Shloka 1

Gift of Sudarshana — The Gift of Sudarshana: Shiva’s Boon to Vishnu and the Sanctification of Virupaksha

Devanagari script

इति श्रीवामनपुराणे पञ्चपञ्चाशो ऽध्यायः नारद उवाच भगवंल्लोकनाथाय विष्णवे विषमेक्षणः किमर्थमायुधं चक्रं दत्तवांल्लोकपूजितम्

Transliteration

iti śrīvāmanapurāṇe pañcapañcāśo 'dhyāyaḥ nārada uvāca bhagavaṃllokanāthāya viṣṇave viṣamekṣaṇaḥ kimarthamāyudhaṃ cakraṃ dattavāṃllokapūjitam

Translation

“Thus (ends) the fifty-fifth chapter in the Śrī Vāmana Purāṇa. Nārada said: ‘O Blessed One—why did Viṣamekṣaṇa (Śiva), for the sake of Viṣṇu, the Lord of the worlds, give the weapon, the discus, which is revered by the world?’”

Speakers

• Nārada to Pulastya (inquiry initiating the next narrative unit).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Shiva
• Narada

Key Themes

• Purāṇic frame-dialogue (question leading to kathā)
• Inter-deity gifting (Śiva to Viṣṇu)
• Sacrality of divine weapons (cakra as loka-pūjita)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Who is ‘Viṣamekṣaṇa’ in this question—Śiva or Viṣṇu?

In this context it points to Śiva: the epithet ‘viṣama-īkṣaṇa’ (“distinct/uneven gaze”) aligns with Śiva’s iconic third eye and formidable glance. The question asks why Śiva gave the cakra to Viṣṇu.

Why does the text call the cakra ‘loka-pūjita’ (world-revered)?

The Sudarśana-cakra is not merely a weapon but a sacral emblem of Viṣṇu’s sovereignty and protective order. Calling it ‘loka-pūjita’ highlights its ritual and theological status beyond battlefield utility.

What is the function of this verse in the Purāṇic structure?

It is a hinge: a chapter colophon plus a formal question that authorizes the next ‘purātanī kathā’ (ancient account). This is a standard Purāṇic method for shifting from a tīrtha-linked statement to an explanatory myth.