Viśvacakra Dāna Mantra
Viśvacakra Dāna Mantra, “the mantra of the gift of the wheel of the universe”
The Viśvacakra Dāna Mantra is the mantra the yajamāna says when he gives the Viśvacakra, the golden wheel of the universe, to brāhmaṇas. Śrī Kṛshṇa teaches it to Yudhishṭhira in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa.
The setting
The Viśvacakra is made of refined gold, of a thousand, five hundred or two hundred and fifty palas, or, for one of small means, of more than twenty; it may also be of silver or copper. It has sixteen spokes and eight rims. On the lotus of its nave sits four-armed Bhagavān Vishṇu in yoga, with the śaṅkha and cakra at his side and eight devīs around him. Around him are its āvaraṇas (circles): Jalaśāyī, Atri, Bhṛgu, Vasishṭha, Brahmā, Kaśyapa, Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Narasiṃha, Vāmana, Paraśurāma, Rāma, Kṛshṇa, Buddha and Kalki; Gaurī with the Manus and the Vasus; the twelve Ādityas and the four Vedas; the five mahābhūtas and the eleven Rudras; the eight lokapālas and the diggajas; all the auspicious astras; and the devatās.
In a maṇḍapa of ten hastas the wheel is set on sesame laid on the skin of a black antelope, with eighteen kinds of grain, salt and all the rasas, eight kalaśas, cloth, garlands, fruit, gems and a five-coloured canopy. Four brāhmaṇas perform the havana to the devatās installed in the wheel, for the stilling of all troubles. The yajamāna bathes, puts on white, takes flowers in his hands, goes three times round the wheel and says the mantra.
The mantra
In meaning:
- “Namaskāra to Viśvambhara, who sustains the universe; praṇāma to Viśvacakrātmā, the ātmā of the wheel of the universe. You are of the form of supreme bliss; protect us from the mud of pāpa.”
- “Since the wise ever see in their hearts this Viśvacakra, radiant, the very truth, beyond the guṇas, I bow to you.”
- “This Viśvacakra stands in Vāsudeva, and Mādhava stands in the middle of the wheel; standing so as support of one another, I bow to you both.”
- “Since this Viśvacakra of Bhagavān Vishṇu destroys all pātakas, and is his āyudha and his dwelling, may it give me śānti.”
The phala
One who gives the Viśvacakra so, free of envy, is freed of all pāpas and honoured in Vishṇuloka; he reaches Vaikuṇṭha, becomes four-armed and imperishable, and dwells there served by apsarās for three hundred kalpas. One who makes the Viśvacakra and bows to it every day gains long life and ever-growing Lakshmī. Free of pāpa, he takes a lovely form like Keśava and is freed of the fear of birth and death.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 190
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 190