Bhu or the earth is the fundamental Vastu as it is the first of the Pancha Mahabhutas and support of all animate and inanimate objects. Those which emanate from the earth like the Prasadas are the Vastu which are abodes or planned sites. They are also termed as Vastu as they are things which have a concrete existence and established on Vastu (a real existing thing). Vaastu is fundamentally the planned site of a structure. In most cases, the Vaastu is square in shape and its complete name is the Vaastupurushamandala. This term is composed of three words- Vaastu, Purusha and Mandala. Vaastu, as Stella Kramrisch puts it, "is the extent of Existence in its ordered state and is beheld in the likeness of the Purusha."<ref name=":0" /> . The image of the Purusha or Cosmic Man is the same and equivalent to the planned site. Purusha is the Cosmic Man- the point of origin for the entire creation. The Purusha is the instrumental cause (Nimitta Kaarana) of all existence and so is the Purusha the material cause of all existence and all the constituents of creation are made from his substance. The plan of the building or temple resembles the Cosmic Man who is none other than the Supreme One (Uttama Purusha). Mandala denotes any closed polygon. The form of the Vastupurushamandala is square. The Vastupurushamandala underlies all planned Hindu architectural structures. The site plan, ground plan as well as the horizontal and vertical sections of a Hindu structure are monitored by the Vastupurushamandala. The site plan of the temple is prepared in accordance with the Vastupurushamandala. | Bhu or the earth is the fundamental Vastu as it is the first of the Pancha Mahabhutas and support of all animate and inanimate objects. Those which emanate from the earth like the Prasadas are the Vastu which are abodes or planned sites. They are also termed as Vastu as they are things which have a concrete existence and established on Vastu (a real existing thing). Vaastu is fundamentally the planned site of a structure. In most cases, the Vaastu is square in shape and its complete name is the Vaastupurushamandala. This term is composed of three words- Vaastu, Purusha and Mandala. Vaastu, as Stella Kramrisch puts it, "is the extent of Existence in its ordered state and is beheld in the likeness of the Purusha."<ref name=":0" /> . The image of the Purusha or Cosmic Man is the same and equivalent to the planned site. Purusha is the Cosmic Man- the point of origin for the entire creation. The Purusha is the instrumental cause (Nimitta Kaarana) of all existence and so is the Purusha the material cause of all existence and all the constituents of creation are made from his substance. The plan of the building or temple resembles the Cosmic Man who is none other than the Supreme One (Uttama Purusha). Mandala denotes any closed polygon. The form of the Vastupurushamandala is square. The Vastupurushamandala underlies all planned Hindu architectural structures. The site plan, ground plan as well as the horizontal and vertical sections of a Hindu structure are monitored by the Vastupurushamandala. The site plan of the temple is prepared in accordance with the Vastupurushamandala. |