A temple in your house can connect you to God. Khushdeep Bansal tells you the way to harness this divine energy and awash your home in its ethereal energy
You pray regularly at a temple in your home. You observe all the festivals and fast. Yet, you feel unhappy, and things don’t seem to go your way. Sitting in your puja room, you are puzzled and worried. Why does God not answer your prayersIJ What is wrong hereIJ
The answer is quite simple when you analyse the situation in the light of vastu. Your puja room will bring endless blessings, happiness, calm and prosperity if it is located in the direction where energies are apt to support and strengthen this activity. If your prayers are not getting any perceptible result, then your puja room may be wrongly-placed.
Puja is a set of rituals performed while worshipping gods or goddesses. A God or a Goddess is a deity or particular energy/creative force that guides the soul. When you fold your hands, chant a mantra or light a lamp before a deity, you are performing puja. In the Hindu pantheon particularly, there are many gods and goddesses, and there are different directions and areas in which they reside. Not only deities, but also nature in the form of rocks, trees and other objects are worshipped from time to time. Every piece of matter is energy (shakti), and your home is a composite of varied energies. Therefore, it needs to be understood that deities or energies prefer a particular area in your home. Since these locations are fixed, these deities are best worshipped in their own favoured zones and directions. It, therefore, makes sense to know where you should locate the prayer room.
If you look at the Vastu Purush Mandala, it is clear that the head is located in the topmost area of the chart — the Northeast zone. The head or the mind is where consciousness dwells. This is the devtasthan — the place of the gods. It refers to the divine quality of consciousness that man strives for and attains, if all is well.
That the puja room should be in the Northeast is something we have all heard of and believed in. Northeast is where the gods reside. It is the zone which connects you to the universal consciousness. It is the best place for your prayer room, and will usher in peace, clarity and divine guidance. It is also perfect for meditation. You can place your ishtdevta in this zone. Just being in this space for a while will connect you to your higher self.
Rituals conducted in North-Northeast and East-Northeast aid in cleansing the higher chakras, besides recharging energy and increasing immunity. Radha-Krishna placed in the East-Northeast zone will shower your life with amity and bliss. The Ashwini twins (the divine physicians) are best worshipped in the North-Northeast and will provide you good health. In North, Goddess lakshmi and lord Ganesh can be worshipped. A pleased lakshmi brings wealth and prosperity, and Ganesh removes obstacles. So, an empowered North zone will always be good for you.
The other zone/direction that is commonly used for the puja room is Southeast or agni kon. It is associated with fire and adds the spark that provides strength. This zone is good for pujas, but only for worshipping Goddess Durga. Worshipping other gods/goddesses may cause accidents and fear of losing money. Saraswati’s zone is the West-Southwest, the zone of education and savings. She will help you gain attention and strength.
The South-Southeast zone gives you strength and confidence; no wonder, lord Hanuman has pride of place here. Worship Hanuman here and you will receive his blessings. Southwest is the zone/direction of ancestors and gurus. So, their worship should be conducted here. Your ancestors, lord Buddha, the Sikh Gurus and others, if placed here, will bless you enormously. Northwest is the zone of support, and it may also be used for ancestor worship rituals.
South is a good zone to worship Goddess Kali, but not effective for other types of pujas. Deep meditation is best achieved here. lord Rama, lord Vishnu and Goddess lakshmi preside over the East zone. This is the zone of associations, and a puja performed here brings favours for politicians and those seeking limelight.
East-Southeast is the zone of churning, causing extreme restlessness. It is, therefore, not recommended as a puja zone. However, this zone can be fruitful to a stockbroker. Spending time here can provide insights into a seemingly confused situation. North-Northwest is ideal for tantrik rituals. This is the area of attraction and abundance, so other pujas are not recommended. South-Southwest is also never recommended as a prayer room as it is the zone of waste and deposition. No puja should be performed here or no gods placed here.
Be careful about the placement of religious symbols. See that these are properly placed. Absolute cleanliness is a must wherever there is a puja altar. You can always check the location of your prayer room and placement of gods/goddesses by mapping the directions of your house using a compass. If there appears a mismatch between the real and the ideal location, you can call a vastu consultant and get help. With minor changes or simply relocation of the room, your problem will be taken care of.
Vastu shows the way to use a house space to your best advantage. Make your prayer room in the right direction and be one with your inner self and God. Then, you will experience the bliss.
The writer is a Delhi-based vastu expert