Odisha Review
Chakra, The Symbol of Eternity
and Sudarshan Chakra
C hakra, as an expression of infinity and ultimate
truth, is intimately connected with the spiritual
and cultural life of India from time immemorial.
This is the symbol that has found an important
place in the mythologies of many nations. In our
ancient religious literature, particularly
Vedic, Tantric, Buddhist and to some
extent, Yogic the wheel constitutes
a mystic symbol of esoteric
and secret doctrines. As the
sun, time and life ever
continue to move on without stop, they
were allegorically termed ‘wheels’ by the
ancient people.
The Rig Veda treats the wheel
primarily as a symbol of the sun and of
time and in a few references, as a sign
of sovereign authority. The origin of
the later symbolic representations and
allegorical expressions of the wheel
can be traced back to Rig Vedic
concepts. The word ‘Chakra’ means turning or
revolving and is derived from the roots car, cak
or kram, all meaning ‘to move’. Thus it means
that whichever moves forward or rolls on
unchecked or a thing that pervades. Chakra is
allegorically applied to time which never stops and
the sun with its never-ceasing movement.
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Dr. Srinivas Acharya
The wheel of the sun is described in the
Vedas as golden which Indra steals and throws
against the demons of darkness at the decline of
day or night. (RV. 1.130.9.). Besides the Sun,
Soma, Pusana, Marutas and Asvins are said to
possess wheels in the Rig Veda.
The nervous centres in
our body which are the
potential sources of vitality for
development of energy and
spiritual power are termed as
wheels by the mystics and these
wheels or centres are concealed in the
different parts of our body. For them,
the body is only a vehicle driven by
the Atman mounted on these wheels
and constitutes only a medium or a
means to achieve or attain their ultimate
goal.
The Svetasvatara Upanishad describes in
detail what it calls a revolving
Brahmachakra or Samsarachakra which is being
caused to revolve by the greatness of God. The
Upanishad further says that the Hamsa (Jivatman)
flutters about in the Brahmachakra which vitalises
all things and also appears in all things. This merry-
go-round Jivatman, we are told, attains immortality
by escaping from this ever revolving
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Brahmachakra and attains Moksha when he
realizes that Jivatman and Isvara are one and not
different and when the supreme soul favours him
with his blessings.
The Yoga Upanishads generally speak of
the six mystic Chakras such as Muladhara,
Swadhistana, Manipura, Anahata, Visuddha and
Ajna besides the Sahasrara which is thousand-
spoked.
The Mahabharat advises one to be aware
of the Kalachakra and try to understand it
properly and then throw it away, that is, escape
from its rotation, the unending chain of repeated
existence, also mentions another wheel from which
it does not ask one to run away but turn it and
then through it reach the ultimate goal from where
one never returns.
In Buddhist literature we find the concept
of the wheel of Dharma which is found in
Buddha's sermons in Varanasi. ‘The spokes of
the wheel are the rules of pure conduct; justice is
the uniformity of their length; wisdom is the time;
modesty and thoughtfulness are the hub in which
the immovable axle of truth is fixed.’ Buddhism,
later, gave wider currency to symbolism of the
wheel by incorporating all the above ideas and
making it a household word for Buddhists. There
is the Bhavchakra with twelve nidanas, such as
jaramarana, jati, bhava, upadana, trisna,
vedana, sparsa, sadayatana, namarupa,
vijnana, samskara and avidya described in the
Buddhist canons. These twelve nidanas are
believed to be the main causes for the
transmigration of the soul or the repetition of birth
and death. One who wants to escape from this
wheel should destroy there nidanas and,
ultimately the bhavachakra as well.
Chakra as a circle has neither beginning
nor end, and in value it is infinite. It is, in plain, a
Odisha Review
sign of eternity, completeness (purnata), continuity
and incessant progress, and above all, in Buddhism
particularly, it is a divine symbol of eternal
Doctrine, the Dharma of the “Middle Path” which
leads to insight, supreme wisdom and Nirvana.
