The Origin of the Vastu-Purusha and the Vastupada Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.6.132.1)

॥ ऋषय ऊचुः ॥ त्वया सूतज तत्रस्थं याज्ञवल्क्यस्य कीर्तितम् ॥ तीर्थं वररुचेश्चैव वैनायक्यं प्रविद्यते

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ tvayā sūtaja tatrasthaṁ yājñavalkyasya kīrtitam tīrthaṁ vararuceścaiva vaināyakyaṁ pravidyate

The sages said: O son of Suta, you have described there the tirtha of Yajnavalkya, and also the Ganesha-tirtha connected with Vararuchi.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.132.2)

कात्यायनस्य न प्रोक्तं किञ्चित्तत्र महामते ॥ किं वा तेन कृतं नैव किं वा ते विस्मृतिं गतम्

kātyāyanasya na proktaṁ kiñcittatra mahāmate kiṁ vā tena kṛtaṁ naiva kiṁ vā te vismṛtiṁ gatam

But, O sage of great understanding, you have said nothing there about Katyayana; did he do nothing, or has it merely slipped your memory?

Verse 3 (skanda.6.132.3)

तस्मादाचक्ष्व नः शीघ्रं यदि किंचिन्महात्मना ॥ क्षेत्रेत्र निर्मितं तीर्थं सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायकम्।

tasmādācakṣva naḥ śīghraṁ yadi kiṁcinmahātmanā kṣetretra nirmitaṁ tīrthaṁ sarvasiddhipradāyakam

Therefore, if that great soul made any tirtha here in this kshetra that bestows every accomplishment, tell us of it quickly.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.132.4)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ तेन वास्तुपदंनाम तत्र तीर्थविनिर्मितम् ॥ कात्यायनेन विप्रेण सर्वकामप्रदं नृणाम्

sūta uvāca tena vāstupadaṁnāma tatra tīrthavinirmitam kātyāyanena vipreṇa sarvakāmapradaṁ nṛṇām

Suta said: That brahmin Katyayana made there a tirtha called Vastupada, which grants every desire of men.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.132.5)

चत्वारिंशत्त्रिभिर्युक्ता देवता यत्र पंच च ॥ पूज्यंते पूजिताश्चापि सिद्धिं यच्छंति तत्क्षणात्

catvāriṁśattribhiryuktā devatā yatra paṁca ca pūjyaṁte pūjitāścāpi siddhiṁ yacchaṁti tatkṣaṇāt

Forty-five deities are established and worshipped there, and once worshipped, they grant accomplishment on the very instant.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.132.6)

॥ ऋषय ऊचुः ॥ कस्मात्ता देवताः सूत पूज्यंते तत्र संस्थिताः ॥ नामतश्च विभागेन कीर्तयस्व पृथक्पृथक्

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kasmāttā devatāḥ sūta pūjyaṁte tatra saṁsthitāḥ nāmataśca vibhāgena kīrtayasva pṛthakpṛthak

The sages said: O Suta, for what reason are those deities established there worshipped? Recount their names and their divisions, each separately.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.132.7)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ पूर्वं किंचिन्महद्भूतं निर्गतं धरणीतलात् ॥ अपूर्वं रौद्रमत्युग्रं कृष्ण दंतं भयानकम्

sūta uvāca pūrvaṁ kiṁcinmahadbhūtaṁ nirgataṁ dharaṇītalāt apūrvaṁ raudramatyugraṁ kṛṣṇa daṁtaṁ bhayānakam

Suta said: Long ago a strange, monstrous being emerged from the surface of the earth — unprecedented, fierce, exceedingly terrible, black-toothed and dreadful.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.132.8)

शंकुकर्णं कृशास्यं च ऊर्ध्वकेशं भयानकम् ॥ देवानां नाशनार्थाय मानुषाणां विशेषतः ॥

śaṁkukarṇaṁ kṛśāsyaṁ ca ūrdhvakeśaṁ bhayānakam devānāṁ nāśanārthāya mānuṣāṇāṁ viśeṣataḥ

