sastra. None of the temples researched so far
are built according to these Silpa inscriptions. The reason given why the temples didn’t fit
with the text is because the texts themselves were not meant for other people then their own
family. The number of Silpa texts has thus always been limited. The owner of a text would
certainly follow the inscriptions when he constructed a building for clients, but those
without these texts would copy these buildings but without the esoteric aspects whose very
presence was often unknown and invisible to others. It is thus not surprising that texts
generally do not match reality. In the real world of architectural construction, temples were
built by imitation: one generation copying the predecessor or one rival architect, but always
with some minor modifications to keep client interest alive. That is why temples in each
region show so much a similarity to each other and yet do not match texts.
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There are only a few old works treating the Silpa Sastra. Of which the work Mánasára is
the most perfect one, but also Mayamatam has a great value. These texts were probably
written around 450 till 550 AD. Not a lot of study has been done on these manuscripts or
Indian architecture in general. Till the 1990s only 17 works have been written on the
subject (See table 1). The task of this essay will be to combine the knowledge about Indian
architecture and make it more accessible.

The role of the architect

In the Mánasára it is explained where the architect comes from and what his tasks are. First
you have the architect of the universe. That is Visva-karman and he comes from Siva,
Brahma and Indra. Visva-karman has four faces. The eastern face is called Visva-bhu and
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he is the progenitor of the universe. The southern face is called Visva-vit and he is the
knower of the universe. The northern face is called Visvastha and he is the resident of the
universe. Finally, the western face is called Visva-srastar and he is the creator of the
universe.

From these four faces four children were born. From the eastern face Visva-karma was
born. From the southern face Maya was born, from the northern face Tvashtar was born.
And from the western face Manu was born. All these children then married. Visva-karma
to the daughter of Indra, Maya to the daughter of Surendra, Tvashtar married the daughter
of Vaisravana and Manu married the daughter of Nala.

Each of these couples got one son who is important for the role of the architect. The son of
Visva-karman is called sthapati or master-builder. The son of Maya is known as sutra-
grahin or draftsman. The son of Tvashtar is known as vardhaci or designer. The son of
Manu is called takshaka or carpenter.

Of these four architects the master builder (sthapati) is the most important one. He is the
guide or guru of the other three, but he also needs to have the best knowledge. He needs to
know all the branches of knowledge, knows the Vedas, is deeply learned in the science of
architecture and knows how to direct.

The draftsman (sutra-grahin) also knows the different branches of knowledge, knows the
Vedas and he is an expert in drawing.

The designer (vardhaki) knows the Vedas, has a capability of judging correctly in
architectural matters, and is an expert in the work of painting.

The carpenter (takshaka) knows carpentry well, is sociable, helpful to colleagues, faithful
to his friends and kind in nature. He should study the Vedas.

The Mánasára describes that building-work can nowhere in the world be done without the
help of these four people..

Vastupurusa

For the basis of Hindú architecture often reference is made to Vastupurusa or “the spirit of
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the site”. One legend explains this as follows. There was an evil demigod (bhuta) who was
born during Siva’s fight with the Asur Andhaka. This bhuta possessed a terrifying
countenance and an insatiable hunger. The legend goes that having done great penance, the
bhuta won a boon from Siva that allowed him to swallow the three worlds that constitute
the Hindu cosmos. As this being stretched himself and began to occupy the heavens, he
fell flat on the earth. The various gods and demigods seized this opportunity and pinned
various parts of his body to the ground, rendering him helpless. This being came to be
called Vast (or Vastupurusa) because the gods and demigods managed to lodge themselves
on his body. Legends hold that the deities, in pinning him down, occupied different parts of
his body and continued to reside there (Figure1). In order to satisfy his hunger, Brahma
ordained that he receive offerings from people on building sites before construction.
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The ancient Indian text Mayamatam on Vastu Sastra, written thousands of years ago, explains
the legend of the Vastu Purusha. According to Hindu mythology, in the beginning Brahma the
creator of the Universe, experimented with a new creature. He created a large cosmic man, who
grew rapidly as he began to devour everything in his path to satisfy his insatiable hunger. When
he became unmanageably big so that his shadow fell on the Earth like a permanent eclipse, the
gods Shiva and Vishnu begged Brahma to do something before everything was destroyed by this
Creature. T Brahma realised his mistake and called the Astha Dikapalakas – the Gods of the
eight cardinal directions. Together, they overpowered the monster and held it flat against the
Earth while Brahma jumped on it’s middle. Then the Monster cried  out to Brahma, “You created
me like this. So why am I being punished?” Brahma offered him a compromise and made the
Monster immortal with the boon that he would be worshiped by any mortal that builds a structure
on earth. He was named Vastu Purusha.
 
