Vastu Shastra is a Science of Building & Architecture Vastu is derived from the root “vas,” which means “to reside,” and “shastra,” which refers to the science of construction. Construction may be for a house, factory, school, hotel, shop, or other structure. This science has been practised for more than 5000 years. Vastu is a branch of architecture that great Hindu seers studied and developed. By observing the natural world, they discovered that everything that exists outside of our bodies also exists in the universe.