Construction of the Pavilion

Brahma said

Supreme among sages, after this Himalaya, lord of mountains, gladly set about adorning his city in wonderful ways for the great festivities. The roads were swept and sprinkled with water, decorated and very bright. Plantain trees were planted and auspicious objects set at every door. A hall was built with plantain trees for pillars, cloth bound round them with cords and decorated with tree leaves. The gates shone with garlands of malati flowers, and radiant, sacred, auspicious objects were set in the four directions. Full of joy for his daughter, the Indra among mountains did all this. In deciding the proper auspicious rites, the immensely powerful Garga was given first place. He lovingly summoned Vishvakarma and had him build an extremely large pavilion with a beautiful altar and more. Divine rishi, it stretched for ten thousand yojanas, full of marvels and many auspicious signs. All agreeable things moving and still could be seen inside, extraordinary in every way, with many wonderful articles. Sometimes the painted moving things outdid the still ones, sometimes the still outdid the moving; sometimes spots of water looked better than land, elsewhere the reverse. Even the learned could not tell land from water. In places there were artificial lions, or rows of artificial cranes, or very lovely artificial peacocks; in some, artificial women danced with artificial men. Looking at these artificial creatures people were bewildered. There were beautiful artificial doorkeepers with raised bows, motionless but looking like living guards. A wonderful artificial image of Mahalakshmi stood at the gate with all the auspicious signs, as if she had just risen from the ocean of milk. There were artificial elephants and horses made to look real, artificial horse- and elephant-riders, and charioteers on chariots full of wonders, other vehicles and foot soldiers, all artificial. Sage, Vishvakarma made them to confuse people, and the minds of the gods and sages were delighted. Nandi was fashioned to stand there as a great doorkeeper, but he was an image, pure as crystal and just like the real Nandi. There was the divine Pushpaka, adorned with jewels, bright and very beautiful, decked with pure new sprouts, with immortals seated on it. On the left stood two sparkling saffron-coloured elephants, each with four tusks, sixty years old and terrifying. There were also two radiant horses as bright as the sun, divine, adorned with whisks and divine ornaments. There were the armoured guardians of the worlds, adorned with the best of jewels. Vishvakarma made every god exactly as he truly was, and every rishi too, Bhrigu and the other stores of austerity, and other gods and siddhas. Vishnu was there with all his companions, even Garuda; all were artificial, wonderful and handsome. Narada, I too was made artificially, surrounded by my sons, the Vedas and the siddhas, reciting hymns. Shakra sat on Airavata with his attendants, artificial and bright as the full moon. Devarshi, why say more? At Himalaya's urging Vishvakarma made all the various gods, so creating a divine pavilion, large and full of marvels, to bewilder the gods.

On the mountain lord's instruction the very intelligent Vishvakarma carefully built dwellings for the gods and others: large divine couches, radiant and wonderful and pleasing. In an instant he made the wonderful seven worlds, radiant and divine, as residence for Svayambhu. In the same way he built bright and divine Vaikuntha for Vishnu, in an instant, full of great wonders, and a divine, wonderful residence for the lord of the immortals, with every prosperity. He built beautiful dwellings, divine, wonderful and large, for the guardians of the worlds, giving them pleasure, and one by one colourful dwellings for all the immortals. Vishvakarma was very intelligent and had a great boon from Shambhu, and to please Shiva he built all of these in an instant. In the same way he built a supremely radiant, wonderful residence for Shambhu, worshipped by the best of gods, glittering greatly and bearing all of Girisha's signs. Thus Vishvakarma made Shivaloka, brilliant and full of marvels, extraordinary, made to satisfy Shiva. So everything was done as custom required. When it was done, Himachala waited happily for Shambhu's arrival. Devarshi, I have told you everything Himalaya did. It brings joy. What else would you like to hear?