he body of the Vastupurusa is supposed to be sensitive at a number of points called
marmas. The well-being of the Vastupurusa assures the well-being of the building and, by
implication, its owner. An important criterion for any building, therefore, is to avoid injury
to the marmas located on the body of the Vastupurusa. To ensure that this is achieved, texts
prohibit any direct construction upon the marmas themselves. The marmas are specifically
said to lie at the intersection of major diagonals, seen as the veins (siras or nadis) of the
purusa.
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The system of measurement

In Indian architecture a different measurement system than in the west was used.

Name Description of size

Paramánu The particle perceptible only to the eyes of
the sages, or something like atoms.
8 paramánus = 1 ratharénu Like the grain or dust raised up by the
wheels of carriages.
8 ratharénus = 1 valágra Like the point of a hair

8 valágras = 1 louse

8 lice = grain of yava

3 or 3,5 or 4 yavas = 1 angula Like the finger of the inferior, middle and
superior sorts respectively
12 angulas = 1 vitasti or span

2 vitastis = 1 hasta or cubit = 24 angulas

26 angulas = 1 dhanurgraha Like the handle of a bow

4 hastas = 1 dhanus or danda Like a bow or rod

8 dandas = 1 rajju Like a rope

There are also some very broad descriptions for the dimensions of buildings. All the
buildings may be 24 angulas, but it is better to make them more specified.
Conveyances (yána) and couches (sayana) have to be 24 angulas

Temples (vimána) have to be 25 angulas

Building’s (vástu) in general have to be 26 angulas

Villages have to be 27 angulas

Vastu Shastra gives the directive principles regarding construction of buildings so as not to
displease the Vastu Purusha. These principles are explained with the help of the diagram called
the Vastu Purusha Mandala. 
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Explained here is the Vastu Principle – Vastu Purusha Mandala. The Vastu principle – Vastu
Purusha Mandala is one of the five Vastu Principles which are used as a guide for designing and
planning proportionate, aesthetic and beautiful buildings with the right measurements. Since
Vastu is a science, it is based on logic and reasoning.  
 
Vastu Purusha Mandala: Detailed Explanation
In the diagram we see Vastu Purusha pinned down facing earth with his head in the North-East
direction and leg towards South-West direction.
It was a collective effort of 45 Gods (including Brahma) to pin Vastu Purusha down.

Vastu Purusha Mandala is divided in to 9×9= 81 parts (as shown in the diagram), each part
names the God holding Vastu Purusha down in respective part.There are 32 Gods in outer part
and 13 Gods in inner part.This means that there is presence of different Gods in Vastu Purusha
Mandala and each of these Gods rule different parts of a human life as per their qualities.This is
the reason why while making rooms in a home, we make sure not to offend any deity of that
area.Vastu Shastra lays guidelines and principles to keep all deities happy at all times.

Hence as per vastu shastra if any building is constructed as per Vastu Purusha Mandala then
prosperity prevails in the building and inhabitants are always happy, healthy, wealthy and
satisfied.As humans, depending upon the time, we perform many functions throughout a day.For
example, we sleep at night, get-up in the morning, work in daytime and again go to sleep at
night.Also, we perform all these activities at different locations in a home or any other building,
such as office, workshop etc.We all know that we have 24 hours in a day due to rotation of earth
on its axis and the position of sunlight changes constantly during 24 hours due to this rotation.

