Shri Vishwakarma Puja Kathaश्री विश्वकर्मा पूजा कथा

The Vishwakarma Puja katha is the sacred story read or heard on the day of Vishwakarma Puja. It tells how Lord Vishnu revealed his Vishwakarma form, the divine architect and maker of the universe, and how sages, kings, craftsmen and merchants found relief by worshipping him. The story is narrated by Suta (Sutji), the knower of the Puranas, to an assembly of sages, and it is divided into five chapters (adhyaya).

The katha is usually read after the main worship and before the Vishwakarma aarti, by a priest or an elder, while everyone sits and listens with folded hands. In the story itself the vow is kept on Amavasya (the new moon day); today the main festival falls on Kanya Sankranti, but the katha is read in the same way. Below is the full story, chapter by chapter.

Chapter 1: Lord Vishnu reveals his Vishwakarma form

Once, many sages gathered at Kurukshetra, the field of dharma, and put a question to Suta, who understood the deep meaning of the Puranas. The sages said: "O wise one, learned in the Puranas, a doubt has suddenly arisen in our minds; please explain it and remove it. We have heard of the many forms of Lord Vishnu, whose radiance is beyond compare, but we do not know which of them is the greatest. Kindly tell us this secret."

Suta said: "O sages, you have asked a most auspicious question for the good of the world, and it gives me great joy. Lord Vishnu, the master of the universe whom the whole world worships, has many forms. Listen with respect as I describe the highest of them. By remembering it, even great sinners have been freed from their sins; there is no doubt about this. The very same question was once asked of Lord Vishnu by Goddess Lakshmi in the ocean of milk (Kshira Sagar)."

Lakshmi said: "O Lord of the world, your devotees on earth worship your many forms with devotion. Are all these forms equal, or is there a difference among them, some being chief and others secondary?"

Lord Vishnu said to Lakshmi: "Beloved, when, together with my Yogamaya, I have gathered the whole universe back into myself and then wish to become many, I create in a single moment countless worlds in which living beings may experience the fruits of their actions. Listen carefully as I describe the form in which I do this. O Devi, I take the form of Vishwakarma, shining on every side like many suns. Then, wishing to create human beings, I first create Brahma, the great ascetic."

"To Brahma I teach the Rigveda, the Yajurveda and the Samaveda, which reveal hymns of praise, the rites of sacrifice and sacred song. In the same way I give the Atharvaveda, which sets out the knowledge of crafts (shilpa vidya), and through it craftsmen have made a great many things. O great goddess, of all my forms this is the chief, the one that built the whole of creation in an instant. Whoever meditates on this wonderful form even for a moment has all obstacles destroyed, and the craftsman who meditates on Lord Vishwakarma is freed from all sorrow."

Here ends the first chapter.

Chapter 2: Sage Angira's search for peace

Suta said: Having described his form to Lakshmi in this way, Lord Vishnu, master of the three worlds, fell silent.

The sages said: "O great Suta, best of speakers, you who know every dharma: how did you come to know this wonderful secret? How did this form come to be worshipped and become known throughout the world?"

Suta replied: "O sages, listen to this account, which brings good to the whole land, just as I heard it. There was a sage named Angira who practised austerities on the bank of the Ganga near the Himalaya. In the rainy season he sat out in the open, in winter he stood in icy water, and in summer he sat in the blazing sun. Yet his mind found no peace, and he ran here and there like a thirsty deer."

Then suddenly a voice spoke from the sky: "O ascetic, you have strayed from your goal and are labouring in vain. Just as an arrow that misses its mark cannot strike the target, so it is with you, and people laugh at you. Worship and meditate on Lord Vishwakarma, the creator and destroyer, renowned in the world and the giver of what is desired, the radiant one with five faces and ten arms, who is worshipped by Saraswati and by Lakshmi herself. Lord Vishnu himself described this form to me in the ocean of milk, and even now the thought of it makes my body thrill. On the day of Amavasya, set aside all other work and worship him with the proper rites."

Hearing the voice from the sky, Sage Angira was at first full of doubt, but then he sat in meditation. As he meditated on Lord Vishwakarma, a whole treasury of the science of crafts (shilpa shastra) opened in his mind, together with the knowledge of the Atharvaveda and its meaning. With his own understanding, this sage who knew the truth went on to invent the vimana (aerial chariot) and many other things.

