Land Examination and Pit Investigation

Land Examination and Pit Investigation

Land examination can be done by four methods. Whether the land is auspicious or not can be checked by digging a trench or pit with the length and breadth of the owner's hand, depth followed by filling this pit with the same soil. If the pit needs extra soil, then the land is inauspicious, if the soil is sufficient to fill it upto the level, it is of general type and if the soil goes up the level then the plot is supposed to be very auspicious.

The sacrificial pit and the work of mandapa's construction should be done on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and other auspicious days. The examination should be done by five priests or 'Brahmans'. To confirm the suitability of a land for sacrifice bum any grass or straw followed by digging of pit up to the knees. It's filled full by water and 'Punyah Vachan'. Next day if the land is torn or found with any inauspicious thing, i.e. bone, then the land is not well for sacrifice and will lead to destruction of property and age. The land having pits and trenches, thorns, etc. should be rejected immediately.

The Vastu scientist says, 'Dig a pit of a hand's length, breadth and depth. As the sun set fill it full with water, if the water still remains there till the next morning then it is the sign of good luck and if not it should be taken as in auspicious.

A. EXAMINATION OF LAND :-

I. COLOUR :- The land of black soil, white soil, yellowish, green soil and red soil called Brahman, Vaishya, Kshatriya and Shudra.

II. TASTE :- Put a bit of soil on the tongue and feel the taste. If taste is astringent, honey, sour, etc., its Brahman, Vaishya, Kshatriya and Shudras.

III. STRAW TEST :-The land comprisingkush, darbh (holy gross) and sacrificial plants, denotes Brahmani; red-grass (rnunjor shar) the plant of red flowers and snakes are associated with Kshastriya property, grain and plant with fruits are associated with vaishya; trees, evil plants with all round straws denote shudras.

IV. SMELL :- The smell of soil like honey, blood, ghee, or grain and liquor denotes Brahman, Vaishya, Kshatriya and Shudras.

V. EFFECT OF LAND :-The Brahmani land provides all type of spiritual and divine happiness. Vaishya is associated with property and prosperity. Kshatriya provides kingdom and increases valour and its effects. Shudra is neglected because this increases quarrel and creates skirmishes. Soil with smell of blood, grain, ghee and liquor are appropriate for Brahmana, Vaishya, Kshatriya and Shudra. According to Shastras, smooth and hard soil, irrespective of colour is always well and good.

B. ANOTHER METHOD OF EXAMINATION OF LAND :-

C. EXAMINATION BY SLOPE :-

The slope towards north, east, south and west are auspicious for Brahmana, Vaishya, Kshatriya and Shudra. Brahmanas can build house on the land of all four types of slope. It is good for the rest of varanas to build house in the respective slope.

D. VASTU KNOWLEDGE OF VARAHMIHIR :-

Varahmihir has thought about the four directions in context of four 'varanas,' but 26 types of land has been mentioned in Vastu Shastra which are given below-

GOVITHI-LAND :-- The land having elevation in the west and slope in the east is called Govithi. Such land increases progeny.

JALVITHI-LAND :- The land higher in east and depressed in west is called Jalvithi. It destroys progeny.

YAMVITHI-LAND :-- The land with elevation in north and depression in south is called Yamvithi. It destroys health.

GANAVATHI-LAND :- The Ian, with elevation in south and depression in north provides good health.

BHUTVITHI-LAND :--The land higher in Ishanya-comer (north• east) and down in naishritya (south-west) is called Bhutvithi. It provides pain and sorrow.

NAGVITHI-LAND :- The land elevated in the Agneya (south-east) and down towards Vayaya (north-west) is called Nagvithi. It provides landed properity.

VAISHVANER VASTU LAND :-The land elevated towards Vayavya (north-west) and depressed towards Agneya (south-east) is called Vaishvaner vithi. It destroys the landed property.

DHANVITHI LAND :- This land is down towards Naishvitya and higher towards Ishan. It provides lot of money and property.

PITAMAH VASTU LAND:- The land higher between east and Agneya but down between west and Vayavya is called Pitamah Vastu. It provides happiness to human beings.

SUPATH VASTU LAND :- The land elevated between Agneya and south but down between Vayavya and north is Supath Vastu and is suitable for all types of good activities.

DIRGHAYU VASTU LAND:- The land depressed between north and Ishanya and elevated between Naishritya and south is extremely good and helpful for increasing progeny.

PUNYAK VASTU LAND:- This land is depressed between Ishanya and east and elevated between Naishritya and west. It is fruitful and auspicious for Dwija only (Brahman,Kshatriya and Vaishya).

VASTU LAND :-The land depressed between east and Agneya and clevatoo between vayavya and west is called Apath Vastu. The people living on it are affected by disease.

