Vastu Shanti Astrology in India

Nowadays, due to fast life and limited spaces, people are unable to build a house by keeping Vastu Shastra in mind. People hold a Vastu shanti pooja to rectify the Vastu Dosha (flaws that may have occurred during construction) in their homes. This Vastu shanti pooja is nothing but a special offering to the Lords residing in the directions of the home and nature's forces and elements. This ensures that the air around the people residing in that home is purified. You should always consult an expert vastu astrologer before conducting the Vastu shanti pooja.

Buying a home to call our own and live there with our loved ones is the most precious moment for almost all of us. Certainly in India people are quite particular about Grah Pravesh and look for an auspicious day as suggested by an astrologer to enter their newly constructed house. It is believed that entering a house on a specified Mahurata will bring in good luck and prosperity for the dwellers.

Not just the auspicious day but a Graha Pravesh puja is also conducted before entering the new house. Vastu experts calculate subha mahurata for this religious ceremony. Certain days like Vasant Panchami, Akshaya Tritiya, Gudi Padwa, Dussehra (also known as Vijayadashmi) are considered auspicious for Griha pravesh pooja. Then there are some inauspicious days like Uttarayana, Adhikmas, Holi and Shraddha Paksha which are not recommended to gain entry in the newly constructed house.

However it is a fun filled occasion but Graha Pravesh also involve a strict set of rituals that must be carefully undertaken. Following are a few Grah pravesh tips:

Before the ceremony

Clean the house thoroughly.
Placing all religious idols in the East facing direction.
The doors and windows everything should be fixed and construction completed. Even the paint along the walls should be dry.

During the ceremony

Enter the house with your right foot forward.
No piece of furniture should be moved around the house during the entire process.

After the ceremony

The house should not be left empty for the first three days just after the proceedings.

Regardless of how grand plans one is making for Grah Pravesh, two ceremonies namely Vastu puja and Vastu Shanti are of utmost importance in the entire proceedings. If these grah pravesh tips are duly followed then prosperity is bound to follow.

As per ancient texts, a house is made up of five elements- the sun, fire, water, earth and air and Vastu creates a balance between these elements to create a blissful environment in and around the house.

Our ancient literature advocates the use of Vastu in each and every sphere of architecture. The conventional Indian system of Vastu Shastra as precisely translated "science of architecture" promotes peace, prosperity, harmony and happiness at the dwelling and working places. It is a scientific research of directions in combination with the five natural elements namely fire, water, earth, air and space. It aims to strike a balance between human world and nature which certainly paves the way for all over bliss. It is an amalgamation of nature with architecture.

Vastu Shastra lays down certain guidelines to facilitate the construction of residential or commercial spaces. The "Panchbhootas" or the five elements are used to relieve the humans of the troubles that may arise in their lives by making alterations in the internal and external structural configurations. Vastu Shastra emphasises Vastu Shanti Puja which purifies homes or offices from any negative energy present due to faults in construction.

What are the benefits of a Vastu Shanti Pooja?

Vastu shanti pooja has many benefits apart from removing faults in construction. There are:

Vastu shanti pooja frees the members in a home from health and wealth issues.
It helps remove the bad effects that may occur because of the incorrect position of the planets.
Improves relationship and bonding between the family members.
It removes the obstacles that might occur in one's career, marriage or other areas of life.
Vastu shanti pooja gifts family with happiness and bliss thereby making their life smooth.
It purifies every corner of the house and makes it a magical place to live.

When can you perform a Vastu Shanti Pooja?

It is not necessary to conduct a Vastu Shanti Puja before every Griha Pravesh. People normally perform a Vastu Shanti Pooja in below circumstances:

Renovation of an old building that can alter the particular structure to make room for a larger area.
Renovation of the home or office.
Scarcity of space and difficulties in complying with the Vedic norms.
When people buy an old home.
When there are faults in the way interiors are arranged in all the rooms.
When it has been ten years or more that the residents have been staying in one home.
Family locks their home for a considerable amount of years, stays away and then comes back.

How to do Vastu Shanti Pooja at home?

Before performing the Vastu Shanti Pooja, one needs to check the muhurat for it. The auspicious tithi and Nakshatra are mandatory to perform the pooja. With the help of a Panchang, one can decide the auspicious muhurat for the pooja. The priest helps perform all the necessary havans and pooja rituals.

Here are the steps involved in performing Vastu Puja:

Decorating the front door of the house with a toran.
Planting a holy tree.
Taking Sankalpa while the priest recites vastu mantras.
Ganesh Pooja
Reciting Vastu Purush story and Vastu Mandal.
Performing Kalasha Sthapana and Nava Graha Pooja.
Varun and Vastu Purush Pooja rituals.
Performing Vastu Purush Yagnya.
Offering Prayer to Vastu Purush and taking resolutions.
Offering grains and flower petals to the Earth.
Sprinkling Gangaajal with mango leaves.
Performing aarti and prasad.
Digging a pit in a corner of the house, putting things used in puja and covering it.

The pooja materials consist of but not limited to coins, kumkum, betel nut, coconut, rice, mango leaves, barley, black sesame, original ghee, panchmeva, five types of sweets, five kinds of fruits, five different flowers.

Vastu Shanti Mantra

Om Vaastoshpate Prati Jaanidyasmaan Swaawesho Anamee Vo Bhavaan Yatve Mahe Pratitanno Jushasva Sahnno Bhav Dvipade Sham Chatushpade Swaahaa.

Meaning of this Vastu Shanti Mantra.

O Vastu Lord! We worship you from our heart. Listen to our prayers and free us from disease and poverty. Also, fulfill our desire for wealth. Auspicious for all family members, animals and Vahnadi living in Vastu area or house.

Which Vastu Shanti Gifts can you give?

There are many accepted gifts that you can give the family who are performing a Vastu shanti puja. These will make the occasion sweeter and also make their homes more vibrant with positivity. They are as follows: