Chapter 252 of Matsya Purana mentions  birth of Vaastu Purusha from the sweat of the brow of Śiva in the fight with Andhaka.

Chapter 253 gives the procedure to draw the figure, but the figure is recommended to be drawn on the floor in these verses. 

https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%AB%E0%A5%A9

पञ्चगव्यौषधिजलैः परीक्षित्वा च सेचयेत्।
एकाशीति पदं कृत्वा रेखाभिः कनकेन च ।। २५३.१९

पश्चात्पिष्टेनवालिप्य सूत्रेणालोड्य सर्वतः।
दशपूर्वायतालेखा दशचैवोत्तरायताः ।। २५३.२०

सर्ववास्तु विभागेषु विज्ञेया नवका नव।
एकाशीति पदं कृत्वा वास्तुवित्सर्ववास्तुषु ।। २५३.२१

On Fri, Mar 8, 2024 at 1:29 PM Asko Parpola via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info> wrote:

For the origin of the idea, not the diagram, of vāstupuruṣa, see:

Bakker, Hans, 2007.  Human sacrifice (puruṣamedha), construction sacrifice and the origin of the idea of the 'man of the homestead' (vāstupuruṣa). 

Pp. 179-194 in: Jan N. Bremmer (ed.), The strange world of human sacrifice. Leuven: Peeters.

Best wishes, Asko

On 8. Mar 2024, at 2.20, Dagmar Wujastyk via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info> wrote:

That's a nice manuscript. Thanks, Jacob. Generally, I would like to know when such diagrams start to appear and how they connect to the text. I'm assuming textual description predates the image. Or is it quite standard for texts like the Brhatsamhitā to be illustrated/ to contain technical diagrams?

All the best,

Dagmar 

On Thu., Mar. 7, 2024, 17:12 jacob--- via INDOLOGY, <indology@list.indology.info> wrote:

Hi Dagmar,

Are you only looking for the provenance of the attached image, or are
you looking for manuscript illustrations of vāstupuruṣamaṇḍalas in
general?

If you are looking for the latter, I am aware of an uninscribed example
in a 17th-century Nepalese manuscript at the Los Angeles County Museum
of Art:

https://collections.lacma.org/node/242707

Best regards,
Jacob Schmidt-Madsen

Dagmar Wujastyk via INDOLOGY skrev den 2024-03-07 23:57:
> Unfortunately Volwahsen only states "from an old Indian manual of
> architecture" - at least in the English version. I don't have a copy
> of the German version.
>
> All the best,
> Dagmar
>
> On Thu, 7 Mar 2024 at 15:51, Hock, Hans Henrich <hhhock@illinois.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> Perhaps this might help in tracking the origin of the drawing?
>>
>> Volwahsen, Andreas (1968): _Indien. Bauten der Hindus, Buddhisten
>> und Jains_. Fribourg. S. 44
>>
>> Best wishes,
>>
>> HHH
>>
>>> On Mar 7, 2024, at 16:25, Dagmar Wujastyk via INDOLOGY
>>> <INDOLOGY@list.indology.info> wrote:
>>>
>>> Dear colleagues,
>>> We are all familiar with the diagram of the vāstupuruṣa (image
>>> attached from Volwahsen 1969). Does anyone know whether this
>>> image/diagram is found in any manuscripts of the Bṛhatsamhitā
>>> (or another work?) or whether this is a modern drawing (perhaps by
>>> Kramrisch)? If this image occurs on manuscripts, can anyone tell
>>> me the date(s) of such manuscripts or any other information on
>>> them?
>>> Any pointer would be welcome.
>>> Many thanks,
>>> Dagmar Wujastyk
>>> <73821_0043.jpg>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> INDOLOGY mailing list
>>> INDOLOGY@list.indology.info
>>>
>>
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--

Nagaraj Paturi

 

Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.

Dean, IndicA

BoS, MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune, Maharashtra

BoS Kavikulaguru Kalidasa Sanskrit University, Ramtek, Maharashtra

BoS Veda Vijnana Gurukula, Bengaluru.

Member, Advisory Council, Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthanam, Bengaluru

Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies, 

FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education, 

Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.