Before you go through the following pages- Chapter 27 only consists of rules on

how to design a house and Ive just compiled them here and removed the
unnecessary parts.
SPECIFIC ARRANGEMENTS FOR HOUSES OF THE FOUR CLASSES.

For small houses -Starting with four poles, with successive increments of 2
cubits (Cubit-approximately equal to the length of a forearm. It was typically about 18
inches or 44 cm)
up to 30 cubits provides the enclosure
For medium sized houses The width goes to around 32 cubits to 32 poles by
successive increment of 2 poles
For a large sized house The width goes from 32 poles to 100 with successive
increments of 2 poles

For BRAHMINS and KINGS, the enclosure is a Square

For KSATRIYA the length is greater than the width by an eighth, a sixth or a quarter
Inappropriate to construct a house less than 16 cubits

The wall of the enclosure is nine, eight, seven or six cubits high and its thickness,
at the bottom is a third or a quarter of that; its thickness at the top is three
quarters of its thickness at the bottom. Its coping is plain or decorated with
rounded false dormer windows.
There is a door at each of the four cardinal points, which can be closed; there are
gateways too and various other decorative elements. There is a moat beyond the
wall equipped with every kind of defense. This is the description of the wall of the
enclosure surrounding the house.

Houses with separated spaces/disjoined rooms

In houses whose elements are separated, the four principal main buildings are at the
cardinal points; there are pavilions and annexes at the intermediate points.
If there are three, two or just one main building within the wall of the enclosure this will
lead to misfortune
That is why it is best to install, in the enclosure, a house which has four main buildings
and whose dimensions are calculated from its width. It is said that small dimensions are
for lesser people and large ones for the great; whereas large dimensions are never to be
used for people of little substance, everything that is fitting, with respect to dimensions
which suit lesser people, is fitting as well for the upper classes.
Layout Whether the house be small or large, line delimiting it must first be drawn;
'whether it be rectangular or square the area thus delimited is to be divided into sixtyfour be and the six raiju, the four vamsa and the eight sira are to be drawn as well as
their intersections
Those in knowledge of the subject of building are to take care to avoid wounding
the vulnerable points; a wound inflicted by the limbs of the house On the lines
or other vulnerable points, causes destruction of the house

Dimensions of the central pavilion-In the center of the site of the house, the
sages begin by constructing a pavilion with a width a quarter, a fifth, sixth,

seventh, eighth or ninth that of the site of the house. The six possible widths for
small, medium and large pavilions go from seven to seventeen cubits by
successive increments of two cubits. This pavilion may be one or two units wide
and it comprises accordingly four or eight pillars. For Brahmins, kings and vaisya,
the number of pillars is to be even, for gildra and other lower castes it is said to
be uneven. Only for Brahmins, kings and vaisya is there a plat-form in the center
offerings are made there three times a day and it is honored with flowers,
perfumes . . . etc. Its height is three spans as is its width. In its center is an altar
to Brahma with dimensions half those of the plat-form; these dimensions are
decreased by six digits for princes and by six more digits for vaisya. No platform
(nor altar) to Brahma should be set up for iiidra or other low castes.

Characteristics of the central pavilion.

The pavilions plan corresponds to that of the house whether the latter is
rectangular or square.
The nine heights possible for its pillars go from five to seven spans by successive
increments of three digits; the nine corresponding diameters go from five to
thirteen digits, the diameter of the top (of the pillars) being less by an eighth.
The height of the base is half that of the pillars or is half, less a sixth or an
eighth; or else, the height of the base is a third or a quarter that of the pillars.
The pillar may be square, circular or octagonal section or of citrakhanda type;
these are the shapes prescribed for pillars.
These pillars, when for Brahmins and kings, are in iami, khadira or khridira
woods, for vaigya in sitindbra, piasita or rnadhiika woods, for gildra in riijaana,
nimba, silindhra, piiita or tinduka; bamboo however is appropriate for everyone.
A passage must be left around the pavilion, between the pavilion and the main
building; its width, which IS uniform throughout, is to be three, four, five or six
cubits or is in the case of a small house, one or two cubits.
General prepositions.
The overall height of all main buildings is to be equal to their greatest width. The
height of the walls is equal to that of the pillars and their thickness is triple the
diameter of the corresponding pillars. The interval between pillars is a third or a
fifth the width of the main building.
Elements of the upper part of the house
Successively arranged above the pillars are-The bracket capitals, the beams, the
joists and the small joists as well as the planks which Constitute the floor of the
upper storey then comes the cornice and its frieze as well as projecting
gargoyles; there are fist-like decorations, struts, consoles and the timber-work
which is constituted by the main rafters, the covering is supported by rafters;
there is a gable. The main door is big and is on the right side of the building.
Position of the foundation deposit
In the four main buildings, corresponding to the four classes and starting with the
one in the north, the foundation deposit must be on the squares of, respectively,

