39 - Chakra Tirtha

Brahmā said: 

1. The holy centre famous as Chakratīrtha destroys sins of brahmin-slaughter etc. because it was here that lord Hari obtained his discus. 

2. The place where Lord Vishnu stood and worshipped San- kara for the sake of discus is mentioned as Chakratirtha. 

3-6. By merely listening to it one is freed from all sins, 

Once Daksha began a sacrifice. When Devas had gathered lord Siva was slandered and insulted by Dakşha in the assembly of Devas. The great lord was slighted. Dakşha's mind was so polluted that he wantonly neglected to invite the lord of Devas. Satī, the daughter of Dakşha, heard the reason for not inviting Siva when it was mentioned by Ahalya. The goddess of Devas became angry. "I shall destroy my father who is a sinner, I will not forgive him at all”, said she on hearing the derogatory remarks made by her father against her husband. 

7-9. "Where is the limit to the sins of those women who listen to the censure of their husbands. Whatever may be his nature or status the husband is the ultimate resort of women. What doubt is there then in regard to Mahadeva, the lord of everything, the preceptor of the Universe? His censure has been "heard by me. I shall therefore not hold on to this despicable body. I shall cast off this body." 

After saying thus that goddess of Devas, the highly chaste lady, was overwhelmed by great fury and she blazed. 

10-12. With thoughts directed towards Siva alone she abandoned her body through yogic power. 

Meheśvara heard everything from Nārada. On hearing it he became angry. He asked Jaya and Vijaya^l and both of them said that Dākṣhāyani's (Dakşha's daughter's) (ultimate wish) was the destruction of the sacrifice of Daksha. 

1. According to Vamana Purāņa, Jaya was a daughter of sage Gautama by Ahalyā in addition to Jayanti and Aparăjită. Vijayā was presumably another name of either of the latter two. 

On hearing this, Maheśvara went to the place of sacrifice surrounded by his terrible Gaņas. He went along with the senior Bhūtas (ghosts). 

13. That sacrifice sponsored by Brahma and Devas was entirely surrounded by them. It had been guarded with purity of mind by Dakşha, the sacrificer. 

14. It had been looked after from all round by Vasiştha and other formidable sages. It had been well protected everywhere by Indra, Adityas, Vasus and others. 

15-16. It had been embellished with the Vedas, Rk, Yajus and Saman as well as the utterances of Svāha. It had been adorned all round by Sraddhā (Faith), Pusti (Nourishment), Tuşti (Satisfaction), Santi (Peace), Lajjā (Bashfulness), Sarasvati (Speech), Bhūmi (Earth), Dyau (Heaven), Sarvarī (Night), Ksanti (Forbcarance), Uşă (Dawn), Asā (Hope), Jaya (Victory), Mati (Intellect) as well as others. 

17-19. It had been constructed by Viśvakarman and the noble Tvastr. It was splendidly flourishing with cherished desires (fulfilled) through these divine cows that showered anything anyone desired, viz. Surabhi, Nandini, Kamadhuk and Kamadohini. There were the trees and creepers of Kalpa, Pārijāta, Kalpalată etc. In fact whatever is the most covetable thing was present in that sacrifice there. It was well protected by Indra, Pūşan and Hari themselves. 

20. These utterances were hcard all round, viz. "Let this be given," "Let this be eaten"; "Let this be done", "Stay here happily". Thus the sacrifice of Daksha had been honoured. 

21-24. It was Virabhadra accompanied by Bhadrakäli who went ahead. He was full of sorrow and anger in his mind. Afterwards holding the spear and Pinaka bow Mahadeva followed bedecked by the great Bhūtas (spirits). Those spirits encircled the sacrifice all round Maheśvara. They destroyed the sacrifice. A great commotion ensued there. Some of them fled. Some went to Shiva and began to eulogize the lord of Devas. Some were angry with Sankara. On seeing the sacrifice destroyed thus Pūşan came there. 

25. After uprooting the teeth of Pūşan Virabhadra routed Indra in a trice. O brahmin, he pierced and split the eyes of Bhaga. 

26. Again, he whirled the Sun-god with his arms and hurled him down. Thereupon, all Devas sought refuge in Vişhnu. 

Devas said: 

27. Save us, save us, o lord with the club in hands, from the danger arising from the leader of the Bhūtas. There is a certain Gana (attendant) of Maheśvara. He is the leader of Pramathas. Even as Hari was watching the entire sacrifice pertaining to Vişhnu the entire sacrifice was destroyed. 

Brahmā said: 

28. In order to kill the leader of Bhūtas the discus was dis- charged by Hari. As it advanced and approached him the leader of Bhūtas grasped it. 

