#Visvavasu
A Gandharva King. The following information about this King is taken from the Puranas.
(i) The father of this Devagandharva was Prajapati Kasyapa and his mother was Pradha. (M.B. Adi Parva, Chapter 25, Stanza 47 ).
(ii) Pramadvara was born to Visvavasu by the celestial maid Menaka. (See under Pramadvara).
(iiij Visvavasu was present at the Birth-festival of Arjuna. (Maha-bharata Adi Parva, Chapter 122, Stanza 22).
(iv) This Visvavasu learned from Soma, Caksusividya (the art of seeing all) and taught Citraratha, a Gandharva the same art. (Maha-bharata Adi Parva, Chapter 169, Stanza 43) .
(v) He was present at the Svayamvara (marriage) of Draupadi. (M.B. Adi Parva, Chapter 186, Stanza 7).
(vi) Vi ‘vavasu stays in the palace of Indra glorifying him. (Maha-bharata Adi Sabha Parva, Chapter 7, Stanza 22).
(vii) It is mentioned in Mahabharata, Sabha Parva, Chapter 10, Stanza 25, that he stays in the palace of Kuvera praising him.
(viii) This Gandharva recited a poem at the sacrifice performed by Jamadagni. (Maha-bharata Vana Parva, Chapter 90, Stanza 18) .
(ix) Kabandha, the asura, who stopped Rama and Laksmana, was the changed form of Visvavasu by a curse (See under Kabandha).
(x) It was this Visvavasu Who played the lute in the sacrifice performed by emperor Dilipa. (M.B. Drona Parva, Chapter 61, Stanza 7).
(xi) Once Visvdvasu asked hermit Yajnavalkya twentyfour questions. When he got satisfactory answers, the Gandharva returned to heaven. (Maha-bharata Santi Parva, Chapter 318, Stanza 26) .
(xii) It was Visvavasu and some other Gandharvas who took away Urvasi from Pururavas. (See under Pururavas).
(xiii) At the time of emperor Prthu, when the earth was milked, the thing the Gandharvas got were those befitting them, In the course of the milking Visvavasu stood as the calf. (Bhagavata, Skandha 4).
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