Puspa-danta, Bhallata, Mahendra and Grhaksata, under the wall of the front
facade and to the right, of the door. The thickness of the wall is divided into eight
or nine parts; a point is marked at four parts of its external face and another one
at three parts of its internal face; the foundation deposit is installed between
these two points. The width of the wall of the master's chamber being divided
into five, six or seven parts a point is marked at two parts of its internal facade
on the right side. The deposit is placed at the base of a pillar and the better it is
concealed the better it is. It may be also beneath the doors right upright, under
the internal partition wall or under a concealed pillar, or else at the bottom of the
pillar which is right of center in the dwelling pavilion; these are the five places
where the foundation deposit should be put in houses, whether those houses
form blocks or are composed of separate elements.
The muhurtastambhaA perfect muhurtastambha is to be installed above the foundation deposit;
knowledgeable it should be in khadira, madhuka, or rajadana wood; The values
for its height and diameter are-Its heights twelve, eleven, ten or nine spans and
its diameter is as many digits as there are spans in its height; its diameter at the
top is less by an eighth. It is sunk to a point five, four and a half, four or three
spans on its height; its top is circular or lotus bud shaped or broken pointed or
bubble shaped. This is the pillar which is to be properly honored by the four
classes, the first of which is the Brahmin class.
General rules
A house one block must be built without a central pillar; the median wall of the
main building should not coincide with the middle of a pillar and it is said that a
double vaulted door is to be set in this wall. There, (i.e. in a sukhalaya), the
interior door is to the south-east of the main building; where a mahanasa is
concerned, the side of the main building is to the south and it is on that side that
the interior door is to be; that interior door is in the north-west of a
dhanyalayana; in the case of a main building; situated in the west, a dhanyalaya,
the side of this main blinding is to the north and there, on this side is the interior
door.
When the width is three or three and a half cubits, there are eight pillars in all; when the
building is four, four and a half or five cubits wide it must have sixteen pillars in all; when
the width is six, six and a half or seven cubits it is to have twenty-four pillars; when it is
ten and a half or eleven cubits there are forty pillars; when the width is twelve and a half
or thirteen cubits there must be fifty-eight pillars. There should be the same number of
pillars on the width as on the length.
The verandah
When the width of a main building is seven cubits, it must be divided into six parts, of
which two, on the facade, are for the verandah; when the width is nine cubits, it is
divided into eight parts, of which three are taken up by the part of the facade which is for
the verandah; when it is eleven cubits, the division is into ten parts, of which four are for
the verandah; when it is thirteen cubits, there are eleven parts, of which six on the front
make up the verandah. These are the proportions of the verandah.
The masters chamber

