ऐणेयं मांसमाहृत्य शाला यक्ष्यामहे वयम्।
कर्तव्यं वास्तुशमनं सौमित्रे चिरजीविभिः।।
aiṇeyaṁ māṁsam āhṛtya śālāṁ yakṣyāmahe vayam
kartavyaṁ vāstu-śamanaṁ saumitre cira-jīvibhiḥ
aiṇeyam = of a deer; māṁsam = the flesh; āhṛtya = after getting; śālām = for the presiding deities of the residence; yakṣyāmahe = will perform a sacrifice; vayam = we; kartavyam = should perform; vāstu-śamanam = vāstu-śānti to ward off bhūtas, piśācas and other such entities; saumitre = Saumitri; cira-jīvibhiḥ = those with long lives.
After getting the flesh of a deer, we will perform a sacrifice for the presiding deities of the residence. Saumitri, those with long lives should perform vāstu-śānti to ward off bhūtas, piśācas and other such entities.1
1 Vāstu refers to the 45 deities presiding over different parts of a residence beginning with Śikhi and Parjanya. Vāstu-śānti refers to performing certain sacrifices and offerings.
The presiding deities of the residence are the deities presiding over the directions.
Vāstu-śānti is a ritual to be performed at the time of gṛha-praveśa or entrance into a new home to ward off bhūtas, piśācas and other such entities in the residence. “Those with long lives should perform vāstu-śānti” indicates that one’s longevity is reduced by not performing vāstu-śānti. This is stated in Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa:
na ca vyādhi-bhayaṁ tasya na ca bandhu-jana-kṣayaḥ
jīved varṣa-śataṁ svarga-kalpam evaṁ vasen naraḥ
“Such a person will neither face the danger of any disease nor the destruction of his friends. He can live for a hundred years. Thus a man can reside in a place that will resemble Svarga.”
[So] how to do it? Lord Rāmacandra explains next how to do it.