viswakarma

Information about viswakarma(caste)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishwakarma_%28caste%29 Please use the above link

വേദങ്ങളിലെ ഭഗവൻ‌ വിരാട് വിശ്വകർമ്മാവ്

ഋഗ്വേദത്തില് പ്രധാനികളായ ഇന്ദ്രൻ, മിത്രനൻ, വരുണൻ, അഗ്നി, വിഷ്ണു എന്നിവര് ഓരോ പ്രത്യേക വകുപ്പുകളുടെ ദേവന്മാരെങ്ങിലും ഇവരുടെയെല്ലാം ഉടമസ്ഥനും പിതാവുമായി വിശ്വകർമ്മാവിനെയാണ് സംബോധന ചെയ്യുന്നത്. ഹിരന്യഗര്ഭൻ‌. പ്രജാപതി തുടങ്ങിയ പേരിലും പരാമര്ശിക്കുന്നു.

"ആദിയില് ഹിരന്യഗര്ഭൻ‌ മാത്രമേ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു ഉള്ളു.
അവനില് നിന്നാണ് സർവ്വ ചരാചരങ്ങളും ഉണ്ടായത്.
ലോകം മുഴുവന് ഹിരന്യഗര്ഭ്ന്ടെ കല്പനകള് അനുസരിക്കുന്നു
അതിനാല് അവനു മാത്രം ഹവിസര്പ്പികുക."(ഋഗ്വേദം 10:12:1)

"പ്രപഞ്ച്ങ്ങളെയും ദേവന്മാരെയും സൃഷ്ടിച്ചതും
സ്വര്ഗ്ഗവും ഭൂമിയും നിര്മ്മിച്ചതും വിശ്വകർമ്മാവാണ്
അതിനാല് അദ്ദേഹത്തെ വന്ദിക്കുക." (ഋഗ്വേദം 10:90:2)

"ഈ വിശാലമായ സൃഷ്ടിയെ ജനിപ്പിച്ച വിശ്വകർമ്മാവായ പ്രജാപതി
ഭൂമിയും അന്തരീശാദികളെയും രചിച്ച് അവയല്ലാം സ്വന്തം ശക്തിയില് പൊതിഞ്ഞു വെച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു." (ശുക്ലയജുര്വേദം17:18)

"ചതുപ്പ് നിലങ്ങളുടെയും നാടിന്റെയും കാടിന്റെയും
കുന്നിന്ടെയും ആലകളുടെയും ആലയങ്ങളുടെയും ഗുഹകളുടെയും
ജലാശയ്ങ്ങളുടെയും നിലാവിന്ടെയും ശബ്ദതിന്ടെയും ധുളികളുടെയും
ചെടികളുടെയും നദികളുടെയും പച്ച്ചിലകളുടെയും
മണ്ണില് കൊഴിഞ്ഞ ഇലകളുടെയും നാഥനായ അങ്ങേക്ക് (വിശ്വകർമ്മാവിന്) നമസ്ക്കാരം." (കൃഷ്ണയജുര്വേദം 4:6-9)^[3]

തൈത്തരീയ സംഹിതയിൽ(4:3:3) വിശ്വകർമ്മാവിണ്ടെ അഞ്ചു മുഖങ്ങളില് നിന്നും അഞ്ച് ബ്രഹ്മ ഋഷികള് ഉണ്ടായതായി പറയുന്നു. ഇവര് സനക ബ്രഹ്മഋഷി, സനാതന ബ്രഹ്മഋഷി, അഭുവസന ബ്രഹ്മഋഷി, പ്രജ്ഞസ ബ്രഹ്മഋഷി, സുവര്ണ്ണസ ബ്രഹ്മഋഷി എന്നീ പേരുകളില് അറിയപ്പെടുന്നു.
സനക ബ്രഹ്മ ഋഷി പൂറ്വ ദിശ മുഖത്ത് നിന്നും, സനാത ബ്രഹ്മ ഋഷി ദക്ഷിണ ദിശാ മുഖത്ത് നിന്നും, പ്രജ്ഞ്സ ബ്രഹ്മ ഋഷി ഉത്തര ദിശാ മുഖത്ത് നിന്നും, അഭുവന ബ്രഹ്മ ഋഷി പശ്ചിമ ദിശാ മുഖത്ത് നിന്നും, സുപര്ണ്ണ ബ്രഹ്മ ഋഷി പരമപാദ ദിശാ മുഖത്ത് (ഉച്ചം) നിന്നുമണ് ജനിച്ചത്.ഇവര് പഞ്ച ഗോത്രങ്ങളായും അറിയപ്പെടുന്നു.

wikipedia

PANCHA MUKHA VIRT VISWAKARMA

Vishwakarma Puja

Vishwakarma is known as the divine engineer of the world. As a mark of reverence he is not only worshipped by the engineering and architectural community but also by all professionals. It is customary for craftsmen to worship their tools in His name.

