Tracing the origin of the Vastu Shastra, we find that it's different versions have been associated with various vedic scriptures and ancient texts. Rigaveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda in one form or other have Vaastu Shaastra related topics. Vastu shastra can be understood as a road to happiness, but not being the only one. It's effective use can be seen in the town planning norms observed at Indus valley civilisation as represented by ancient cities of Mohanjodaro and Harrapa. People at that time used the knowledge of stars and astronomy to determine the direction and location of various buildings for various purposes.

Vastushastra can be defined as harmonious, proportianate, and positive interaction of all the matters encompassing human life. Vastushastra offers adequate representation to all factors governing life to create, in a sense , harmonious and melodious music in human dimension. Artisitic view point and aesthetic outlook are essential ingredients of vastushastra. Vastushastra can be explained in terms of constructive or destructive combination of the various oscillatory fields.
Vastushastra effectively manipulates the web of cosmic energy for the betterment of humankind. It's well defined rules and regulations ensure that all the houses, buildings and other structures are in harmony with the surrounding environment.

Where modern architecture aims at bodily comforts of a dweller and functional effectiveness of the structure; the vastu aims at ensuring the health, happiness, prosperity, and well being of the human being occupying the dwelling and endows him with a sustained peace and tranquality of mind.

Through vastu the physical world and the abstract world have to be matched properly and equitably in order to build the best possible dwelling. Physical world includes aspects as building material, contruction equipment, budgetary estimates, time duration to complete the contruction, the contractor, skilled and unskilled labours.

In the Abstract world we encounter the mysterious and the incomprehensible.There are numerous minor things that can't be seen but can be felt or experienced. Some of them are religion, traditions, effect of five great elements (air, water, fire, earth, sky), eight directions, geomagnetic and other fields, frequency spectrum of sound waves and light waves, influence of planets.