Posted on: 24 Jan 2019
Dr. Nikhil asked: People generally treat astrology to be the subject related to reading horoscopes prepared based on the date and time of a person’s birth. Vāstu Śāstra is treated to be the subject dealing with architecture. Is there a relationship between astrology and Vāstu Śāstra?
Swami replied: Astrology (Jyautisha Shaastra) is the subject dealing with bright planets and stars since jyotiḥ means a bright light. Astrology is said to be a subject consisting of five parts (panchaanga). As per one classification, the five parts of astrology are tithi, vaara, nakshatra, yoga, karana. Tithi is the date as per the lunar calendar. Vaara is the day of the week. Nakshatra is the constellation (star). Yoga is a calculation related to the positions of the sun and the moon and karana is the duration of half a lunar day. These five aspects can be seen in the astrological calendar called panchaanga.
As per another important classification, the five parts of astrology are jaataka, gochara, muhuurta, vaastu, and parihaara. Jaataka means the horoscope prepared based on the date of birth, the time of birth and the place of birth of an individual. Gochara is the horoscope built from the name of the individual applied to the running planetary transits. Muhuurta is an auspicious time calculated. Vaastu is the principles of architecture. Parihaara is the worship of God and doing charity to the poor for pacifying the bad effects rising from the first four parts.
Astrology partly involves astronomy, which is related to the imaginable domain. It is also partly the subject involving the deities of the planets and stars, which is related to the unimaginable domain. Thus, astrology is a mixture of the study of the imaginable and the unimaginable domains. The eclipse of the sun and the moon is an imaginable astronomical event. The points in space where the eclipse occurs are associated with the deities Rahu and Ketu, who deliver the fruits of the bad deeds of souls. The delivery of the fruits of the good and bad deeds of souls is a matter related to the unimaginable domain.
Similarly, Vaastu is also a mixture of architecture, which is related to the imaginable domain and the effects of the stars and planets, which is related to the unimaginable domain. Vaastu says that there should be a beam after a span of twelve feet (Dvaadashapade parighaa). This is an aspect of civil engineering to ensure the strength of the structure. Vaastu says that for any room, the star calculated by Navavarga Ganita should be good. This calculation involves multiplying the carpet area of the room in square yards by eight and then dividing it by twenty-seven (Bham ashta bhaiah). The remainder is noted. Out of the twenty-seven constellations (stars), the one corresponding to the remainder is the relevant star. Vaastu also says that the door of the house should be fixed in the position of a good planet. These points are related to the deities of the stars and planets (jyotih) and are based on the unimaginable domain. Thus, we see that Vaastu is indeed a part of astrology. Paaraasharii, Jaimini Sutraas, Kaalaamrutam etc., are the scriptures of astrology.
A climax devotee of God need not bother about these stars and planets since God is the ultimate controller of the deities of the planets and stars. Even spiritual knowledge, which is the subject of God can be called as astrology (Jyotisha Shaastram). This is because in the Veda, it is said that God is the ultimate brightest light that illuminates these stars and planets and gives power to their deities (Param jyotirupasampadya…, tasya bhaasaa sarvamidam vibhaati).