Like other gods Visvakarma is also attributed a putative birthday by the Hindu religion. This becomes conjectural according to many in the community. The more philosophical minded argue that it is impossible for the original Creator of everything to be born on a particular day. It is a contradiction in terms since that presupposes another creator for Visvakarma. But among those who believe that there is a birthday also there is no agreement. It is celebrated on two days under different names:

• 'Rishi Panchami Dinam'. "Rishi Panchami Dinam" literally means ‘the day of the solidarity of five rishis’. Those who celebrate this day believe that Visvakarma did not have a birthday like the mortals but only a commemoration day in which his five children (supposedly five rishis) came together to declare their solidarity and pray to their illustrious father. This day follows the rules of the Hindu Almanac and changes with every year. Following the practice of their sage forefathers the five groups among the Visvakarma community also celebrate this as an auspicious day in commemoration of their patron god at present.^[7]
• 'Visvakarma Jayanthi'. Vishwakarma Jayanthi is celebrated by all industrial houses, artists, craftsman and weavers. The festival is observed on the Kanya Sankranti Day (September 17) which follows the Ganesh Puja. It was on this particular day that the forefathers of the present Visvakarma people invented plough and gifted it to humanity. Plough represents both the artisan trade as well as agriculture and therefore becomes the most representative symbol of the ancient Indian civilisation. It changed the course of human history altogether. This was a change from ‘local mob culture to universal human culture’ and Visavkarmas of India pioneered it. Coincidentally, this becomes the birthday of Visvakarma also. So Indians in the past celebrated this day of many illustrious conjunctions as an occasion to honour Visvakarma and his descendents

wikipedia

"Descendants" of Vishwakarma

1. Loha Shilpi (Blacksmiths)
2. Daru Shilpi / Vadla (Carpenters)
3. Kamsya Shilpi (Bronzesmiths)
4. Rathi Shilpi (Architects/sculptors/masons)
5. Swarna Shilpi (Goldsmiths)

The Vishwakarmas have contributed greatly to Indian civilization and culture as temple and city builders, architects, engineers and artists.

Vishvakarma in the Vedas

In Yajurveda, Viswakarma is described as Virad purusha purusha sukta from whose navel [the later puranic concept of padmanabha] the divine smith Tvastar originated.[dwiteeya anuvaka of yajurveda purusha sootktha. In the Vedic period the term first appeared as an epithet of Indra and surya. In that time the concept of Brahma might have been hidden in concept of Vasthospathy or Brahmanaspathi. Vishwakarma created 5 Brahmas from each of his 5 faces, they are

1. Sanaga Brahma Rishi
2. Sanaathana Brahma Rishi
3. Abhuvanasa Brahma Rishi
4. Prathnasa Brahma Rishi
5. Suparnasa Brahma Rishi

However, the office of the "Indian Vulcan" is assigned to Tvastar (Tvastr) as a distinct deity, Vishva-karman being rather identified with Prajapati as the creator of all things and the architect of the Universe; in the hymns RV 10.81 and 10.82 he is represented as the universal Father and Generator, the one all-seeing God, who has on every side eyes, faces, arms, and feet; in the Brahmanas he is called a son of Bhuvana, and Vishva-karman Bhauvana is described as the author of the two hymns mentioned above.

As per the Rig Veda he is the one and, only one beyond the Seven Ṛṣis.^[4] In Hindu mythology, Viswakarma is considered as the Divine Architect. He is called 'Devashilpi' or 'The Architect of Gods'. The Rig Veda describes Viswakarma as the god with multi-dimensional vision and supreme strength. He is able to predict well in advance in which direction his creation will move. In later mythology sometimes identified with Tvastr^[5], he is the creator of the whole Universe (RV 10.81.3), and the architect of all the gods' palaces. The term viswakarma appeared as a Rsi as well as Silpi In this form his mother was Yogasiddha, sister of Brihaspati. His father was Prabhas, the eighth hermit of the legendary Astam Basu. Vishwakarma is also the designer of all the flying chariots of the gods, and all their weapons and divine attributes. He is said to have revealed the Sthapatyaveda or fourth Upa-veda, and presides over the sixty-four mechanical arts.

Viswakarma is also credited with creating the missiles used in the mythological era, including the Vajra, the sacred weapon of Lord Indra, from the bones of sage Dadhichi. He is regarded as the supreme worker, the very essence of excellence and quality in craftsmanship.
Virat Viswakarma as appears with five tilakamarked faces sadyojaatha, vaamadeva, aghora, thathpurusha, and eesaana. 10 arms holding a book and writing stylus, a sword, an adze, a citron, a cup, a water-pot, a rosary, a cobra (about his neck), a noose, hands betokening sternness and beneficence (one closed and one open), and a golden sacred thread