STORY OF VASTU PURUSH
The story is told in the 16th Purana, the Matsya Purana. The Matsya Purana like the other puranas is vast and comprises of 14 thousand versus and is divided into 291 chapters. This is an attempt on my behalf to tell the story in a much simpler form as recited to me by my astrology and vastu teacher, Sri. Narasimharao Bhamidipati.
Lord Shiva had a son that most of us have not heard about. His name was Andhakasurudu and unlike his father and creator, he was an asura belonging to the rakshas clan. Now, you may wonder why an asura was born to the Father of this cosmos? Here is why – Let’s go back to the story of how Parvathi Devi married lord Shiva. Parvathi Devi was an ordinary human but through her intense penance for 20,000 years and by raising her kundalini, she not only became a divine being but also won the heart of Lord Shiva and became his beloved consort. One day, she playfully and without understanding the complete consequences of it, approached Lord Shiva from behind and shut Lord Shiva’s eyes with her hands. Unless Lord Shiva is in penance or meditation and choses to close his eyes, having his eyes shut like that unexpectedly has consequences as he is the watcher of all creation in this universe. Lord Shiva is startled himself by the gesture and says to Parvathi, “You should not have done this dear” but then it was too late. The result of this innocent and playful gesture by Parvathi Devi, resulted in the birth of a child who is most appropriately named Andhakasurudu because he was born out of the momentary blindness of Lord Shiva. In other words, when Lord Shiva’s vision is hindered is what leads to the creation of asuras like Andhakasurudu. The reference to blindness is also shared in a symbolic sense that Andhakasurudu was born with the kind of blindness that interferes with one’s ability to use proper judgement and to follow ethical and moral ways of life.
As Andhakasurudu grew up, he showed traits of having high material desires as was the norm with any asura. Lord Shiva and Parvathi Devi hoped that he would change as he grew up but that change never came. He even tries to separate Lord Shiva and Parvathi Devi by trying to convince his mother to leave Lord Shiva and flee with him someplace else. Andhakasurudu also secretly learns many skills and starts becoming increasingly dangerous. At this point, Parvathi Devi herself approaches Lord Shiva and requests him to slay Andhakasurudu. Lord Shiva goes to battle with Andhakasurudu. It turns out to be a raging battle and though he ends up slaying Andhakasurudu, during this intense battle, Lord Shiva breaks a sweat from which another asura is born. Now let’s dwell a little deep into why Lord Shiva would break a sweat. Lord Shiva epitomizes balance, tranquility, peace, calmness, and a state of meditativeness. He is the symbol of purity in all of existence. This state of induced anger during his battle with Andhakasurudu has no place in his form and existence therefore must be immediately expelled and excreted out of his form in some way and this is why he breaks a sweat and out comes another asura. It is important to note here that anger or any kind of rakshas traits cannot be contained within Lord Shiva. They are discarded in some way.
Now this new asura that was born from the sweat of Lord Shiva is not evil like Andhakasurudu. He is simply the personification of Lord Shiva’s anger and therefore cannot be destroyed. This asura as he grows up starts performing intense penance and yagnas to please Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva appears in front of him and grants him a boon. The asura asks for a boon to be able to eat or swallow the three worlds. Living up to his reputation of being bholenath, Lord Shiva grants him his boon.
Now the rest of the gods become distressed by what it has come to where this asura is going to swallow all the three worlds. Everyone’s existence was at stake and created a quite a stir. All the gods approach Lord Brahma hoping to find a resolution to this impending problem. Lord Brahma in turn approaches Lord Vishnu with the problem. It is then that the Mayapati (Lord Vishnu), devises a plan and asks Lord Brahma and other devas and asuras to pin down this asura to the earth. The asura was not too happy. He cribbed and complained about his boon not being fulfilled. To please him, Lord Brahma and other gods come to an agreement with the asura. The agreement is that the asura would not harm people who live in structures and dwellings that align with his body and trouble the people whose structures of dwellings do not align with his body. At this point the asura becomes Vastu Purush.
Most of the gods or devas take places towards the upper side of the Vastu Purush’s body with Brahma pinning him down in the stomach area. On the other hand, the asuras take the lower side of the Vastu Purush’s body. This is the amazing story of Vastu Purush. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.