Suta continued: "By the grace of Lord Vishwakarma the world became happy, for through his grace the knowledge of making carts, chariots and other things spread. From that time this form of Lord Vishwakarma became famous in the world, and the story came down to me through the line of tradition. O sages, whoever hears this katha gains knowledge simply by listening. This form of great light works for the good of the whole world, and the katha calls the person who does not worship and remember him ungrateful."

Here ends the second chapter.

Chapter 3: King Pramangad and Queen Kamala

The sages said: "O Suta, having heard from you the story of Lord Vishwakarma, our hearts are still not satisfied, just as the gods are never satisfied with nectar. Our wish to hear more grows the way a fire grows when offerings are poured into it."

Suta said: "Best of sages, listen attentively to the beautiful story of Lord Vishwakarma, teacher of the world and embodiment of truth, consciousness and bliss. Long ago there was a king named Pramangad who cared for his subjects as if they were his own sons. Giving up idleness, he devoted himself to righteous work. He ruled his people with love and never by the sword. He did not wish to rule over people crushed by poverty; he was always absorbed in making his subjects happy. He believed that giving charity to the unworthy was the same as protecting the wicked, and so, with no ungrateful or wicked people to trouble it, his kingdom was content."

His queen was named Kamala. She had eyes like a lotus, was as virtuous as Sati herself, was learned, and had deep faith in righteous deeds and religious vows. But by misfortune this righteous king, the protector of his people, was struck by kushtha (leprosy), a disease that caused him great suffering. Many treatments were tried, but the disease would not go, and the king was deeply unhappy.

Here the sages interrupted: "How could such a noble king, who ruled according to dharma, suffer such a disease? If even the righteous fall ill like this, who in the world will put their faith in dharma?"

Suta said: "In earlier days this king had spread the views of the unbelievers. He taught people that the world has no beginning and that no one, not Vishwakarma nor anyone else, created it. But if Vishwakarma, who gives the world the fruits of its actions, did not exist, how could a person who helps others receive the merit of that good deed? And if those who do good received no reward, why would anyone help another? The world would fall apart. That is why those who mislead others in this way surely receive punishment. And have no doubt about this: the fruits of the good and bad deeds of many lifetimes are not all received in a single life. Now listen carefully to the rest of the story."

Seeing the king so distressed, the queen spoke to him with a heavy heart. The queen said: "O King, even our radiant family priest Upamanyu once went blind from a disease of the eyes. Using his wisdom, he decided to keep a fast on Amavasya and worship Lord Vishwakarma. On the day of the puja he ate only a single meal of fruit in the evening, set aside all other work and began to worship Lord Vishwakarma. By the power of that vow he was given divine sight, and even now, in his old age, his sight remains as good as ever. Great King, I humbly pray that you too take refuge in Lord Vishwakarma, the protector of the helpless."

The king said: "My dear, you have spoken rightly. Hearing this, my heart is filled with enthusiasm, and I feel sure that by the grace of Lord Vishwakarma this effort will succeed. The very eagerness of my heart tells me so."

Suta said: From that day the king set aside all other work and worshipped Lord Vishwakarma on every Amavasya. By the power of that worship, the katha says, he was soon freed from the disease, his body became radiant like gold, and he ruled happily. From then on he stayed absorbed at the lotus feet of Lord Vishwakarma like a bee at a lotus, and never forgot him. According to the katha, whoever lovingly meditates on and worships Lord Vishwakarma every day with faith and devotion is freed from all ills and in the end attains liberation (moksha).

Here ends the third chapter.

The healings in this chapter belong to the story and to devotional belief. This is not a substitute for medical advice; if you are unwell, please consult a doctor.

Chapter 4: The chariot-maker of Varanasi

Suta said again: "O sages, I have told you of the wonderful deeds of Lord Vishwakarma. Now I will describe another account that will amaze the world. In the town of Varanasi there lived a chariot-maker (rathkar) with his wife, a man who lived by the righteous ways of the world. He was learned and skilled at his work, yet he wandered anxiously in search of a living. Though he roamed and strove like a jackal searching for food, he could never earn more than enough to eat."

