the cause of eclipses
I was reading 'Bali, Sekala and Niskala' by Fred Eiseman when I came across a reference to Wisnu (Vishnu) hurling a Cakra at at demon who was in the act of drinking the elixir of immortality. This had the interesting effect of leaving his head alive (and immortal) but his body was separated and died. The demon's head intermittantly chases the sun and moon across the sky and eats them (hence causing eclipses. The Cakra is described as a discus like weapon (so probably the same as chakar or chakram). The whole tale is apparently a well know episode from the Mahabharata and hence gives the Cakra a very long history indeed.
DrD
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