It had ears like spikes, a gaunt face, hair standing on end, and was fearsome — created for the destruction of the gods, and of men in particular.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.132.9)

आकृष्टं दानवेंद्रेण मंत्रैः शुक्रप्रदर्शितैः ॥ अवध्यं सर्वशस्त्राणामस्त्राणां च विशेषतः

ākṛṣṭaṁ dānaveṁdreṇa maṁtraiḥ śukrapradarśitaiḥ avadhyaṁ sarvaśastrāṇāmastrāṇāṁ ca viśeṣataḥ

It had been drawn forth by the lord of the danavas through mantras revealed by Shukra, and it was invulnerable to all weapons and, in particular, to all missiles.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.132.10)

अथ देवाः समालोक्य तत्तादृक्सुभयावहम् ॥ जघ्नुः शस्त्रैः शितैश्चित्रैः कोपेन महतान्विताः

atha devāḥ samālokya tattādṛksubhayāvaham jaghnuḥ śastraiḥ śitaiścitraiḥ kopena mahatānvitāḥ

Then the gods, seeing that dreadfully fearsome creature, filled with great fury, struck at it with sharp and marvellous weapons.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.132.11)

नैव शेकुस्तदंगेषु प्रहर्तुं यत्नमास्थिताः ॥ भक्ष्यंते केवलं तेन शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः

naiva śekustadaṁgeṣu prahartuṁ yatnamāsthitāḥ bhakṣyaṁte kevalaṁ tena śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

Despite their efforts, they could not strike its limbs at all, and it simply devoured them by the hundreds and thousands.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.132.12)

अथ ते यत्नमास्थाय सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः ॥ ब्रह्माणमग्रतः कृत्वा तद्भूतमभिदुद्रुवुः

atha te yatnamāsthāya sarve devāḥ savāsavāḥ brahmāṇamagrataḥ kṛtvā tadbhūtamabhidudruvuḥ

Then all the gods, together with Vasava (Indra), striving hard and putting Brahma at their head, rushed upon that being.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.132.13)

ततः संगृह्य यत्नेन सर्वगात्रेषु सर्वतः ॥ तच्च पंचगुणैर्देवैः पातितं धरणीतले॥

tataḥ saṁgṛhya yatnena sarvagātreṣu sarvataḥ tacca paṁcaguṇairdevaiḥ pātitaṁ dharaṇītale

Then, seizing all its limbs on every side with great effort, the gods, their strength multiplied fivefold, brought it crashing down to the ground.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.132.14)

उपविष्टास्ततस्तस्य सर्वे भूत्वा समंततः ॥ प्रहारान्संप्रयच्छंति न लगंति च तस्य ते

upaviṣṭāstatastasya sarve bhūtvā samaṁtataḥ prahārānsaṁprayacchaṁti na lagaṁti ca tasya te

Then all of them sat down around it on every side and rained blows upon it, but not one of those blows had any effect on it.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.132.15)

आथर्वणेन सूक्तेन जातं चामृतबिंदुना ॥ तद्भूतं प्रेषितं दैत्यैर्मुंडेन च तदंतिकम्॥

ātharvaṇena sūktena jātaṁ cāmṛtabiṁdunā tadbhūtaṁ preṣitaṁ daityairmuṁḍena ca tadaṁtikam

That being had arisen from an Atharvavedic hymn together with a drop of amrita, and the daityas had sent it into the vicinity of one named Munda.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.132.16)

एवं वर्षसहस्रांतं तत्तथैव व्यवस्थितम्। न मुंचंति भयात्ते तु न हंतुं शक्नुवंति च

evaṁ varṣasahasrāṁtaṁ tattathaiva vyavasthitam na muṁcaṁti bhayātte tu na haṁtuṁ śaknuvaṁti ca

Thus it lay pinned in that same state for a thousand years; the gods, out of fear, could neither release it nor manage to kill it.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.132.17)