Sudarshan Chakra, the King of Wheels
Origin of Sudarshan Chakra- The Vishnu
Purana contains the following story about the
origin of Chakra.
Suryadev (The Sun God} married
Samjna, daughter of Visvakarma. But, due to the
insufferable heat of her husband the marital life of
Samjna became miserable, and so she requested
her father to lesser the heat of Surya. And
accordingly Visvakarma ground Surya on a
grinding machine and thus diminished only 1/8 of
that effulgence, which glowing red-hot dropped
on the earth, and with that Visvakarma made the
Sudarshana Chakra, the Trishula, the
Puspakavimana and the weapon called Sakti. Out
of those four things the Trishula came to be
possessed by Siva, the Puspakavimana by
Kubera and Shakti by Brahma. The Sudarshan
Chakra which was glowing like anything was
deposited in the sea. (Visnu Puran, Part-3
Chapter-2). There is a story in the Mahabharata
as to how the Chakra thrown into the sea came
into possession of Mahavisnu. While Srikrishna
and Arjuna were in a picnic on the shores of the
Yamuna, Agnideva went to them and requested
them to give Khandava forest to him for food. As
Taksaka, friend of Indra, was living in the forest
the latter was causing heavy rains to fall there.
Krishna and Arjuna realized the fact that Agni
would be able to consume the forest only after
subjugating Indra. But, how to manage it ? Then
Agni said that he would supply the weapon to
fight Indra with, and accordingly he meditated on
Varuna, who presented to him (Agni) a chariot
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Odisha Review
and flag with monkey as symbol, a quiver which
would never become empty of arrows (Akshaya
Tunira), a bow called Gandiva and the Sudarshan
Chakra. Agnidev gave the Chakra to Srikrishna
and the other things to Arjuna. (M.B. Adiparva,
Chapter 297.)
Regarding the creation of Sudarshan
Chakra it is stated in the Brahmapurana that in
order to get rid of the cruel and wicked demons
all gods prayed Vishnu. He asked all gods to
combine all their energies. God Shankar shaped
this combined energy into a wheel. He handed
over this wheel to Mahavishnu to kill demons.
Sudarshan Chakra as a weapon or
Ayudha signs in the right hand of Vishnu, therefore
he is known as ‘Chakri’ and ‘Chakradharin’.
Sudarshan Chakra is regarded as a deity in our
scriptures. The four deities on the Ratnasinghasan
of Srimandir, - Sri Jagannath, Sri Balabhadra,
Devi Subhadra and Sri Sudarshana are known
as Chaturddhamurthi in general. Here the shape
of Sri Sudarshan is like a pole. Both the wheel
and pole shapes of Sri Sudarshana have different
mythological back-grounds. The-Chakraudha of
Sri Jagannath is made of Gold.
Sri Sudarshana is worshipped as the deity
of energy and power. He gets the Ajnamala from
Sri Jagannath and as the representative arrives at
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Gamhabedi on the full moon day of Shravana to
perform birth rites of Sri Balabhadra in the
Markandeswar temple premises.
Sudarshana, the king of wheels stands at the top
of Sreemandira is known as Neelachakra. The
magnificent temple of Sri Jagannath presents an
imposing sight and can be seen from miles away
through its Neelachakra and Patitapabana is 11ft.
8" and which is an amalgamation of eight different
metals. Neelachakra has circles, one is at the
centre and the other is the outer. There are eight
bars which connect the inner and the outer circle
both. Srimad Bhagabadgeeta reveals the mystery
of the eight bars. The eight bars represent eight
factors of the nature. God Srikrishna says that
earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, reason and also
the ego- these constitute his nature eightfold
divided.
Neelachakra is the supporter of the
Patitapaban Banner. Those who are unable to
come and not allowed to enter into the temple
they witness it from outside to get the benefit of
seeing Sri Jagannath. Neelachakra attracts
pilgrims, saints, sages over the ages.
Dr. Srinivas Acharya, Mishra Lane, Markandeswar Sahi,
Puri-1.