The Hindu : Glory of God's weapons

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 15, 2004

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Glory of God's weapons

CHENNAI, JAN.15 . The Supreme Being is the omnipotent Lord of the entire creation and hence can accomplish anything by His mere will. But, the scriptures state that He manifests in the world by assuming a form from time to time for restoring Dharma. He has a supernatural form in His transcendental abode and this divine form is described in hymns and scriptural works as bearing several weapons and ornaments. Why should the Almighty carry weapons, as He does not need to protect Himself from anyone? Certainly not for His security but for the sake of His devotees, to guard them from their enemies and they are an assurance of His protection to those who take refuge in Him. Further, they proclaim that He is the Absolute. When He wields them, instead of instilling fear in the heart of the devotee, they appear as ornaments because of His compassionate nature.

In his discourse, Velukkudi Sri V.Krishnan said the Panchayuta Stotra, which was a hymn in praise of the five principal weapons of Lord Narayana opened with a eulogy of the discus (Chakra, Sudarsana). Though the Lord is capable of achieving whatever He wishes, He allows these weapons to assume certain powers to bring glory to them. For instance, He maintains the world with His Chakra and many other functions are attributed to it. The discus destroys man's Karma, which is very important in the context of liberation from bondage. When worshipped it is capable of granting both material and spiritual ends, and also destroying one's enemies. The life of King Ambarisha recounted in the Bhagavata Purana is a testament to the powers of the Lord's discus.

Ambarisha was a great devotee and pleased with his devotion the Lord entrusted His discus to him. The king observed the vow of Dwadasi without fail. Once when he had fasted, finished his worship and honoured devotees, he was about to break his fast when Sage Durvasa, who was renowned for his temper, visited him and he had to wait till he finished his ablutions. As the time within which he had to complete the vow approached, the king broke his fast by sipping little water, learning which the sage became angry and created a fire to destroy him. But the Lord's discus protected the king from coming to harm and the sage in turn had to take refuge in Brahma, Siva and Vishnu with the discus pursuing him. He was directed by the Lord to seek Ambarisha's pardon, as the Lord does not condone any wrong meted to His devotee.

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