This is the story of how Vishnu’s 8th avatar, Krishna received the Sudarshan Chakra, the divine weapon.
source: The Mahabharata, Khandava Daha Parva
Once upon a time, Lord Krishna and Arjun were enjoying themselves on the banks of the river Yamuna when a Brahmana visited them. He was tall and his complexion was like the molten gold, his beard was white yellow tinged and the height and thickness of his body were just in proportion. Of matted locks and dressed in rags, he resembled the morning sun in splendor. Of eyes like the lotus petals and of a tawny hue, he seemed to be blazing with effulgence.
The brahmana addressed Arjun and Krishna by applauding their personalities and strength and asked them to gratify him by satisfying his hunger. Thus addressed by the Brahmana, they, with folded hands asked him what kind of food would gratify him.
The brahmana replied that he desired to consume the forest of Khandava, and he was no ordinary Brahmin but lord Agni himself. Whenever he tried to consume the forest, Lord Indra, the wielder of thunderbolt always protected the forest in which resided his friend, a Naga, Takshaka with his family among other creatures of the forest. He asked them to prevent the rain from descending and creatures from escaping so that he could accomplish his task of consuming the forest.
[WHY DID AGNI WANT TO CONSUME THE FOREST OF KHANDAVA THAT WAS FILLED WITH VARIOUS CREATURES AND PROTECTED BY THE CHEIF OF THE CELESTIALS?- Well, that’s reserved for another story- coming soon.]
After convincing the pair of heroes by narrating to them the story of king Swetaki and the reason why Agni wanted to consume the forest, the brahmana summoned Varuna, the son of Aditi, and asked him to give him without any loss of time the bow and quiver and the ape bannered car obtained from king Soma so that Arjun and Madhava could accomplish their tasks. The ruler of water, Varuna then provided Arjun the Gandive, the bow endued with great energy, the enhancer of fame and achievement, incapable of of being injured by any weapon, the chief of all weapons, equal in strength to a hundred thousand bows. Varuna also gave him two inexhaustible quivers and a chariot furnished with celestial weapons whose banner bore a large ape.
Agni then gave Krishna a chakra with an iron pole attached to a hole in the center and said” O Madhusudana! There is no doubt that with this weapon you will be victorious in battle, even over those who are not human. It is certain that in the destruction of great enemies—humans, gods, rakshasas, pishachas, daityas, nagas—you will be the superior in battle. O Madhava! Whenever you hurl it at an enemy in the course of battle, it will irresistibly kill and return again to your hand.”
One Comment