Post by jksivan on Aug 14, 2013 19:58:05 GMT 5.5
Dear Children
52 "THE CHAKRA"
Any picture you see of Lord Vishnu and you will find a disc in one hand and a conch in the other. You have already been told of the story of Krishna's, Panchajanyam and you will now read about the disc known as “Sudharshan Chakra”. Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, at times uses his powerful, invincible, Sudharshan chakra to destroy the evil”. Vaishnavites worship the disc as Chakkaraththazhwar. In all vaishnava temples you will see Chakrathahazhwar and Lord Nrusimha (another incarnation of Lord Vishnu of whom I will you stories later) in the same sannidhi, back to back for devotees to worship.
In many Hindu homes, yagnas and Homas (holy fire offering) are performed for general welfare of all, of which the most popular and well known homam is Sudharshan Homam, the one performed to appease Chakkaraththazhwar and seek his blessing.
Sometime ago, I remember, I took a group of like-minded friends on a pilgrimage. We went to a place named THIRUMALPUR (It was actually “Thirumal per” – “Lord Vishnu’s name”.) The legend is that Lord Vishnu once worshipped Lord Siva to ward of some sin, and he was praying to Siva with 1008 lotus buds. He found one bud short during his worship and without hesitation pulled out his left eye and offered it as the missing 1008th lotus bud. Siva was pleased with Vishnu's devotion, blessed him and restored his eye. and the place was named after Vishnu, “Thirumal per”
Lord Vishnu worshipped Lord Siva and obtained the Sudharshan Chakra is also another story.
There is also another interesting story connected with Sudharshan Chakra. Viswakarma the heavenly goldsmith created the Sudharshan Chakra. The story goes, that Viswakarma’s daughter Sanjana, was married to Surya, the sun god, but she could not go near her husband Surya because of the heat, dazzling and blinding brightness of Surya. She cried to her father Viswakarma about her difficulty. Viswakarma solved his daughter’s problem by shedding some brightness and heat from Surya, whch he transformed into three parts, one converted into the heavenly airborne-chariot Pushpak, another as Sudharshan Chakra which he gave Lord Vishnu and the remaining third part as Lord Siva’s trident. After this, with the heat and brightness somewhat reduced, Sanjana was happy to go join her husband Surya!
Now let us jump to another story within this story. During their 12 year forest life Pandavas roamed from place to place. Once during their stay at Kaandava Van, they found the forest being swallowed by Agni, the fire, which was burning for days and weeks together. Arjuna and Krishna were walking together then and observed the uncontrollable fire devastating the Kaandava forest. Agni the god of fire was determined to completely burn the forest, while Dhakshaka, the king of snakes who lived in the forest along with other demons, resisted Agni's attempts, Dhakshaka was a close friend of Indra the king of heaven, the Head of Devas. Influenced by Dhakshaka, Indra arranged with Varuna, the god of rain, to prevent Agni’s attempt to burn the Kaandava van. So, Agni, the god of fire, when he saw Krishna and Arjuna, ran to them and begged Krishna to help him to burn the Kaandava Van, to satisfy his hunger. Varuna understood that with Krishna, Arjuna and Agni joining together, to burn the Kaandava van, there was no way he could assist Dhakshaka. He prostrated before Krishna and Arjuna, the Nara Narayana, and gifted the powerful bow, which Krishna passed on to Arjuna, the great archer, asking him to destroy the Kandeeva van with it. Arjuna used the special bow and rained arrows of fire aiding Agni. Kaandava Van was completely destroyed, Arjuna annihilated all the demons of Kaandeva van including Dhakshaka. The victorious bow was named “KAANDEVAA” with which Arjuna destroyed the Kauravas later in the Mahabahrath war is another big story I wish oneday I will tell you..
Agni was happy to satisfy his hunger and he gratefully gifted to Krishna the Sudharshan Chakra, is one more version.
Krishna used the Sudharshan Chakra to kill Sisupala, It is learnt that for sometime Sage Parasurama, an avathar of Vishna, was possessing the Sudharshan Chakra. When the sage once met Krishna, he found Krishna as the fit and right person to have it and gave the Sudharshan Chakra. Sudharshan Chakra was also used in churning the Ocean of Milk in shaping Mandhra Mountain as the churner. Oh ! it is another story to tell you if and when an opportunity arises.
Dear children, would you be interested to know that even today one of the royal dynasty in Thailand is named “Chakri” – those who possessed Chakra.
