Vishvakarman, in Hindu mythology, the architect of the gods. The name was originally used as an epithet of any powerful god but later came to personify creative power. Vishvakarman is the divine carpenter and master craftsman who fashioned the weapons of the gods and built their cities and chariots. He is the architect of the mythical city Lanka and is also said to have made the great image of Jagannatha at Puri (Orissa). He revealed the sciences of architecture and mechanics to humans and is the patron deity of workers, artisans, and artists.