Viśvacakra
Viśvacakra · viśva-cakra, “the wheel of the universe”
The Viśvacakra is the wheel of sixteen spokes and eight rims, made of gold and given in the Viśvacakra-dāna, which destroys all pāpas. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa announces this dāna in the Uttara Parva. The Viśvacakra is the āyudha of Bhagavān Vishṇu and also his dwelling, and the wise always see it in their hearts, radiant and beyond the guṇas.
Its making
It is made of refined gold, or by capacity of silver or copper. The measures of gold are:
- Uttama: one thousand palas.
- Madhyama: five hundred palas.
- Kanishṭha: two hundred and fifty palas.
- A man of small means: anything above twenty palas.
It has sixteen spokes and eight rims and is a turning wheel. On the lotus of its nave sits four-armed Bhagavān Vishṇu in yoga, with śaṅkha and cakra at his side, and eight devīs surround him on all sides.
The āvaraṇas
- Second āvaraṇa: Jalaśāyī, Atri, Bhṛgu, Vasishṭha, Brahmā, Kaśyapa, Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Narasiṃha, Vāmana, Paraśurāma, Rāma, Kṛshṇa, Buddha, Kalki.
- Third āvaraṇa: Gaurī with the Manus and the Vasus.
- Fourth āvaraṇa: the twelve Ādityas and the four Vedas.
- Fifth āvaraṇa: the five mahābhūtas and the eleven Rudras.
- Sixth āvaraṇa: the eight lokapālas and the diggajas.
- Seventh āvaraṇa: all kinds of auspicious astras.
- Eighth āvaraṇa: devatās, placed at small intervals.
Its setting and mantra
The Viśvacakra is placed on a vedī of four hastas, on sesame laid on the skin of the black antelope. After adhivāsana and havana, the yajamāna bathes, puts on white cloth, takes flowers in his añjali, goes round it three times and says the mantra. It means:
- Namaskāra to Viśvambhara. Praṇāma to Viśvacakrātmā. You are of the form of supreme ānanda; protect us from the mud of pāpa.
- Since the wise always see in their hearts this Viśvacakra, radiant, of the form of tattva, beyond the guṇas, I bow to you.
- This Viśvacakra stands in Vāsudeva, and Mādhava stands in the middle of this cakra. May you two stand as support of one another; I bow to you.
- Since this Viśvacakra of Bhagavān Vishṇu destroys all pātakas, and is the āyudha of Bhagavān Vishṇu and also his dwelling, may it give me śānti.
The phala
One who gives this Viśvacakra free of envy is freed from all pāpas and honoured in Vishṇuloka. He reaches Vaikuṇṭha-loka, becomes four-armed and imperishable, is served by hosts of apsarās, and dwells there for three hundred kalpas. One who makes it and bows to it every day has his āyus increased and his Lakshmī growing daily. One who gives this golden cakra of sixteen spokes, the seat of the whole jagat and of the devatās, reaches the abode of Bhagavān Vishṇu, and the siddhas bow their heads to him. Free of pāpa, he takes a lovely form like Keśava and is freed from the fear of repeated birth and death.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 190
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 190