Remember that wherever one turns, there is always something connected with Krishna reminding us that He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. Is n’t it?
52 "THE CHAKRA"
Any picture you see of Lord Vishnu and you will find a disc in one hand and a conch in the other. You have already been told of the story of Krishna's, Panchajanyam and you will now read about the disc known as “Sudharshan Chakra”. Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, at times uses his powerful, invincible, Sudharshan chakra to destroy the evil”. Vaishnavites worship the disc as Chakkaraththazhwar. In all vaishnava temples you will see Chakrathahazhwar and Lord Nrusimha (another incarnation of Lord Vishnu of whom I will you stories later) in the same sannidhi, back to back for devotees to worship.
In many Hindu homes, yagnas and Homas (holy fire offering) are performed for general welfare of all, of which the most popular and well known homam is Sudharshan Homam, the one performed to appease Chakkaraththazhwar and seek his blessing.
Sometime ago, I remember, I took a group of like-minded friends on a pilgrimage. We went to a place named THIRUMALPUR (It was actually “Thirumal per” – “Lord Vishnu’s name”.) The legend is that Lord Vishnu once worshipped Lord Siva to ward of some sin, and he was praying to Siva with 1008 lotus buds. He found one bud short during his worship and without hesitation pulled out his left eye and offered it as the missing 1008th lotus bud. Siva was pleased with Vishnu's devotion, blessed him and restored his eye. and the place was named after Vishnu, “Thirumal per”
Lord Vishnu worshipped Lord Siva and obtained the Sudharshan Chakra is also another story.
There is also another interesting story connected with Sudharshan Chakra. Viswakarma the heavenly goldsmith created the Sudharshan Chakra. The story goes, that Viswakarma’s daughter Sanjana, was married to Surya, the sun god, but she could not go near her husband Surya because of the heat, dazzling and blinding brightness of Surya. She cried to her father Viswakarma about her difficulty. Viswakarma solved his daughter’s problem by shedding some brightness and heat from Surya, whch he transformed into three parts, one converted into the heavenly airborne-chariot Pushpak, another as Sudharshan Chakra which he gave Lord Vishnu and the remaining third part as Lord Siva’s trident. After this, with the heat and brightness somewhat reduced, Sanjana was happy to go join her husband Surya!
Now let us jump to another story within this story. During their 12 year forest life Pandavas roamed from place to place. Once during their stay at Kaandava Van, they found the forest being swallowed by Agni, the fire, which was burning for days and weeks together. Arjuna and Krishna were walking together then and observed the uncontrollable fire devastating the Kaandava forest. Agni the god of fire was determined to completely burn the forest, while Dhakshaka, the king of snakes who lived in the forest along with other demons, resisted Agni's attempts, Dhakshaka was a close friend of Indra the king of heaven, the Head of Devas. Influenced by Dhakshaka, Indra arranged with Varuna, the god of rain, to prevent Agni’s attempt to burn the Kaandava van. So, Agni, the god of fire, when he saw Krishna and Arjuna, ran to them and begged Krishna to help him to burn the Kaandava Van, to satisfy his hunger. Varuna understood that with Krishna, Arjuna and Agni joining together, to burn the Kaandava van, there was no way he could assist Dhakshaka. He prostrated before Krishna and Arjuna, the Nara Narayana, and gifted the powerful bow, which Krishna passed on to Arjuna, the great archer, asking him to destroy the Kandeeva van with it. Arjuna used the special bow and rained arrows of fire aiding Agni. Kaandava Van was completely destroyed, Arjuna annihilated all the demons of Kaandeva van including Dhakshaka. The victorious bow was named “KAANDEVAA” with which Arjuna destroyed the Kauravas later in the Mahabahrath war is another big story I wish oneday I will tell you..
Agni was happy to satisfy his hunger and he gratefully gifted to Krishna the Sudharshan Chakra, is one more version.
Krishna used the Sudharshan Chakra to kill Sisupala, It is learnt that for sometime Sage Parasurama, an avathar of Vishna, was possessing the Sudharshan Chakra. When the sage once met Krishna, he found Krishna as the fit and right person to have it and gave the Sudharshan Chakra. Sudharshan Chakra was also used in churning the Ocean of Milk in shaping Mandhra Mountain as the churner. Oh ! it is another story to tell you if and when an opportunity arises.
Dear children, would you be interested to know that even today one of the royal dynasty in Thailand is named “Chakri” – those who possessed Chakra.
Remember that wherever one turns, there is always something connected with Krishna reminding us that He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. Is n’t it?