Gods of the directions – ASHTHA-DIGA-PALA

The inspiration to Vasthushastra or Sthapathya Vidya

The concept of Ashthadigapalas symbolically denotes the presence of God everywhere and in all directions. Prayers to God in any direction will yield the ultimate result of oneness with him.

All the directions have their guardian deity or Digapala or protector of the direction. Every quarter or direction is assigned to a particular deity, who presides over it and acts like the chief guardian spirit and protects the universe along with its occupants.

Asamanjas or Amshuman the grandson of King Sagara, while searching for his 60000 uncles reached Patala Loka the world beneath the Earth. In Patala Loka he found that the Earth is balanced on the heads of eight huge Elephants in eight directions. Each of these elephants were maintaining the equilibrium of earth on its axis and propelling it to its natural path of rotation and revolution. These eight elephants signify as the protector of the Directions. Ashtha = Eight, Dika/Diga/Disha = Quarter/Direction, Pala = Ruler.

The study of directions would naturally be associated with Travel. For travelling to any place the basic requirement would be direction, distance and time. However the concept of Digapala or the “Protector of Direction” is based on the principal of the protection of Atman or Self from any ills from all the directions. In fact, when one does Atma Parikrama,(Revolving around one self) we are praying to the Gods of the eight directions apart from  saluting the Paramatma inside ourselves. 

Some people also associate this with direction of Kaal/Time. One day is divided into eight Prahara, a Sanskrit term of reference to the unit of Time, consisting of subdivisions of 3 hours each. The traditional system of Praharas, go along with the system of Muhurta’s ( 30 in a day). Each Muhurath is of a duration of 48 minutes. The Prahara’s and Muhurtha’s meet only at the Sun rise and Sun set. The start of the 1^st Prahara is at the Sunrise. In music many of the Raaga’s are attached to Prahar and Ragaa’s sung during the correct Prahar give full aesthetic effects. The earliest reference of Kaal/Samay and Raaga can be found in Sangita Makaranda of Narada written somewhere between the 7^th and 11^th century CE.

The Cardinal direction or the Ashthadigapala starts in the East, from where the sun rises. The directions are classified into four cardinal and four intermediate points, dissecting them making it into eight quarter or direction. In the concept of Ten directions, the Upper and lower points are taken into consideration. According to the Indian mythology, all the ten directions including the upper point Urdhwa /Antariksha/Sky = Brahma or the lower point Adhara /Bhumi/Earth = Vishnu, have their own God or Guardian. The All-pervading Shiva is directionless and is omnipresent, which is depicted in the form of a fiery Agni Lingam without Start/Aadi or End/Anth, also known as Ananth. Shiva is supposed to be the centre of everything, as elucidated in the story of Lingothbhavar.

Vedas Puranas Buddhas Samanas - DIGAPALA

It is very difficult to assess whether, the concept of Digapala is Pre-Vedic or Vedic. The presence of some Gods in the pre-Vedic period would have been simulated into this concept, with few exceptions. Hence you can find different names and even the number of Digapala’s associated with them, vary in various texts of different periods.

These Digapalas are important Vedic deities. The circular Universe with its eight directions continued to be protected by the old Vedic deities in spite of Mahavishnu or Mahadev and other Ishthadevatas being the “Gods of Prominence”. Most of the Puranas , indicate only  four number of Digapalas for the four cardinal directions. The four primary Digapalas, were Indra, Yama, Varuna and Kubera as recognized in the Ramayana. While in the Mahabharata Kubera is replaced by Agni as a Digapala. The same Mahabharata quotes Yama, Indra, Kubera and Varuna as Digapalas later.  Both the Epics Ramayana & Mahabharata talk of 4 Digapalas. The Atharvaveda speaks of 6 Digapalas namely Indra, Agni, Varuna & Soma, including Vishnu for Earth and Brihaspathi for Sky. The Krishna Yajurveda speaks of 6 Digapalas but incorporates Yama in place of Vishnu. Indra, Agni, Varuna and Yama, in the order, is older as per some scholars.

As per Manusmriti, Soma (Chandra), Agni, Arka (Suriya), Anil (Vayu), Indra, Vitpati (Kubera), Appati (Varuna) and Yama are the eight Digapalas. Surya and Chandra are replaced with Nirruti and Ishana, According to the later texts. Except for Kubera and Ishana, all others are principal deities of the Vedic period. 

Buddhist text talk about 4 Lokapalas (Protectors of Universe), namely Dhrutharashtara( East), Vidudhaka (South), Virupaksa (West) & Vaisravana ( North).

The Jaina mythology scripture “Gobhila Gruhyasutra” refers to the reverence of Regent of 10 regions in the construction of a house (Vasthusamana). Indra (East) Vayu ( South-east) Yama (South), Pitr ( South-west), Varuna ( West) Maharaja (North-west), Soma (North), Mahendra ( North – East), Vasuki ( Nadir) & Brahma ( Zenith).

 In the Bruhatsamhita of Varahamihira 6^th Century CE, it is said that the reflection of the rays of the Sun and Moon on the clouds has eight different colours which are called Indra, Yama, Varuna, Nirruti, Shiva (Ishana), Brahma, Agni and Kubera. However, with advent of time the digapala nomenclature changed to the following  eight deities in the developed architecture and sculpture  which are Indra, Agni, Yama* Nirruti, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera and Ishana as universally observed.

Digapala’s from being the principal deities of the Vedic Pantheon, in the Pauranic Hinduism were relegated additional duties to these gods and with the spread of the Cult of Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shakthism, these Gods were primarily revered as the Guardians of Direction. The lifting of Govardhana, lead to the worship of Shri Krishna superseding Indra.  

Vastushastra, Vishwakarma  - DIGAPALA

The Knowledge of the Ashthadigapala Guardian deities, their iconography, the Radiance of their power and spirit became the basis for the evolution of Vasthu Vidya, the Hindu Science of architecture and design. It is a great combination of science, Art, Astrology & Astronomy in the field of material designing. The origin of the Vasthushastra is found in the Sthapathya Veda of the Atharvaveda. Vasthushastra is a science of maintaining harmony in ones way of life. The science teaches the flow of Energies (positive and negative) from material and how to synchronize the same to create a positive vibrant energy in our dwellings including, our homes and society.

Vastushastra is the knowledge about the Location, Direction, Layout, Design, Energy obstacles, directional position, construction, whether it is a House or a place of worship or a road or a society. It also teaches general guidelines of positions of human body vis-à-vis the actions, such as eating, sleeping, praying, doing rituals, conducting marriages or engaging in sexual intercourse.

Principles of Vasthushastras are dependent on flow of positive energy and removal of negative forces from a dwelling. Sun, the prime reason for the existence of life, by way of radiating light and heat, is the most important celestial body in our Universe. The principles of vastu shastra allow humans to use limitless energy of Sun in best possible way along with the resources available on mother earth.

The early principals of Vasthushastra were defined depending upon the Sun rays and their changing positions over different times of the day. The science was confined to Sthapathis ( Shilpi or Artisans) and was used in the architecture of Temples and Palaces. The architecture of the city of Ayodhya resembles the plans as mentioned in the architectural script Manasara, the construction of the Ram Sethu is based upon the principles of Vasthu. The Harappa and Mohenjadaro town plans seem to have a great influence from the Vasthushastra in the Indus Valley civilization.   

Vasthushastra