तस्योदरे स्थितो ब्रह्मा शक्राद्या अमराश्च ये ॥ चतुर्दिक्षु स्थिताः क्रुद्धा महद्यत्नेन संस्थिताः ॥ ततस्ते दानवाः सर्वे मंत्रं चक्रुः परस्परम्

tasyodare sthito brahmā śakrādyā amarāśca ye caturdikṣu sthitāḥ kruddhā mahadyatnena saṁsthitāḥ tataste dānavāḥ sarve maṁtraṁ cakruḥ parasparam

Brahma remained seated upon its belly, while Indra and the other gods, enraged, stood firm on all four sides with great effort; then all the danavas began to confer among themselves.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.132.18)

अस्य भूतस्य रौद्रस्य शुक्रसृष्टस्य तत्क्षणात् ॥ एक एवात्र निर्दिष्ट उपायो देवसंक्षयः।

asya bhūtasya raudrasya śukrasṛṣṭasya tatkṣaṇāt eka evātra nirdiṣṭa upāyo devasaṁkṣayaḥ

They said: for this fearsome being, created by Shukra, only one course was ever prescribed at once — the destruction of the gods.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.132.19)

ततः शस्त्राणि तीक्ष्णानि दानवास्ते महाबलाः ॥ मुंचंतो विविधान्नादान्समाजग्मुः सहस्रशः

tataḥ śastrāṇi tīkṣṇāni dānavāste mahābalāḥ muṁcaṁto vividhānnādānsamājagmuḥ sahasraśaḥ

Then those mighty danavas, hurling sharp weapons and raising every kind of battle-cry, gathered together by the thousands.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.132.20)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे विष्णुरागतस्तत्र तत्क्षणात् ॥ आह भूतं तदा विष्णुर्वचसा ह्लादयन्निव

etasminnaṁtare viṣṇurāgatastatra tatkṣaṇāt āha bhūtaṁ tadā viṣṇurvacasā hlādayanniva

Meanwhile Vishnu arrived there at that very moment, and, as if soothing the being with his words, he spoke to it.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.132.21)

यो यस्मिन्संस्थितो गात्रे देवस्तव समुद्भवे ॥ तत्र पूजां समादाय तस्मात्त्वां तर्पयिष्यति॥

yo yasminsaṁsthito gātre devastava samudbhave tatra pūjāṁ samādāya tasmāttvāṁ tarpayiṣyati

Whichever god resides upon whatever limb of your body, he, receiving worship there, shall thereby satisfy you.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.132.22)

नैवंविधा तु लोकेऽस्मिन्पूजा देवस्य संस्थिता ॥ कस्यचिद्यादृशी तेऽद्य मया संप्रतिपादिता

naivaṁvidhā tu loke'sminpūjā devasya saṁsthitā kasyacidyādṛśī te'dya mayā saṁpratipāditā

No god in this world has ever before had such worship established for him as this which I have now ordained for you today.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.132.23)

ततस्तेन प्रतिज्ञातमविकल्पेन चेतसा॥ एवं तेऽहं करिष्यामि परं मे वचनं शृणु

tatastena pratijñātamavikalpena cetasā evaṁ te'haṁ kariṣyāmi paraṁ me vacanaṁ śṛṇu

Then it made a vow with an undivided mind: I shall do just as you say, but hear one word of mine also.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.132.24)

यदि कश्चिन्न मे पूजां करिष्यति कदाचन ॥ कथंचिन्मानवः कश्चित्स मे भक्ष्यो भविष्यति

yadi kaścinna me pūjāṁ kariṣyati kadācana kathaṁcinmānavaḥ kaścitsa me bhakṣyo bhaviṣyati

If ever any man fails, by whatever means, to perform my worship, that man shall become my food.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.132.25)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ बाढमित्येव च प्रोक्ते ततो देवेन चक्रिणा ॥ तद्भूतं निश्चलं जातं हर्षेण महतान्वितम्

sūta uvāca bāḍhamityeva ca prokte tato devena cakriṇā tadbhūtaṁ niścalaṁ jātaṁ harṣeṇa mahatānvitam

