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Thwashta
Thwashta Brahma (one of the creators in a cosmic cycle) once served a Guru. The Guru
wanted to test his steadfastness and said, "My son! every year, rain water leaks into my hermitage.
So, raise a beautiful house for me!" The Guru's wife said, "Fetch me a blouse which is good and
natural, but is marvellous!" The son of the Guru said, "Get me a pair of sandals which would be
comfortable either in water or ditches, fitting my feet and which can take me wherever I wish to go!'
The guru's daughter added, "Get me a pair of ear-rings, a single pillared palace of ivory with liveelephants in it and a cooking vessel which will not gather soot." Thwashta proceeded to the forest to
procure all these things and he resolved firmly even to stake his life, if necessary, in the effort. There,
a merciful sadhu approached him. Thwashta visualised his own Guru in the sadhu, prostrated to, him
and revealed his mission.
Then the sadhu said: "My son, nothing is impossible of achievement when the All-Merciful Lord
Viswanadha is in Kasi. All sins are annihilated even at the very glance of the Lord. The bliss that
abides in his presence is indescribable. The bestower of the four objects of human life + personally
initiates everyone who dies in Kasi with the taaraka mantra++ and thereby bestows liberation." The
disciple humbly asked, "Where is Kasi of which you speak so, highly? Where is that Lord
Viswanadha? Is he in Heaven or on earth? Please enlighten me of these."
The sadhu replied, "My son, one attains liberation even at the sight of Lord Viswanadha. I shall
be blessed with his darshan by, taking you there". So saying, the sadhu took Thwashta with him to
Kasi in the wink of an eye, by virtue of his yogic power! He also showed the various holy places on
the way, explaining to him in detail the glory of every one of them. Then he showed him Lord
Viswanadha, took him to the shrines of Bhavaneesa Hari, Vighneswara, Bhairava and Subrahmanya.
Finally, he took Thwashta to Ganga and made him take the holy dip and perform ritual worship and
then give away gifts to the poor. The sadhu told the disciple to install a Shivalinga there, to win the
grace of Iswara. The next moment, the sadhu vanished.
Thwashta realized that his own Guru had appeared in the form of the sadhu to test his faith
and bless him accordingly. As per his instruction, Thwashta installed a Shivalinga and worshipped it
with faith. Lord Vishwanadha appeared before him and said, " My son, you are made pure by your
devotion to the Guru. You are indeed blessed. Now tell me what you wish to have." Thwashta
bowed to the Lord and submitted, "Lord, grant me all the things which my Guru and the members of
his family have asked me to procure for them." The Lord blessed him saying, "May you attain mastery
in all arts, all branches of learning and by your skill, you shall attain fame in the three worlds too!" So
saying, the Lord disappeard. Soon, Thwashta returned to his Guru and gave what he and the
members of his family asked of him. The Guru was pleased with his resourcefulness and blessed him
saying that he would be elevated to the divine rank of the Creator, Brahma; that he would be able
to command the nine types of treasure and that he should ever be untouched by care and
suffering. Accordingly, Thwashta attained fame in the whole world. This story was recounted by Lord
Shiva to goddess Gowri. So one should serve the Guru and follow his instructions deligently."
