Beliefs Behind Vishwakarma Pujaविश्वकर्मा पूजा से जुड़ी मान्यताएं

Vishwakarma Puja rests on a set of beliefs about who Lord Vishwakarma is, where he came from and why the tools of everyday work deserve worship. Ancient texts and living tradition offer several accounts, and they do not always agree. This page brings together the most widely held beliefs, presented as matters of faith rather than history.

The divine creator and craftsman

Devotees believe that Lord Vishwakarma is honoured not only by human beings but by the gods themselves, because so many of their cities, palaces, chariots and weapons are said to be his work. In the Rigveda he is praised as the all-maker, the creator of heaven and earth. In later tradition he is the deva-shilpi, the craftsman of the gods, and the first teacher of architecture and the building arts.

For this reason he is regarded as the patron deity of artisans, craftspeople, engineers, architects, mechanics, and factory and industrial workers. Many believe that every skill used in making something, from carving wood to designing a bridge, is a small share of his divine knowledge.

Accounts of his birth

The texts give different accounts of Lord Vishwakarma's origin, and devotees often hold them side by side:

• Son of Prabhasa: according to a widely known Puranic account, Prabhasa, one of the eight Vasus and a son of Dharma, married a sister of Brihaspati, the guru of the gods. Lord Vishwakarma was born to them.
• Descendant of Vastu: another account, popular in devotional tradition, says that Dharma and his wife Vastu had a son named Vastu Dev, regarded as the founder of the science of building, and that Lord Vishwakarma was born to Vastu Dev and his wife Angirasi.
• Born of Brahma: some traditions say that Lord Brahma brought Vishwakarma into being to give shape to his creation, while the Vedic hymns identify Vishvakarman with the creator himself.

These accounts differ in detail but agree on the essential belief: that Lord Vishwakarma is the source of the skills that turn ideas into lasting things.

The five forms of Vishwakarma

Some traditions speak of five forms or appearances of Lord Vishwakarma: Virat Vishwakarma, the cosmic creator; Dharmavanshi Vishwakarma; Angiravanshi Vishwakarma; Sudhanva Vishwakarma; and Bhriguvanshi Vishwakarma. Devotees understand them as different expressions of the same divine craftsman across the ages.

Craft communities that regard Lord Vishwakarma as their ancestor often trace their lineages to his five sons, traditionally named Manu, Maya, Tvashta, Shilpi and Daivajna; in the Vishwakarma Puja katha, Sage Lomash names them along with their crafts. Manu is linked with iron, Maya with wood, Tvashta with bronze and copper, Shilpi with brick and stone, and Daivajna with gold and silver, which is why carpenters, blacksmiths, metalworkers, sculptors and goldsmiths alike honour him as the head of their family.

What devotees believe he created

According to tradition, Lord Vishwakarma built the homes of the gods and the objects they use. Among the creations credited to him are:

• the city of Dwarka for Lord Krishna and the golden city of Lanka;
• the Pushpaka Vimana, the flying chariot;
• Indra's Vajra, made from the bones of the sage Dadhichi;
• the discus of Lord Vishnu and the trident of Lord Shiva, said to have been made from the radiance of Surya, husband of his daughter Sanjna.

The stories behind these creations, and how his worship grew over the centuries, are told in the history of Vishwakarma Puja.

Beliefs behind the customs

Many of the customs of the day grow directly out of these beliefs:

• Tools as sacred: because skill is seen as a divine gift, the tools and machines that carry it are cleaned, given tilak and worshipped, and usually not used for the rest of the day.
• Gratitude for livelihood: workers believe that thanking Lord Vishwakarma for their work and income invites his continued blessing.
• Safety and smooth work: many pray that their machines run well and that no accident harms anyone in the coming year.
• Working together: the community puja at factories and workshops reflects the belief that work is shared, and prasad is given to everyone, whatever their role.

Over time these beliefs made the puja important across India, especially in the east, where it is observed on Kanya Sankranti, and in parts of the north, where Vishwakarma Day falls on the day after Diwali. Artisans, mechanics, welders, draughtspeople, engineers and other skilled workers worship him in the hope that their work and business will prosper. The meaning of the day is explored further under significance of Vishwakarma Puja.

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