Vishvavasu

An 11^th century sculpture of a Gandharva from Karnataka, India. Vishvavasu is the most prominent of his class.

Vishvavasu (Sanskrit: विश्वावसु, romanized: Viśvāvasu, lit. 'possessing all goods', also rendered as Vishwavasu and Visvavasu), is the most revered gandharva (a class of celestial beings) in Hindu religion and mythology. The term is originally the epithet of the sole Gandharva mentioned in the Rigveda (c. 1500—1200 BCE), where he is a minor deity, regarded as the possessive guardian of unmarried women and soma (a ritual drink). He is also considered as a jealous rival of newlywed husbands. In later Vedic texts (the other Vedas and Brahmanas), he is described as either stealing Soma from the gods or being its original possessor.

In the post-Vedic literature such as the Mahabharata and Puranas, Vishvavasu is regarded as the king of the gandharvas, who by then were firmly established as a class of celestial musicians, leading them at various celestial events. He is noted for his exceptional skills in singing and playing the veena (lute or harp), and is frequently portrayed giving performances in the courts of the devas (gods). He also possesses Chakshushi, a divine sight by which one could see any thing at any place at any time. Vishvavasu is the father of another prominent gandharva, namely Chitrasena, and the nymph Pramadvara.