ROGKAR VASTU LAND:- The land down between Agneya and south and elevated between Vayavya and north is Rogker Vastu. The people living here become unhealthy and attract disease.

ARGAL VASTU LAND:- The land being depressed or lower between Naishritya and ArgaI deteches and washes away the bigger sins.

SHMASHAN VASTU LAND:- The land which is higher between Ishanya and east and depressed between west and Naishritya is cailed Shmashan Vastu. It destroys the family of landowner.

SHYANHK VASTU LAND:- The plot having land depressed in Agneya and higher In Natshritya lshanya and Vayavya causes destruction and death of landowner.

SWAMUKH VASTU LAND:-The land elevated through Ishanya Agncya and west and depressed in Saishritya is cailed Swamukh. This land provides poverty and makes the owner a pauper.

BRAHMA VASTU LAND:- The land elevated throgh Naishritya, Agneya, Ishanya and down in Vayavya is always destructivefor the people.

STHAVAR VASTU LAND :-The land higher in Agneya and lower through Naishritya, Ishanya and Vayavya is called Sthavar Yastu. It is an auspicious land.

STHANDIL VASTU LAND :•The land higher in Naishritya and down in Agneya Vayaavya and lshanya ts called Sthandil Vastu. It is without doubt an auspicious for each person.

SHANDUL VASTU LAND:- The land elevated through Ishanya and depressed through Agneya, Naishritya and Vayavya is inauspicious for every person.

SUSTHAN VASTU LAND :- The land which is elevated through Naishritya and Ishanya and depressed in Vayavya is called Susthan Vastu. It has proved favourable to Brahmans.

SUTAL VASTU LAND :- The land depressed in east direction and elevated in Naishritya Vayavya and west is called the land of Sutal Vastu which is more favourable to Kshastriya.

CHAR VASTU LAND: The land elevated towards north, Ishanya and Vayavya becoming depressed in south is called Char Vastu which is extremely good for Vaishyas.

SHWAMUKH VASTU LAND: The land, being depressed in western direction, but processing high land is Ishanya, east and Agenya, is called Shwamukha Vastu. It is favourable for Shudras.

E. EXAMINATION OF THE LAND THROUGH SURFACE :-

The middle plateau and hard plateau are called Pristha (surface) of the land :

GAJPRISHTH:- The land which is elevated towards south Naishritya, west and vayavya is called Gajprishth. The peoples living there live long and own enough property.

KOORMA PRISHTHA:- The land which is elevated or high in the middle of the plot and is depressed all around is Koormaprishtha which is suitable for residence and strengthens encouragement and provides happiness and property.

DAITYA PRISHTHA :- The land which is high towards Ishanya, east and Agneya and lower towards west is called Daitya Pristha. It does not provide prosperity and loss of wealth and progeny is caused.

NAGPRISHTHA :-The land which is lengthy towards east-west and elevated towards south-east is called Nagprishtha. This land is very inauspicious. It increases enemity at every step, causes loss of wife and children and even death of people living on it.

F. LAND EXAMINATION BY FLOW OF WATER:-

Fill to the full water on the land to be examined. If the water flows towards north, the land is good for Brahmana. Eastward flow of water is favourable to Kshatriya. Southward flow is good for Vaishya and westward flow is best for Shudras.

G. DURING DIGGING THINGS OBTAINED:-

If found termite or python, etc. duringdiggingthenone shouldnot buildresidenceon that plot. If obtained chaff or husk, snake eggs, etc. it gives dying pain. Khappar (tiles) creates quarrel and iron causes death of the owner. Varatica (cowrie) gives trouble and quarrel. Bones, skeleton and hair, etc. weaken the age of plot-owner. Karpas (tom cloth) causes extreme worry. Busnt wood (coal) gives diseases. But cow-horn, shankha (conch-shell) oyster-shell, tortoise are signs of good omen. If stones are found while digging then one gets gold and if bricks are found then prosperity is expected. Copper increases fame and property and coins provide much happiness.

H. EXAMINATION OF LAND ACCORDINGTO TREES:-

The landwhich is having important and worthy roots and creeper with good smell and sweet oil without holes and burrows gives wealth to the owner of land. The land with termite and anthill near the house creates trouble to the house owner. If any deep trench or pit is found near the house, it causes disease of thirst.

Tortoise shape land also destroys the property and wealth. The land is good and alive if plants, trees and grass grows. Otherwise the land should be taken barren and dead. Pakar towards north, Astwath (Pipal) trees towards east, utumbur (gular) towards south, and bar (banyan) towards west of land are supposed to be excellent. Opposite to these trees of pakat Ashwath, utamber,bar in the directionof north, east, south and west, respectively are destructive. If these trees are ill placed, they cause madness, injury from arms and abdominal disease and also causes fear from fire.