Skandapurana 2.1.23

Now begins the māhātmya of Cakratīrtha.

Śrī Sūta said:

Now I shall tell you, O truthful lords among brahmins,

the māhātmya of Cakratīrtha, which destroys all sins.

Those who hear the most sacred glory of Cakratīrtha,

they go to the abode of Viṣṇu, from which there is no return.

Even those averse to the gift of food, and likewise to the gift of water,

and those averse to the gift of cows, become purified by immersion here.

Therefore, Cakratīrtha is the most sacred ford, none superior.

Now, the manner of austerity performed by the brahmin named Padmanābha:

Śrī Sūta said:

Formerly, Padmanābha of the Śrīvatsa lineage, who had conquered his senses,

performed great austerity on the bank of the Cakra pond.

Endowed with compassion, taking no food, speaking the truth, with his senses controlled,

beholding all living beings as himself, free from desire for sensory objects,

dedicated to the welfare of all beings, self-restrained, and completely free from all pairs of opposites.

For some years he subsisted on withered leaves;

for some time he lived on water alone, and for several years he consumed only air.

In this way, for twelve years, the great sage Padmanābha

Now, the manifestation of the Lord, pleased by the austerity performed at Cakra tīrtha by the twice-born named Padmanābha:

performed severe austerity, exceedingly difficult even for the gods.

Then, pleased by his austerity, the Lord, the consort of Kamalā,

bearing the conch, discus, and mace, appeared visibly before him,

with eyes like the petals of a blooming lotus, shining with a radiance equal to ten million suns.

Opening his eyes, he saw there Veṅkaṭeśvara,

tranquil, holding the conch and discus, Śrīnivāsa, a treasure of compassion.

Seeing the exalted god, he began to praise him:

Now, the praise of Śrīnivāsa offered by the twice-born named Padmanābha:

Obeisance to the supreme God of gods, to Veṅkaṭeśa who wields the bow Śārṅga!

Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, who dwell upon the mountain of Nārāyaṇa!

Obeisance to Viṣṇu, to Vāsudeva, the destroyer of sins!

Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, who dwell upon Śeṣācala!

Obeisance to the Lord of the three worlds, the universal-formed witness!

Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, who are praised by Śiva, Brahmā, and the other gods!

Obeisance to you, the lotus-eyed, who recline upon the ocean of milk!

Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, the destroyer of wicked rākṣasas!

Obeisance to the god who loves his devotees, to the Lord of gods!

Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, the destroyer of the distress of those who bow!

Obeisance always to Viṣṇu, the master of yogins, knowable through the Vedas!

Obeisance to you, Śrīnivāsa, the destroyer of the sins of your devotees!

Thus praised, the illustrious Śrīnivāsa, who comprises the universe,

by the seer named Padmanābha dwelling at Cakra tīrtha,

Now, the Lord's command to Padmanābha to dwell constantly at Cakra tīrtha:

experiencing supreme satisfaction, Veṅkaṭeśa, the ocean of mercy,

to Padmanābha, the best of the twice-born, tranquil and devoted to righteousness,

spoke words resembling a stream of nectar, Puruṣottama:

Śrīnivāsa said:

O best of the twice-born, illustrious one, worshipper of my lotus feet,

dwell on the bank of Cakra tīrtha, worshipping [me] until the end of the kalpa.

Having spoken thus, the Lord Viṣṇu disappeared right there.

When the god Śrīnivāsa, the teacher of the world, had vanished,

the noble-minded one took up his abode on the bank of Cakra tīrtha.

Then, after some time, a terrifying rākṣasa

approached that sage named Padmanābha, who was devoted to Nārāyaṇa;

cruel and tormented by hunger, he came to devour him.

Then that rākṣasa forcefully seized the brahmin.

Seized forcefully by him, the twice-born, who had mastered the Vedāṅgas,

cried out to the ocean of mercy, the refuge of the distressed,

to Nārāyaṇa, the discus-bearer, saying again and again: 'Protect me! Protect me!'

O Veṅkaṭeśa, ocean of mercy, protector of those who take refuge!