This master's chamber is constructed inside the principal building and there is a
mandapa there. On no account should the bed, in the master's chamber, be positioned
on the axis of the main building. The pillars erected in the master's chamber have double
intercolumniations, unlike the exterior ones which are separated from each other by
simple intercolumniations; their diameter is half that of the pillars which were the basis
or the calculation of their height and they are provided with decorative elements as
desired.
The hearth
It is said that there are five types of hearth with dimensions from eight to sixteen digits
by increments of two digits for the width, and from twelve digits to a cubit by increments
of three digits for the height. The width of the opening of the hearth goes from four to
twelve digits as do the widths of the fireplace and the chimney, whose height is equal to
the width; such are the dimensions appropriate for hearths, beginning with the smallest,
suitable for the lowliest people.
Distribution of appurtenances
The annaprrasana takes place on the square of Arya, on that of Mahendra and on that of
Savindra; the study of the Veda takes place on the square of Vivasvant and marriage on
that of Mitra; it is to be known that 'haircutting' is done on the square of Indrajaya and on
those of Vayu and Soma, whilst accounts are done on the squares of Pitr, Dauvarika and
Jala. It is said that the women's confine-ment room is on the squares of Sugala and
Puspadanta, the cistern on that of Apavatsa, the tank on that of Apa, the mill-stone on
that of Mahendra and the grindstone on that of Mahidhara.
There are four sorts of dwelling: the first is called ddabhadra, the second garudapakya,
third kiyabhdra and fourth tulaniya.
Disabhadra dwelling-The Disabhadra dwelling comprises a forepart at each of the
cardinal points which extends throughout the length of the corresponding main building;
beyond, at the cardinal points, is a courtyard and there is a vacant space at each of the
intermediate points. For the remainder, that previously indicated is to be adhered to in
applying rules peculiar to Brahmins and to kings.
Garudapaksa dwellingThe rules relating to the garuciapalcsa dwelling are the same as those for the royal
palace.
Kalyabhara dwelling- The total length of the site is double its width and that length is to
be divided into five parts: two are left in the west and the rest of the surface of the site is
divided according to the sixty-four square diagram. The principal main building is to the
south, the rest of the house being the domain of the appurtenances. The women's
quarters are on the squares of Bhrngaraja, Dauvarika, Sugriva and Pitr; there too, the
housekeeping equipment is installed ; the chariot is to the left of the door and the room
where alms are given is on the square of Varuna; the granary is to be on the square of
Asura and the armoury on that of Indraraja, the guest chamber is on Mitra's square and
the mortar on Roga's; the treasure is to be on the square of Bhudhara, the clarified butter
and the simples on that of Naga; poison and antidote, the well and the shrine are on the
squares of Jayanta, Apavatsa, Parjanya and Siva respectively; the kitchen and storeroom
for condiments, together, occupy the squares of Savitr and Antariksa, the pavilion which
serves as dining room is on the squares of Vitatha, Pusan and Savindra. This is what is
prescribed for those powerful amongst vaigya. A dwelling is called Kayabhara when it
comprises all that is peculiar to vaisya and when the western part is unoccupied.

Tulaniya dwelling- In a Tulaniya residence The total length of the site is double its width
and that length is divided into seven parts; taking the three median parts of the length of
the dwelling as the base, a sixty-four square diagram is drawn on the space thus
delineated.
All the elements of this dwelling beginning with the median pavilion, are to be arranged
as has been given above, taking care to leave two areas unoccupied at east and west,
each corresponding to two sevenths of the total length. The sage must arrange the space
between them according to the particular circumstance. The reception hall is to be on the
squares of Vayu, Bhallata and Soma; the mortar is on Mukhya's square and the maids'
apartments on Apa's; the chariot is at the front and to the left of the door. All else is to be
arranged there as desired. It is said that this is appropriate for the rich amongst sudra. If
water falls on the wall around the house this brings ruin to the family and, consequently,
the edge of the roof of the house is not to abut onto this wall for, if that should happen,
then all chance of success is spoiled, no matter for what class the house is intended. It is
auspicious if the height of the house is calculated in relation to its width and length and
to do otherwise is to cause death.
Door proportionsThe height of the pillars of that house being divided into eight parts, the door takes up
six and a half; half the height of the door being divided into nine parts, a half part is
reserved and the remainder is the width of the door. height of the pillars being divided
into five parts, the height of the door makes up four; the remaining part of the height of
the pillars is divided into six parts: three and a half are for the lintel and two and a half
for the sill.
Door positionsTo be auspicious, the main entrance of the house must be on the square of Raksasa,
Puspadanta, Bhallata or Mahendra. It is known that there is an increase in wealth, lineage
and cattle for the owner, the entrance of whose house is of auspicious proportions and is
placed between a pillar and a wall.
Apartment positions

The apartment on the right is that of the master of the house; the gynaeceum to the left
is for his wife. Confusion of these two positions brings bad thoughts to them and takes
away their peace of mind.
Period of beginning of construction
An annagrha is to be built when the sun is in Aries or Taurus, a dhanalaya when it is in
Leo or Cancer, a dhanalaya when it is in Libra or Scorpio and a sukhalaya when it is in
Capricorn or Aquarius. A man does not build a house at a cardinal point when the sun is
in Pisces, Gemini, Virgo or Sagittarius. If anyone, in disregard of this rule, insists on
proceeding as his own wishes dictate, he goes to the city of Yama or brings about his
servants' deaths.