29. When the discus of Vişhnu was grasped, the guardians of the quarters went away due to fear. On seeing the sacrifice (destroyed) and Devas in that (agitated) state the Patriarch Daksha eulogized lord Shiva with devotion.

Daksha said: 

30-35. Be victorious, O Sarkara, lord of Soma (Moon). Be victorious, O omniscient one. Salutation to you. Be victorious, O Sambhu the benefactor, be victorious. Salutation to the lord identical with time or God of Death. O primordial maker, salutation to you. O blue-throated one, salutation to you. 

O lord fond of Brahman, salutation to you. O lord in the form of Brahman, salutation to you. O lord, Parameśvara of three abodes, obeisance to the three-formed lord. O lord having all as your form (or Multiformed one), obeisance to you, O lord, the support of the three worlds, the bestower of cherished desires, obeisance to you, who can be realized only through Vadánta. Obeisance to you, the supreme soul. O lord with sacrifice for your form, obeisance to you. O lord, the abode of sacrifice, obeisance to you. O lord, the bestower of sacrifice, salutation to you. O the conveyor of sacrificial offerings, obeisance to you. O lord, obeisance to you, the destroyer of sacrifice. Obeisance to you, the distributor of benefits, O lord of universe. Save me, save me. O lord, fond of those who seek refuge in you. O lord, you alone are the refuge of devotees as well as non-devotees.

Brahmā said: 

36. As he eulogized thus, Maheśvara became pleased with him and said to him, "What shall I give you"? (He replied) "O lord, let my sacrifice be complete". 

37. "So be it" said Maheśvara, lord of Devas, Sankara, the soul of all living beings and the ocean of mercy. 

38. After making the sacrifice of Daksha complete, O sage, and after saying thus the lord vanished along with his Bhūtas. 

39-40. Devas went away to their respective abodes in the manner they came. 

Then once a great battle ensued between Devas and Daityas. Therein Devas became afraid of Daityas. With complete devotion Devas eulogized Vişhnu, the lord of Sri in the following words:

Devas said: 

41-42. Indra and other Devas perform penance sceking the benign side-glance of Lakşmi. We seek refuge in that lord, who has become Brahman and to whose feet Lakşmi is devoted. 

In all the three worlds there is none equal or superior to Nrsimha whose vehicle is Garuda. With great sympathy, let that lord of Devas protect all of us who have sought refuge in him from great dangers.

Brahmā said: 

43. Thereupon the lord holding the conch, discus and club became pleased and said to them: "What for have all of you come? I shall do it for you."

Devas said: 

44. O slayer of Madhu, Devas have an excessive danger from Daityas. Hence, O Lord, try to save them. 

Brahmä said: 

45-46. Hari said, “O Devas, my discus has been caught hold of by Hara. What shall I do? The discus is gone and all of you have fallen into misery. Yet your protection will be afforded by me. Let all Devas go back.

Brahmā said: 

47. Then, after Devas had gone Vişhnu prepared himself to get the discus. After going to Godavari he began the worship of Sambhu. 

48. With great devotion Vişhnu performed the daily worship of the consort of Umā with a thousand divine sweet smelling golden lotuses. 

49. "Obeisance, the Pināka-bearing Maheśa, who removes great danger in the forest of worldly existence and who fulfils all cherished desires". 

50. By means of this Mantra and with the mind endowed with devotion lord Vishnu worshipped Shiva, the lover of Bhavani. 

51-52. As the worship proceeded something happened between them. Listen to that. The lotuses were found to be one short of a thousand. When Vişhņu noticed the shortage he dislodged his own eye and offercd Arghya.¹ Taking the vessel of Arghya containing a thousand lotuses and meditating on Sambhu, Hari who had no other refugc, offered Arghya.

1. Things such as water, honey ctc. offered to deities, guest etc. as a token of respect. 

Vişhnu said: 

53. O lord, you alone know the innermost feelings of men. You alone are refuge and overlord. What doubt can be there?

Brahmā said: 

54. Speaking thus with tears wclled up in his eyes he got himself merged as though with Iśvara. Then Sambhu appeared in front of him, accompanied by Bhavani. 

55. He embraced Hari closely and filled him with various boons. He got back his original eye as well as discus. 

56-58. Then all Devas eulogized Hari and Sankara. They eulogized Ganga the most excellent of all rivers as well as the bull-bannered lord. Thenceforth that holy centre is remembered as Chakratīrtha. Merely by listening to it one is frced from all sins. He who performs the ritcs of holy dip, charitable gifts and libation to the manes, shall be rid of all sins. He will attain heaven along with the ancestors. This holy centre can be seen with a mark of discus even today.