Suta said: When the discus-bearing god (Vishnu) said, so be it, that being, filled with great joy, became still.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.132.26)

ततो देवाः समुत्थाय तत्त्यक्त्वा शस्त्रपाणयः ॥ जघ्नुश्च निशितैः शस्त्रैः पलायनसमुत्सुकान् ॥ लज्जाहीनान्गतामर्षान्दीनवाक्यप्रजल्पकान्

tato devāḥ samutthāya tattyaktvā śastrapāṇayaḥ jaghnuśca niśitaiḥ śastraiḥ palāyanasamutsukān lajjāhīnāngatāmarṣāndīnavākyaprajalpakān

Then the gods rose up, laid down their weapons against that being, and instead struck down with sharp weapons the danavas, who were now shameless, spent of rage, eager to flee, and babbling piteous words.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.132.27)

ततः स्वस्थः स भूत्वा तु हरिर्दैत्यैर्निपातितैः ॥ प्रोवाच पद्मजं नाम भूतस्यास्य कुरुष्व भोः

tataḥ svasthaḥ sa bhūtvā tu harirdaityairnipātitaiḥ provāca padmajaṁ nāma bhūtasyāsya kuruṣva bhoḥ

Then, at ease once the daityas had been felled, Hari said to lotus-born Brahma: O lord, now arrange matters for this being.

Verse 28 (skanda.6.132.28)

॥ ब्रह्मोवाच ॥ अनेन तव वाक्यस्य प्रोक्तं वाक्यं हरे यतः ॥ वास्त्वेतदिति यस्माच्च तस्माद्वास्तु भविष्यति

brahmovāca anena tava vākyasya proktaṁ vākyaṁ hare yataḥ vāstvetaditi yasmācca tasmādvāstu bhaviṣyati

Brahma said: O Hari, since in reply to your words this one has spoken the word vāstu (dwelling), for that reason it shall become known as Vastu.

Verse 29 (skanda.6.132.29)

एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेश आहूय विश्वकर्मणे ॥ विधानं कथयामास पूजार्थं विस्तरान्वितम्

evamuktvā hṛṣīkeśa āhūya viśvakarmaṇe vidhānaṁ kathayāmāsa pūjārthaṁ vistarānvitam

Having said this, Hrishikesha (Vishnu) summoned Vishvakarma and told him, in full detail, the rite for its worship.

Verse 30 (skanda.6.132.30)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे प्राह याज्ञवल्क्यसुतः सुधीः ॥ विश्वकर्माणमाहूय प्रथमं द्विजसत्तमाः

etasminnaṁtare prāha yājñavalkyasutaḥ sudhīḥ viśvakarmāṇamāhūya prathamaṁ dvijasattamāḥ

Meanwhile, O best of brahmins, the wise son of Yajnavalkya (Katyayana) also, being first to do so, summoned Vishvakarma and spoke.

Verse 31 (skanda.6.132.31)

हाटकेश्वरजे क्षेत्रे ममाश्रमपदं कुरु ॥ अनेनैव विधानेन प्रोक्तेन तु महामते

hāṭakeśvaraje kṣetre mamāśramapadaṁ kuru anenaiva vidhānena proktena tu mahāmate

O great sage, by this very rite which has just now been declared, construct the site of my hermitage in the Hatakeshvara kshetra.

Verse 32 (skanda.6.132.32)

ततोहं सकलं बुद्ध्वा वृद्धिं नेष्यामि भूतले ॥ बालावबोधनार्थाय तस्मादागच्छ सत्वरम्

tatohaṁ sakalaṁ buddhvā vṛddhiṁ neṣyāmi bhūtale bālāvabodhanārthāya tasmādāgaccha satvaram

Then, having learned the whole of it, I shall spread it upon the earth for the instruction of the young; therefore come at once.