His wife, like her husband, was always worried, for they had no son, and she wondered how they would manage in old age. Anxious for a child, she went to monasteries to seek the blessings of their heads. Sometimes she even went to bearded frauds; in short, she went to every kind of holy man without telling true from false. Yet in spite of all kinds of charms, spells and rituals, her wish was not fulfilled. Her state was like that of a doe that runs through fields of kasha and kusha grass, or over the sands of the Yamuna, mistaking a mirage for water.

One trickster would wave peacock feathers over her, another would write a yantra on birch bark (bhojpatra), and calling themselves tantriks and exorcists they would say, "Such-and-such a deity comes upon me; he will fulfil your wish," and hand her sacred ash. In this way the husband and wife were deeply unhappy in their longing for a child. Seeing them caught in the great web of these tricksters, a Brahmin who lived next door spoke to them.

The Brahmin said: "O chariot-maker, why do you wander here and there for the sake of a child? You seem to me very foolish. Such false remedies will never bring a child or wealth; all this effort is wasted. Those who try to fulfil their wishes by such false means are great fools, for useless effort never succeeds. Even more foolish are those who believe that the spells and fire rituals of exorcists will give their children long life, for children raised in such ways do not gain good understanding."

"So give up these useless remedies and take refuge in the most compassionate Lord Vishwakarma alone. By his grace your work will surely succeed; without his grace no one is freed from suffering. Lord Vishwakarma is free in granting the fruits of actions, giving joy and sorrow sooner or later. Even if your present hardship is the result of past misdeeds, Lord Vishwakarma can surely lift you out of it, for he is all-powerful and cares for his sincere devotees. God gives the fruits of actions in many ways; making someone childless or poor is not his only means. Therefore, on the day of Amavasya, set aside all other work, keep a fast, worship Lord Vishwakarma, listen to the account of his glory, and spend what you can on helping others."

Hearing this teaching from the noble Brahmin, the chariot-maker's eyes were opened. He bowed at the feet of the kind Brahmin and went home meditating on Lord Vishwakarma. From that day the good chariot-maker meditated on the lotus feet of Shri Vishwakarma, and his wife too gave up false remedies and turned with devotion to the Lord's virtues.

By keeping the Amavasya vow with the proper rites, the chariot-maker very soon became prosperous and was blessed with a son. From then on not a single day passed without income. Their son grew up well-mannered, gifted and learned, performed his daily sandhya prayers, and was deeply devoted to his parents. So the husband and wife lived happily, following the duties of householders. The katha says that whoever worships and meditates on Lord Vishwakarma lives happily all their life with their spouse and children.

Here ends the fourth chapter.

Chapter 5: The merchant of Ujjain and Sage Lomash

Suta said: "O great sages, I will tell you once more of the glory of Lord Vishwakarma, renowned throughout the world. Listen attentively. In the city of Ujjain there lived a respected, generous and righteous merchant (seth). His treasury was always full of gems and precious stones, like the store of Kubera. There was hardly anyone around him who had not taken money from him, whether for a wedding, to fight a lawsuit or to escape illness and hardship."

Having spent his wealth on helping others, the merchant became poor and suffered like an elephant stuck in mud. He was fully confident that the friends he had helped would surely help him in return, but his hope was in vain. Not one of those ungrateful friends came forward. As soon as he lost his wealth, his friends turned into enemies within a few days and began to speak ill of him. His former friends would look away and walk past as soon as they saw him, for selfish friends do not stand by you in hard times.

The behaviour of such mean-spirited people filled the merchant with disgust and turned him away from the world. Scorning the ungrateful, he left his city and went into the forest. There he lived on roots, bulbs and fruit, and if by chance he saw another person, he would run far away in disgust.

One day, wandering on, the merchant reached a lonely forest and saw Sage Lomash sitting in a mountain cave in the lotus posture, practising austerities with a calm mind. The sage, as his name suggests, was covered in thick hair, and the merchant, taking him for an animal, went and sat near him out of curiosity. Seeing the merchant sitting close by, the sage asked, "Is all well with you? From where have your wanderings brought you here?"

