Cakratīrtha is a sacred tīrtha on Veṅkaṭādri (Veṅkaṭācala). The Sudarśana cakra of Bhagavān Vishṇu lives here for ever. Bhagavān Vishṇu sent the cakra to save the brahmin Padmanābha from a rākshasa. Then, at Padmanābha’s prayer, it was set in the tīrtha to stay.

The rākshasa was the gandharva Sundara, son of Vīrabāhu. Vasishṭha had cursed him at Śrīraṅga for wrong behaviour at a bathing ghāṭ of the Kāverī. The curse said that he would be freed only when Sudarśana cut off his rākshasa head at Veṅkaṭādri. So the founding of the tīrtha is tied both to the lasting presence of Sudarśana and to the release of the fallen gandharva. Bathing here removes all pāpa (sin), and those who bathe here need fear no bhūtas or pretas (ghosts and spirits of the dead).

The tapas of the brahmin Padmanābha

In the twenty-third adhyāya (chapter) of the Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya, a brahmin named Padmanābha, a mahāyogī and muni, did twelve years of tapas (austerity) at Cakratīrtha on Veṅkaṭādri. At the end of his tapas, Bhagavān Vishṇu appeared before him on Garuḍa, with Śrīdevī and Bhūdevī, and gave him darśana.

Padmanābha then spoke a full Sudarśana stotra (hymn of praise) in the presence of Bhagavān Vishṇu. In it he praised Sudarśana as the destroyer of rākshasas, as bright as a thousand suns, and as the guardian of all creation. (Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya, Chapter 23)

The rākshasa attacks Padmanābha

Soon after the darśana, a terrible rākshasa attacked Padmanābha. Padmanābha at once prayed to Bhagavān Vishṇu for protection. Bhagavān Vishṇu sent Sudarśana cakra. The cakra quickly cut the rākshasa’s head from his body and destroyed him.

When the rākshasa died, the divine form of the beautiful gandharva Sundara came back. Sundara was now free of his curse. He bowed to Sudarśana and spoke a stotra of thanks. Then he bowed to Padmanābha and rose to svarga in a divine vimāna (flying chariot). (Chapters 23–24)

The curse of Vasishṭha

Chapter 24 tells how the rākshasa came to be. Sundara was a gandharva of great beauty, the son of the gandharva Vīrabāhu. One day at Śrīraṅga on the Kāverī, Sundara bathed with his wives. All of them were naked in the river. In that state he came before the ṛshi Vasishṭha.

Vasishṭha was deeply offended at this lack of decency before a ṛshi. He cursed Sundara to become a rākshasa for sixteen years. Sundara’s wives fell at Vasishṭha’s feet and begged him to ease the curse. The ṛshi agreed. After sixteen years as a rākshasa, Sundara would wander to Veṅkaṭādri, and there Sudarśana cakra would cut off his head and free him from the curse. Until then his wives were told to wait in svarga.

The sixteen years passed. Just as Vasishṭha had said, Sundara in his rākshasa form came to Cakratīrtha, attacked Padmanābha, and was set free. (Chapter 24)

Sudarśana lives here for ever

After Sundara had gone to svarga, Padmanābha turned to Sudarśana and prayed that the weapon would stay at Cakratīrtha for ever. He said:

“O Cakrāyudha, you who slay rākshasas, live always in this Cakratīrtha. By your presence the pāpa of all who bathe here shall be destroyed, and they shall gain eternal moksha (liberation). Let this tīrtha be known by your name, Cakratīrtha. Let no muni here fear any bhūtas or pretas.”

Sudarśana answered “Tathāstu” (so be it) and entered the tīrtha. From that time Sudarśana lives at Cakratīrtha for ever. This makes it a place of great power and protection. (Chapter 24)

Cakratīrtha and the six great tīrthas

Chapter 27 lists six tīrthas on the mountain that give moksha: Svāmi Pushkariṇī, Ākāśagaṅgā, Pāpanāśana, Pāṇḍu, Kumāradhārikā and Ghoṇa. Cakratīrtha is not among them. Still, its founding through the lasting presence of Sudarśana makes it one of the most special tīrthas on the mountain. The phalaśruti (the verses on the fruit of hearing) of the chapter says that all who hear this kathā (account) of Cakratīrtha will be freed from all pāpa.

Sources

Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya, Chapters 23–24 (the six tīrthas that give moksha are from Chapter 27)

Cakratīrtha (Veṅkaṭācala)