Gadā - The Mace of the Supreme Lord
The four-armed form of Lord Viṣṇu is a central object of meditation for devotees and yogis. In His four hands, the Lord holds four symbolic items: the conchshell (śaṅkha), the disc (cakra), the club or mace (gadā), and the lotus flower (padma). Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that these symbols are not merely decorative; they represent the Lord's reciprocal dealings with different types of living entities. The mace, specifically, is the symbol of His power to chastise the godless.
A Weapon for the Demons
The Supreme Lord is equal to everyone, yet He reciprocates according to one's attitude. For the devotees, He offers the cooling lotus flower and the auspicious conchshell. But for the demons (asuras) who are envious of His supremacy, He manifests His mace and disc. Śrīla Prabhupāda vividly describes the mace as being "smeared with bloodstains," indicating its active use in crushing the resistance of the atheists. However, because the Lord is absolute, even His punishment with the mace is a benediction, liberating the demon from material existence.
- The four arms of Lord Visnu have different purposes. The hands holding a lotus flower and conchshell are meant for the devotees, whereas the other two hands, holding a disc and mace, or club, are meant for the demons.
- Those who are demons and are inimical towards the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are punished by His mace, which is always smeared with the blood of such fallen living entities.
- For them (who are averse to understanding God's pastimes), the Lord appears with His hand clutching the terrible mace, which is always smeared with bloodstains from His killing of demons. Demons are also sons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Distinguishing the Forms of Viṣṇu
In the spiritual sky, the Lord expands into innumerable four-armed forms. While they all hold the same four symbols, the arrangement of these symbols in the four hands distinguishes one form from another. The scriptures list twenty-four primary forms, such as Keśava, Nārāyaṇa, and Govinda, each identified by where the mace is held—whether in the upper right, lower left, etc.
- In the spiritual sky the representations of Narayana are twenty in number and are described as follows: Sri Kesava (flower, conch shell, disc, mace), Narayana (conch, flower, mace and disc), Sri Madhava - mace, disc, conch and flower.
- In the spiritual sky the representations of Narayana are described as follows: Govinda (disc, mace, flower and conch), Visnu-murti (mace, flower, conch and disc), Madhusudana (disc, conch, flower and mace), Trivikrama - flower, mace, disc and shell.
- These twenty-four forms are known as the vilasa manifestation of the prabhava (four-handed) form, and they are named differently according to the position of the symbolic representations - mace, disc, lotus flower and conch shell.
The Battle of Varāha
The mace is not just a static symbol; it is wielded in dynamic combat. When Lord Varāha (the Boar incarnation) fought the demon Hiraṇyākṣa to save the earth, the mace played a central role. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes the intensity of this duel, where the Lord and the demon exchanged heavy blows. At one point, the Lord's mace slipped from His hand, a miraculous event that increased the excitement of the demigods watching the fight.
- Then with His mace the Lord (Varahadeva) struck the enemy (Hiranyaksa) on the right of his brow, but since the demon was expert in fighting, O gentle Vidura, he protected himself by a maneuver of his own mace.
- Struck by the demon's (Hiranyaksa) mace, however, the Lord's mace slipped from His hand and looked splendid as it fell down whirling. This was miraculous, for the mace was blazing wonderfully.
- As the Lord's (Varaha's) mace fell to the ground and a cry of alarm arose from the witnessing crowd of gods and rsis, the Personality of Godhead acknowledged the demon's love of righteousness and therefore invoked His Sudarsana discus.
Meditation on the Mace
For the devotee, the sight of the Lord holding the mace is not a source of fear but of reassurance. It signifies that the Lord is ready to protect His surrendered servants from all dangers. Meditating on the four-handed form of Viṣṇu, complete with the mace and other symbols, is a prescribed process for purification and attaining transcendental ecstasy.
- Some yogis meditate within their heart on the localized Visnu, who is four-handed and who holds 4 symbols: conch, disc, mace & lotus. The yogi who thinks of the four-handed Visnu becomes absorbed in devotional ecstasy & evinces the symptoms of that state.
- Adorned with a crown and earrings, He held His characteristic conch, disc and mace in three of His hands and a white lily in the fourth. He glanced about in a happy, smiling mood whose sight captivates the hearts of all devotees.
Conclusion
The gadā of the Supreme Lord serves as a powerful reminder of His sovereignty. He is the maintainer and protector of religious principles. Whether held in the hand of Nārāyaṇa in Vaikuṇṭha or wielded by Varāha in battle, the mace ensures that the cosmic order is upheld and that the devotees are safe under the shelter of the Almighty.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category God's Mace. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.