The merchant was astonished to hear an "animal" speak in human language. When asked, he told the great sage his whole story from beginning to end. Hearing it, the sage said to him: "If you hate sinners and the ungrateful, why have you turned away from Lord Vishwakarma? O merchant, it is that very god who created you and gave you every joy you have enjoyed. He created the whole world and ordered it according to karma. How can you be happy if you abandon him? The unbeliever and the ungrateful person first forget God. So take refuge in the all-powerful Lord Vishwakarma."

"Lord Vishwakarma, maker of the world whose roots lie above, has many forms: with two arms, four arms and ten arms, and with one face, four faces and five faces. He has five sons named Manu, Maya, Tvashta, Shilpi and Daivajna. Of these, Manu works in iron, Maya in wood, and Tvashta in bronze and copper; Shilpi works in brick and stone, and Daivajna in gold and silver. These are the crafts of the five sons of Vishwakarma, and this work is regarded as sacred, as a kind of yajna."

"At the time of building the bridge to Lanka (Setu Bandhan), Lord Rama too worshipped Lord Vishwakarma, and when Dwarka was being built, Shri Krishna worshipped him as well. So you too should worship him; you will be freed from all your troubles and gain every kind of success."

The sage's teaching brought the merchant great peace, and from that day he became a devotee of Shri Vishwakarma. Through his worship all his sins were washed away, and in the end, the katha says, he attained a divine state and lived happily in heaven. Whoever meditates on Lord Vishwakarma with a devoted heart gains devotion to his lotus feet, and the wise person who listens to the holy fame of Shri Vishwakarma enjoys the happiness of this world and in the end reaches the eternal abode of Lord Vishwakarma.

Here ends the fifth chapter, and the Shri Vishwakarma Puja katha is complete.

Other stories of Lord Vishwakarma

The five chapters above form the vrat katha. Alongside it, devotees often tell other well-known stories of Lord Vishwakarma from the epics and Puranas. They are given here in brief, as they are told according to tradition.

Sanjna and Surya

Lord Vishwakarma's daughter Sanjna (also called Saranyu) was married to Surya, the sun god. Unable to bear her husband's blazing radiance, she left his home. To bring them together again, Lord Vishwakarma trimmed away part of Surya's brilliance, and from the glowing fragments he is said to have fashioned celestial weapons, including the discus of Lord Vishnu and the trident of Lord Shiva.

Indra's Vajra

When the demon Vritra troubled the gods, the sage Dadhichi gave up his life so that his bones could be used to make a weapon. From those bones Lord Vishwakarma fashioned the Vajra, the thunderbolt of Indra, with which Vritra was defeated.

Dwarka, Lanka and the Pushpaka Vimana

Tradition credits Lord Vishwakarma with the golden city of Lanka, which later became Ravana's capital, the Pushpaka Vimana, the celebrated flying chariot, and Dwarka, the city of Lord Krishna by the sea. This is why the fifth chapter of the katha says that Shri Krishna worshipped him when Dwarka was being built. The assembly hall of the Pandavas at Indraprastha, the Mayasabha, is credited to Maya rather than to Vishwakarma. More of this background is on the history of Vishwakarma Puja page.

The message of the katha

Each chapter carries a simple lesson. The first two chapters present Lord Vishwakarma as the creative power of the divine, the source of every skill, craft and invention, and Sage Angira's story shows that hard austerity without the right focus brings no peace. King Pramangad's story warns against pride and disbelief and shows the value of humble faith, while the queen's gentle advice reminds devotees that good counsel within a family can change a life.

The chariot-maker's story speaks directly to working people. It cautions against tricksters and false remedies, and its advice is practical as well as devotional: honest work, faith, regular worship and helping others as far as one can. The merchant of Ujjain shows that generosity should not turn into bitterness when others are ungrateful, and that turning back to God brings peace. Together, the chapters teach respect for work and for the tools of one's trade, which is the heart of Vishwakarma Puja.

After the katha, everyone sings the aarti "Om Jai Shri Vishwakarma", and many devotees also recite the Vishwakarma Chalisa. For the full order of worship, see the Vishwakarma puja vidhi.