Manjushri creating Kathmandu Valley with the self-born light swayambhu is a significant legend in Nepalese and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. According to this legend, the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake of mountains. In the middle of this lake, there was a lotus flower with a divine light emanating from it.
Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom, saw the lake and realized that it was a suitable place to establish a prosperous city where the teachings of Buddhism could flourish. To transform the lake into habitable land, Manjushri decided to cut through the mountains surrounding the valley with his wisdom sword, known as the “Panchajanya” or “Arishtamukha.” With one swift stroke of his sword, Manjushri split open a gorge at a place now known as Chobar, allowing the water from the lake to drain out. The fertile land that emerged from the drained lake became the Kathmandu Valley, a verdant and prosperous basin suitable for settlement and cultivation.
After creating the valley, Manjushri established the city of Manjupattan, which later evolved into present-day Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. He also established various religious sites, including Swayambhunath Stupa, which is believed to have emerged from the lotus flower in the center of the lake.
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