Verse 33 (skanda.6.132.33)

ततः संप्रेषयामास तं ब्रह्मापि तदंतिकम् ॥ विश्वकर्माणमाहूय स्वसुतस्य हिते स्थितः

tataḥ saṁpreṣayāmāsa taṁ brahmāpi tadaṁtikam viśvakarmāṇamāhūya svasutasya hite sthitaḥ

Then Brahma too, intent on the welfare of his own son, summoned Vishvakarma and sent him there to him.

Verse 34 (skanda.6.132.34)

विश्वकर्मापि तत्रैत्य वास्तुपूजां यथोदिताम् ॥ चकार ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्तां यादृशीं सकलां ततः

viśvakarmāpi tatraitya vāstupūjāṁ yathoditām cakāra brahmaṇā proktāṁ yādṛśīṁ sakalāṁ tataḥ

Vishvakarma, coming there, then performed the entire Vastu-worship just as it had been declared by Brahma, exactly as prescribed.

Verse 35 (skanda.6.132.35)

कात्यायनोऽपि तां सर्वां दृष्ट्वा चक्रे सहस्रशः ॥ तदा विश्वहितार्थाय शालाकर्मादि पूर्विकाम्

kātyāyano'pi tāṁ sarvāṁ dṛṣṭvā cakre sahasraśaḥ tadā viśvahitārthāya śālākarmādi pūrvikām

Katyayana too, having observed all this, for the welfare of the world, caused that same preliminary rite for house-building and the like to be performed a thousand times over.

Verse 36 (skanda.6.132.36)

एवं वास्तुपदं जातं तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ अस्मिन्क्षेत्रे नरः पापात्स्पृष्टो मुच्येत कर्मणा

evaṁ vāstupadaṁ jātaṁ tasminkṣetre dvijottamāḥ asminkṣetre naraḥ pāpātspṛṣṭo mucyeta karmaṇā

O best of brahmins, thus was Vastupada born in that kshetra; a man touched by sin, in this kshetra, is freed through this rite.

Verse 37 (skanda.6.132.37)

तथा न प्राप्नुयाद्दोषं गृहजातं कथंचन ॥ शिल्पोत्थं कुपदोत्थं च कुवास्तुजमथापि च

tathā na prāpnuyāddoṣaṁ gṛhajātaṁ kathaṁcana śilpotthaṁ kupadotthaṁ ca kuvāstujamathāpi ca

Likewise he never incurs the fault arising from a dwelling, from faulty craftsmanship, from an ill-placed foundation, or from a flawed layout.

Verse 38 (skanda.6.132.38)

वैशाखस्य तृतीयायां शुक्लायां रोहिणीषु च ॥ तत्पदं निहितं तत्र वास्तोस्तेन महात्मना

vaiśākhasya tṛtīyāyāṁ śuklāyāṁ rohiṇīṣu ca tatpadaṁ nihitaṁ tatra vāstostena mahātmanā

On the third day of the bright fortnight of the month Vaishakha, under the Rohini asterism, that great soul established there the seat of Vastu.

Verse 39 (skanda.6.132.39)

तस्मिन्नपि च यः पूजां तेनैव विधिना नरः ॥ तस्य यः कुरुते सम्यक्स भूपत्वमवाप्नुयात्

tasminnapi ca yaḥ pūjāṁ tenaiva vidhinā naraḥ tasya yaḥ kurute samyaksa bhūpatvamavāpnuyāt

And whatever man properly performs worship there by that same rite attains sovereignty.

Verse 40 (skanda.6.132.40)

गृहं दोषान्वितं प्राप्य शिल्पादिभिरुपद्रुतम् ॥ तस्योपसंगमं प्राप्य समृद्धिं याति तद्दिने

gṛhaṁ doṣānvitaṁ prāpya śilpādibhirupadrutam tasyopasaṁgamaṁ prāpya samṛddhiṁ yāti taddine

Even a dwelling beset with faults and afflicted by defects of craftsmanship, once it gains the nearness of that deity, attains prosperity that very day.