How to learn Vastu Shastra, from the grid to client advice
Vastu is a classical subject with a university department of its own, and also a field full of quick fixes. This guide covers the texts, the courses with their stated terms, and how to advise clients well.
Updated
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Short answer
To learn Vastu Shastra, start with directions, the five elements and the classical site plan: Varahamihira's Brihat Samhita divides the plot into 81 squares, with 32 deities on the outer ring and 13 within 1. Then read Manasara and Mayamata in translation 2,3 and take a course. Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University in Delhi teaches Vastu from a six-month certificate to a PhD 4, and ICAS runs two six-month courses, Vastu Praveena and Vastu Acharya 5,6. Kismo lets you list Vastu as a practice, and remedies there go only through the app's own Remedies section.
Key facts
- Classical grid
- 81 squares: 32 deities on the outer ring, 13 inside, Brahma at the centre 1
- University route
- SLBSNSU, Delhi: certificate, diploma, PG diploma, BA, MA and PhD in Vastushastra 4
- University admission
- Through CUET-UG and CUET-PG 4
- ICAS fees stated
- Rs 800 exam fee per course plus Rs 1,000 life membership; tuition set by each chapter 7
What is Vastu Shastra, and where do its rules come from?
Vastu Shastra is the classical Indian science of building and siting a house, and its rules come from Sanskrit texts on architecture. Varahamihira opens his chapter on house-building by calling it a science handed down from the sages, written for learned astrologers 1.
SLBSNSU's Vastushastra department describes the subject as Sthapatya Veda, an upaveda of the Atharvaveda, which balances earth, water, light, wind and space 4. In Brihat Samhita, the Vastupurusha is a vast being whom the gods pinned face down to the ground, each god holding one part of his body 1.
What should you learn first in Vastu?
The first thing to learn in Vastu is the site plan and its directions, because every later rule refers to them. Brihat Samhita lays out the plan like this 1.
| Element of the plan | What Brihat Samhita, chapter 53, says |
|---|---|
| The grid | 10 lines east to west and 10 north to south make 81 squares 1 |
| The outer ring | 32 deities occupy the 32 outer squares 1 |
| The centre | Brahma holds the nine central squares 1 |
| The Vastupurusha | Lies face down with his head in the north-east 1 |
| A second plan | The plot may instead be divided into 64 squares 1 |
| Marmas | The centres of the squares are vital points, not to be built on with pillars 1 |
Alongside the grid, learn to find directions on a real site. The ICAS syllabus teaches both old methods and modern ones, a magnetic compass and Google Maps 5.
What is a realistic learning path for Vastu?
A realistic Vastu path takes you from principles to land, then to rooms, then to corrections, and ICAS splits it exactly that way across two courses 5,6.
First six months: Vastu Praveena
The five elements, the Vastupurusha and his deities, energy patterns, directions, land selection by slope, shape, T-points and dead ends, shalya, and basic planning of water tanks, basements and stairs 5.
Next six months: Vastu Acharya
Main entrance, brahmasthan and marmasthan, rules for each room, muhurta, Vastu doshas and their correction, and commercial buildings 6.
Muhurta for moving in
Muhurta Chintamani sets conditions for Vastu puja and entering a new home, including avoiding Sunday, Tuesday, rikta tithis and amavasya 8.
Practice
Draw the grid over ten real floor plans, including your own home, and write down what you would and would not change.
Which Vastu books should you read?
The Vastu books to read are the classical treatises in good translations, before any modern guide. Four are within reach of an English or Hindi reader.
| Text | Translator or editor | Publisher and year |
|---|---|---|
| Brihat Samhita, chapter 53, On house-building | N. Chidambaram Iyer | 1884 translation, on Wisdom Library 1 |
| Architecture of Manasara | Prasanna Kumar Acharya | Oxford University Press, 1934 2 |
| Mayamata: housing, architecture and iconography | Bruno Dagens | Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi, 1997 3 |
| Muhurta Chintamani, chapters on Vastu | Hindi commentary by Pt. Mahidhara Sharma | Khemraj Shri Krishna Das Prakashan, Mumbai 8 |
Acharya's Manasara translation volume alone runs to 855 pages 2, so read it with a question in mind rather than cover to cover.
Where can you study Vastu, and what does it cost?
You can study Vastu at a Sanskrit university or through an ICAS chapter, and the two differ a lot in depth and language. SLBSNSU's department was set up in 2013 and teaches authentic Vastu texts through Sanskrit 4.
| Course | Run by | Length | Fee stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate in Vastushastra | SLBSNSU, Delhi | 6 months 4 | Not stated in the department report |
| Diploma, then Advanced Diploma | SLBSNSU, Delhi | 1 year, then 2 years 4 | Not stated in the department report |
| PG Diploma in Vastushastra | SLBSNSU, Delhi | 2 years 4 | Not stated in the department report |
| Vastu Praveena | ICAS chapters | 6 months 5 | Exam fee Rs 800, life membership Rs 1,000 7 |
| Vastu Acharya | ICAS chapters | 6 months 6 | Exam fee Rs 800 7 |
Batches are small: SLBSNSU's PG Diploma took 7 students in 2023 to 2024 4. The ICAS Vastu courses are taught in Hindi and English with Sunday classes 5.