Depending upon the position of Sun in relation to earth during a 24 hour period, our ancient
Sages structured various rooms of a home in such a way so that during anytime in a day,
depending upon the location of work, humans get the best rays of sun on them.
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Let’s understand the importance of location of rooms based on direction:-

1. North-East: In morning, from 3:00 am to 6:00 am, Sun is in the North-East part of
house. This patch of time between 3:00 am to 6:00 am is called as Brahma Mahurat and
is best for meditation, yoga, exercise or study. Hence North-East part of a home is best
suited for a pooja/prayer room, living room or even study room.
2. East: The Sun remains from 6:00 am to 9:00 am in East portion of a home, this time is
best to get ready for the day ahead and hence East is best suitable for a bathroom (only
bathroom, not toilet). However, this portion can also be used for living room, unmarried
children’s bedroom, guest bedroom, dining room, pooja room and even study room.
3. South-East: 9:00 am to 12:00 noon is the time when Sun is in the South-East part of
home and this time is best for preparing food and going to job. Hence this location is best
suited to place a kitchen, office or unmarried son’s bedroom in a home.
4. South: The time between 12 noon and 3:00 pm is time to work, during this time the Sun
is in southern portion of a building and hence this location is good for office. In this
portion, the intensity of sunlight is very high and hence South can also be used as a store
room, staircase and even toilets.
5. South-West: Post lunch is the time to rest i.e. from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. During this time
the sun is in South-West portion of a home and hence this location is best for master
bedroom. Also a staircase or strong room can be located here.
6. West: The time between 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm is best time to relax and dine. Thats why
this is the best location to have dining room in a home. One can also use this portion to
locate children’s bedroom, prayer room, study room or a staircase.
7. North-West: The time between 9:00 pm to 12:00 am is the time to relax and sleep.
Hence this location is best suited for a bedroom. However, this portion can also be used
as living room.
8. North: The time between 12:00 am and 3:00 am is the time of secrecy and darkness;
hence this portion of home is best suitable for cash room or strong room. However this
portion is also used as living room or dining room.
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I know, it would be difficult for you to remember each direction along with favorable rooms, but
you can always look at the diagram (even print it) for a handy and detailed reference.

The diagram below helps you to identify the best location for different rooms in home as per
vastu shastra.
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Your next step in learning vastu shastra is understanding of vastu for each portion or room in a
home.

The 8x8 (64) grid Manduka Vastu Purusha Mandala layout for Hindu Temples. It is one of 32 Vastu Purusha Mandala grid
patterns described in Vastu sastras. In this grid structure of symmetry, each concentric layer has significance. ABOVE

The central area in all mandala is the Brahmasthana. Mandala "circle-circumference" or

"completion", is a concentric diagram having spiritual and ritual significance in both Hinduism
and Buddhism. The space occupied by it varies in different mandala – in Pitha (9)
and Upapitha (25) it occupies one square module, in Mahaapitha (16), Ugrapitha (36)
and Manduka (64), four square modules and in Sthandila (49) and Paramasaayika (81), nine
square modules. The Pitha is an amplified Prithvimandala in which, according to some texts, the
central space is occupied by earth. The Sthandila mandala is used in a concentric manner.
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The most important mandala is the Manduka/Chandita Mandala of 64 squares and the

Paramasaayika Mandala of 81 squares. The normal position of the Vastu Purusha (head in the
northeast, legs in the southwest) is as depicted in the Paramasaayika Mandala. However, in the
Manduka Mandala the Vastu Purusha is depicted with the head facing east and the feet facing
west.

It is believed that every piece of a land or a building has a soul of its own and that soul is known
as Vastu Purusha. A site of any shape can be divided using the Pada Vinyasa. Sites are known by
the number of squares. They range from 1x1 to 32x32 (1024) square sites. Examples of mandalas
with the corresponding names of sites include:

 Sakala (1 square) corresponds to Eka-pada (single divided site)

 Pechaka (4 squares) corresponds to Dwi-pada (two divided site)
 Pitha (9 squares) corresponds to Tri-pada (three divided site)
 Mahaapitha (16 squares) corresponds to Chatush-pada (four divided site)
 Upapitha (25 squares) corresponds to Pancha-pada (five divided site)
 Ugrapitha (36 squares) corresponds to Shashtha-pada (six divided site)
 Sthandila (49 squares) corresponds to Sapta-pada (seven divided site)
 Manduka/ Chandita (64 square) corresponds to Ashta-pada (eight divided site)
 Paramasaayika (81 squares) corresponds to Nava-pada (nine divided site)
 Aasana (100 squares) corresponds to Dasa-pada (ten divided site)
 Bhadrmahasan (196 squares) corresponds to Chodah-pada (14 divided sites)