Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 28
Raivata and Cākṣuṣa Manvantaras; Brahmā’s Prayers at Śvetadvīpa
Prelude to Samudra-manthana
अजस्य चक्रं त्वजयेर्यमाणं मनोमयं पञ्चदशारमाशु । त्रिनाभि विद्युच्चलमष्टनेमि यदक्षमाहुस्तमृतं प्रपद्ये ॥ २८ ॥
ajasya cakraṁ tv ajayeryamāṇaṁ manomayaṁ pañcadaśāram āśu tri-nābhi vidyuc-calam aṣṭa-nemi yad-akṣam āhus tam ṛtaṁ prapadye
Dans le cycle des actes matériels, ce corps ressemble à la roue d’un char mental. Les dix sens et les cinq souffles vitaux en sont les quinze rayons; les trois guṇa, le moyeu; les huit éléments de la nature, la jante; et l’énergie externe la fait tourner vite comme l’électricité. Son axe est le Paramātmā, Ajita, la Vérité ultime; à Lui, l’Immortel, nous nous abandonnons.
The cycle of repeated birth and death is figuratively described herein. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.5) :
FAQs
This verse describes time as a swift, lightning-like wheel that turns all beings, yet it ultimately rests upon and is governed by the Supreme Truth (Vishnu), the imperishable center.
Facing crisis and seeking divine protection, the Devas glorify Vishnu as the ultimate controller of time and the mind, taking refuge in Him as the only stable foundation amid cosmic change.
When life feels driven by anxiety and constant change, this shloka teaches grounding oneself in steady devotion—remembering the Lord as the unchanging center rather than being swept away by mental turbulence.