How long before you can give Vastu advice to paying clients?
Giving Vastu advice to paying clients takes at least the year of the two ICAS courses 5,6, and longer if you want the university's PG diploma 4. Readiness shows in how you advise, not only in what you know.
- You can orient any floor plan and place the grid on it without help.
- You can explain a problem without frightening the family who lives there.
- You start with changes that cost nothing, such as how a room is used.
- You never promise that a change will bring money, health or a marriage.
Old texts are harsh in places: Brihat Samhita says some verandah layouts bring death or enmity 1. Study such verses as history; never repeat them to a client.
How do clients ask about Vastu online?
Online Vastu clients usually describe a home they already live in or are about to buy: a south-facing main door, a kitchen in the north-east, a toilet in the centre. Most want to know what they can change without breaking walls.
Ask for the facing direction, the room positions and the question behind the call. Many Vastu questions are really property or family questions, so our guide to property questions in a chart is worth reading too.
How does a Vastu consultant work on Kismo?
A Vastu consultant on Kismo lists Vastu among the practices when applying, then talks with clients by chat, by call or both, whichever you switch on once approved. Practices cannot be changed after the application is sent, so add Vastu at the start if you already use it.
| Rule | What it means for Vastu advice |
|---|---|
| Remedies only through the app's Remedies section, at prices it sets | No selling of objects, and no Vastu kits sold privately |
| No asking for money outside the app | No site visits arranged through a shared phone number or UPI |
| No financial or legal advice | Give your Vastu reading of a flat, not a verdict on whether to buy it |
| No death predictions | Never pass on a text's warning about death to a family |
Your rate is yours to set, from Rs 20 to Rs 1,000 a minute, and a person reads your one test reading in full before deciding within 2 days. The platform teaches no Vastu, so arrive with the grid and the corrections already learned.
What do astrologers ask about this?
Is there a university degree in Vastu Shastra in India?
Yes. SLBSNSU in Delhi lists a BA (Shastri), an MA (Acharya) and a PhD in Vastushastra, plus a certificate, diploma and two-year PG diploma, with admission through CUET-UG and CUET-PG 4.
Can I learn Vastu without learning astrology?
Yes for the core rules: ICAS's Vastu Praveena does not require an astrology course first 5. You still need some astrology for muhurta, such as choosing a date to move in, which Vastu Acharya and Muhurta Chintamani cover 6,8.
What is the 81-square Vastu grid?
It is the classical site plan in Brihat Samhita: 10 lines each way divide the plot into 81 squares, 32 deities hold the outer ring, 13 sit inside, and Brahma holds the nine central squares 1.
Can I sell Vastu products to clients on Kismo?
No. Remedies are offered only through the app's own Remedies section, at prices Kismo sets, and you may not ask a client for money outside the app or share contact details.
Do I need a Vastu certificate to apply to Kismo?
No. Kismo asks for no certificate or interview; you apply in a browser and are judged on one chat reading of about 10 minutes.
Read for clients on Kismo
Set your own per-minute rate for chat and calls, from Rs 20 to Rs 1,000. Apply in your browser with your Aadhaar or PAN and one reading.
Free to apply in your browser. A person reads your application and decides within 2 days.
Where should you go from here?
Where do these facts come from?
- Brihat Samhita of Varahamihira, chapter 53: on house-building, vastu-vidya (tr. N. Chidambaram Iyer, 1884), Wisdom Library. Accessed .
- Architecture of Manasara, translated from the original Sanskrit, Vol. 4 (Prasanna Kumar Acharya), Oxford University Press, 1934, Internet Archive (Digital Library of India). Accessed .
- Mayamata, Volume 2: Treatise of Housing, Architecture and Iconography (Bruno Dagens), Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi, 1997, Internet Archive. Accessed .
- Department of Vastushastra, presentation to the NAAC peer team, assessment period July 2019 to June 2024, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University. Accessed .
- Vastu Praveena, Indian Council of Astrological Sciences. Accessed .
- Vastu Acharya, Indian Council of Astrological Sciences. Accessed .
- Academics: Admission (fees), Indian Council of Astrological Sciences. Accessed .
- Muhurta Chintamani with Hindi commentary by Pt. Mahidhara Sharma, ch. 13 vv. 3-4, pp. 152-153, Khemraj Shri Krishna Das Prakashan, Mumbai, via Internet Archive. Accessed .