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The vastu purusha mandala is further divided into a grid of equal squares or padas, which are allocated to the appropriate Vedic god, who watches over this specific area of the diagram. Again, the human form is utilized: a pada is about the size of a man's foot. The number of padas inside a vastu purusha mandala may vary from a single pada that would be used to create the blueprint for the Vedic altar to over one thousand padas to create the blueprint for a city. But Brahma always occupies the center of the mandala, sitting on top of vastu purusha's navel, and the orientation of the deities never changes when they appear on a diagram. The actual presence of all the deities or the amount of space allocated to a deity can vary, however, depending on an increase or decrease in the size of the mandala and the number of padas used in the mandala's creation. |
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The order and harmony that govern the particular mandala used to develop a site or construct a building is in direct opposition with the disorder and absence of unity that exists outside the mandala. Beyond the mandala is the realm of chaos. Demons with large fangs, frightening eyes, and disheveled hair are said to live beyond the corners of the intermediate directions and formless gods supposedly float beyond the borders of each cardinal direction. |
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Forty-five deities including Brahma hold vastu purusha to the ground. According to the English translation of Architecture of Manasara, their names are: Isa, Parjanya, Jayanta, Mahendra, Bhanu, Satya, Bhrisa, Antariksha, Agni, Pushan, Vitatha, Griha-kshata, Yama, Gandharva, Bhringa-raja, Mrisa, Pitri, Dauvarika, Sugriva, Pushpadanta, Varuna, Asura, Sosha, Roga, Vayu, Naga, Mukhya, Bhallata, Soma, Mriga, Aditi, Udita, Apavatsya, Apavatsa, |
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