Changu Narayan
The story of how, after the battle between Takshak and Garuda, Vishnu and Aryavalokiteshvara came to reside on Charu Hill.
Changu Narayan
After Manjushri drained the waters of the valley, the Naga king Takshak grew exceedingly furious and began to bite people. Because he had taken the lives of thousands of innocent people, Takshak was cursed with leprosy.
To atone for his transgression, Takshak went to the bank of the sacred river at Gokarna and began to perform rigorous penance.
Seeing Takshak lying motionless and absorbed in penance, Garuda, the mount of Lord Vishnu, attacked him. A long battle ensued between the two, and by the power of his penance Takshak began to drag Garuda into the water and overcome him.
Seeing his mount Garuda in peril, Lord Vishnu arrived bearing the Sudarshan Chakra to slay Takshak.
At that very moment, to save Takshak's life, the compassionate Bodhisattva Aryavalokiteshvara appeared. Vishnu welcomed Aryavalokiteshvara with respect, put an end to the enmity between Garuda and Takshak, and reconciled them as friends.
Thereafter Lord Vishnu carried Aryavalokiteshvara upon his shoulder, mounted Garuda, and descended upon Charu Hill, which was covered with a dense forest of champak trees. Because he came to be established in the champak forest, Lord Vishnu came to be called 'Changu Narayan'.
Note: These are traditional Nepali folk tales (kimbadanti), passed down orally through generations. They may or may not reflect actual historical events, but they are told and believed as part of Nepal's cultural heritage.
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