Save me, O tiger among men, who have fallen under the power of a rākṣasa!

O beloved of Lakṣmī, O Hari, O Viṣṇu, O Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, whose banner is Garuḍa!

Protect me, who am attacked by a rākṣasa, just as [you protected] the elephant seized by an alligator!

O Dāmodara, Lord of the world, slayer of the demon Hiraṇya!

Protect me, sorely afflicted by a rākṣasa, just as [you protected] Prahlāda!

Now, the dispatch of the discus by the Lord for the slaying of the demon who attempted to kill Padmanābha:

While that Padmanābha was thus praising him, O twice-born,

the discus-bearer, the treasure of compassion, knowing the danger to his devotee,

dispatched his own discus to protect his devotee.

Sent by Viṣṇu, the all-powerful Lord, that discus of Viṣṇu

then arrived swiftly at the bank of the Cakra pool.

Resembling countless suns, of equal blaze to infinite fires,

with great flames, emitting a mighty roar, the crusher of mighty demons—

seeing Viṣṇu's Sudarśana, the rākṣasa then fled.

Now, the slaying of the demon by the discus sent by the Lord:

As that rākṣasa was fleeing, Sudarśana swiftly [struck] him.

Suddenly severed the head of that running rākṣasa, [a discus] unassailable with its garland of flames. // 35

Then the excellent brahmin, seeing the rākṣasa fallen on the ground,

Filled with supreme joy, praised Sudarśana: // 36

Padmanābha said:

O discus of Viṣṇu, praise to you, consecrated to protect the universe!

Praise to you, the ornament of Nārāyaṇa's lotus hand! // 37

Skilled in destroying asuras in battle, of mighty roar,

O Sudarśana, praise to you who destroy the distress of devotees! // 38

Protect me, agitated with fear, from every impurity.

O Master Sudarśana, all-pervading lord, may you always

Dwell in Cakratīrtha for the welfare of the world that desires liberation. // 39

Addressed thus by the brahmin, O lords of sages, that discus of Viṣṇu // 2.1.23.40

Spoke to him named Padmanābha, as though gladdening him out of affection: // 41

Now, the granting of boons and other [favors] performed by the discus at the request of the twice-born.

Sudarśana said:

O Padmanābha, highly meritorious is the unexcelled Cakratīrtha.

In it I abide constantly out of a desire for the welfare of the worlds. // 42

Considering your torment by that evil-minded rākṣasa, // 43

Dispatched by Viṣṇu, O brahmin, I arrived in haste.

And that lowest of rākṣasas who afflicted you has been slain by me. // 44

You have been freed from this fear, for you are ever a devotee of Hari.

In the highly meritorious Cakratīrtha, which takes away all sins, O twice-born, // 45

I establish my presence for you, constantly for the protection of the world.

In this [place], due to my presence, for you as well as others, O twice-born, // 46

Henceforth there will be no affliction arising from bhūtas or rākṣasas.

Due to my presence in this [place], the fame 'Cakratīrtha' will arise. // 47

Those who perform ritual ablution here in Cakratīrtha, which grants liberation,

Their sons, grandsons, and all born in their lineage indeed, // 48

Cleansed of sin, will go to that supreme abode of Viṣṇu.

Having spoken thus, that discus of Viṣṇu, while Padmanābha watched // 49

And while other brahmins also watched, suddenly, O twice-born,

Entered that Cakra pond which destroys sins. // 2.1.23.50

Glorious Sūta said:

The sin-destroying māhātmya of Cakratīrtha,

Has all been recounted to you, O foremost brahmins, Śaunaka and others of great splendor. // 51

A sacred ford equal to Cakratīrtha never was, nor will ever be.

Having bathed here, men become partakers of liberation, O brahmins, without a doubt. // 52

Whoever proclaims this chapter or hears it with concentrated mind

Obtains the excellent fruit of bathing in Cakratīrtha. // 53

Thus ends the twenty-third chapter, named 'Description of the Glory of Cakratīrtha,' in the Śrī Veṃkaṭācala-māhātmya in the second Vaiṣṇava section of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses. // 23