Make the septic tank in WNW as the first option and ESE as the second, never in the East or under the stairs, and run the underground drainage line clockwise from the South-West to the North-West.
The shami represents Saturn and works powerfully when planted in a garden in the West, but it is the favourite tree of spirits, so it must never be grown inside the house or close to it.
Each floor is judged from its own base: the ground floor from its foundation and an upper floor from the floor it stands on. The centre of every floor follows its own carpet area, and a smaller upper floor does not make the plot cut.
On the exact diagonal where the head of Shikhi devta falls in the NE, no underground water tank or pit should be dug. Vedic vastu marks these Shishu Pishach points, where neither the shilanyas pit nor any water pit is made.
Directions fall at every 90 degrees, the corner directions (vidisha) at 45 degrees and the zones at every 22.5 degrees, giving 16 zones. Each corner has three parts with different properties, for example Nairitya splits into dakshini nairitya (SSW), nairitya (SW) and paschimi nairitya (WSW).
Sleep is an activity of Saturn; Saturn is a friend of Rahu-Ketu, who rule the South-West, and the South is the seat of Yama, so sleeping in the South-West or South is recommended, while sleeping in the East is not.
The human body has its own poles, with the head as its north pole and the feet as its south pole. With the head to the South, the poles of body and earth lie opposite and attract; with like poles together they repel, and sleep does not come.
If the sleeping zone cannot be changed, changing the direction of the feet gives about 50 percent of the benefit. Feet towards North is best, West is second, East only for children and early risers, and South never.
In astro vastu any person can be placed in any zone according to the birth chart. Even the South-South-West suits a person whose Rahu is exalted, but a person with debilitated Rahu should not sleep, sit or run a business in the South-West.
When the whole slope of a plot or roof drains into the centre, or a well, water tank or septic tank is built in the Brahmasthan, the result is sarvanash (total ruin). Projects with a central well always carry some trouble they cannot rise above.
On plots of up to about 1000 sq ft (60 to 90 gaj), simply building the wall on the outer band ends the pishach dosh, because the pishach devtas are content with a little space. On plots of up to about 1500 sq ft, leaving the pishach portion open or walling it also satisfies them.
Soil colour has long been linked to the work a land suits: red soil for the Kshatriya (hard-working people), yellow for the Brahmin, black for the Shudra and white for the Vaishya. Today a whole town often shares one soil type due to its geology, so colour is read together with texture, smell and taste.
The South belongs to Yama, the god of justice and messenger of death, who rides a buffalo and holds a danda (rod). Its planet is Mars (Mangal) and its stone is moonga (coral); it is the zone of complete relaxation and sleep and rules the world of departed ancestors.
In the South only S4 (Grihakshat) gives happiness, peace, prosperity and business profit. S2, S3, S5, S6, S7 (the debt door) and S8 bring lack of children, servitude, suffering, selfishness, debt and disease.
South belongs to Yam Maharaj, who gives rest, relaxation, name and fame; it is the ideal location for the bedroom. The South must be raised, closed and heavy so that the fierce fire energy arriving there is blocked.
Magnetic field lines run from North to South, so the magnetic effect is strongest and most stabilising in the South, which makes it the zone for rest and sleep. Deep sleep makes the day go well, earns respect and increases name and work.
The South-East, 45 degrees beyond the East, is ruled by Agni, the hidden fire energy present in every living being. Its planet is Venus (Shukra) and it gives fame and cash flow, so the South-East of a householder's home must never be cut.
SE is pure Agneya: from 9 am to 12 noon the young Sun's fire is strong enough to cook food, so this is the ideal kitchen zone and the zone of cash flow. Water, mirrors and money storage go wrong here.
From 9 am to 12 noon the sun, in full youth, is in the South-East, with rays rich in vitamins (B12 and D) that make thinking positive, especially for women, and balance blood circulation. This is the fire and cash liquidity zone and the right place for the kitchen, with the cook facing East.
In SSE the Sun's fire moves toward its old stage and fills the place with power, confidence and energy. Everything allowed in the SE is allowed here, but no pits may be dug from this zone onward.
In the South-South-East the sun gives energy that raises power, confidence, will power and every kind of inner strength; the balance of magnetic anomaly and gravitational force here steadies the mind and boosts confidence.
In SSW the Sun's energy is burnt out and its composition destroyed, so this is the zone of expenditure and wastage, where waste activities belong. It is the main zone for a toilet, dustbin and storage of useless goods.
In the South-South-West the scorching sun destroys vitamins and minerals, and the gravitational force, balanced in the South, becomes imbalanced 22.5 degrees further, so the energy here is poor. This zone is used for the dustbin, garbage and toilet.
The South-West is ruled by Nairitya, with Rahu-Ketu as its planets and gomed (hessonite) as its stone. Balanced, uncut and right-angled, it gives prosperity, stability and skill, and it must be the highest part of the property in both ground level and building height, which is why a dhwaj (flag) is raised there.
From about 4 to 4:30 pm the Sun reaches SW and the energy begins to cool and stabilise the mind; it strengthens relationships and skills, motivates hard work and gives stability to every work. It suits bedroom, drawing room, tijori and heavy items, subject to Rahu-Ketu checks.
The South-West receives the energy of the North-East directly across 180 degrees, delivered to Pitra devta; it gives stability and awakens inner capacities, which brings business growth, success in work and success in education.
The space element is circular or shapeless, black, located at the Brahmasthan (centre), and light, vibrating and sound-carrying by nature, linked to hearing. Open-to-sky and vacant spaces represent it; balanced it gives clarity of mind and decisions, imbalanced it brings confusion and obstacles.
The space element sits at the centre, the Brahmasthan; its shape is shapeless or round, its colour black or colourless, and any vacant, open-to-sky area represents it.
A square plot with equal length and width is the best of all. In a rectangle, a longer North-South axis makes a Chandra bhedi plot that suits homes, while a longer East-West axis suits temples but brings some unrest to a home.