Achakravarti (Sanskrit:चक्रवर्तिन्,IAST:Cakravartin) is an ideal (or idealized) universal ruler, inthe history, andreligion of India. The concept is present inIndian subcontinent cultural traditions, narrative myths and lore.^[1] There are three types of chakravarti:chakravala chakravarti, an emperor who rules over all four of the continents (i.e., a universal monarch);dvipa chakravarti, a ruler who governs only one of those continents; andpradesha chakravarti, a monarch who leads the people of only a part of a continent, the equivalent of a local king.^[2] Dvipa chakravarti is particularly one who rules the entireIndian subcontinent (as in the case of theMauryan Empire^[3]: 175). The first references to aChakravala Chakravartin appear in monuments from the time of the early Maurya Empire, in the 4th to 3rd century BCE, in reference toEmperor Ashoka.^[4][5]

The wordcakra-vartin- is abahuvrīhi compound word, translating to "one who move the wheels", in the sense of "whosechariot is rolling everywhere without obstruction". It can also be analysed as an instrumentaltatpuruṣa: "through whom the wheel is moving" in the meaning of "through whom theDharmachakra ("Wheel of theDharma) is turning" (most commonly used in Buddhism).^{[citation needed]} The Tibetan equivalentཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་ (khor los sgyur ba'i rgyal po) translates to "monarch who controls by means of a wheel".^{[citation needed]}

In Buddhism, a chakravarti is the secular counterpart of abuddha. The term applies to temporal as well as spiritual emperorship and leadership, particularly inBuddhism andJainism. InHinduism, a chakravarti is a powerful ruler whose dominion extends to the entire earth. In both religions, the chakravarti is supposed to upholddharma, indeed being "he who turns the wheel (of dharma)".

The Indian concept of chakravarti later evolved^{[citation needed]} into the concept ofdevaraja – thedivinity of kings – which was adopted by theIndianised Hindu-Buddhistkingdoms of Southeast Asia through HinduBrahmin scholars deployed from India to their courts. It was first adopted by Javanese Hindu-Buddhist empires such asMajapahit; through them by theKhmer Empire; and subsequently by theThai monarchs.^{[citation needed]}

According to the traditions "Vishnu, in the form ofChakra, was held as the ideal of worship for Kings desirous of obtaining Universal Sovereignty",^[6]: 48 a concept associated with theBhagavataPuranas, a religious sanction traceable to theGupta period,^[7] which also led to the chakravartin concept.^[6]: 65 There are relatively few examples of chakravartins in both northern and southern India.

Bharata, the son ofDushyanta andShakuntala, was conferred the title ofcakravartin samrāj, according to some legends.Another emperor of the same name, who was the son ofRishabha, was also given the titlecakravartin.

In Southern India, thePallava period beginning with Simhavishnu (575–900 CE) was a transitional stage in southern Indian society with monument building, establishment ofBhakti sects ofAlvars andNayanars, flowering of rural Brahmanical institutions of Sanskrit learning, and the establishment ofChakravartin model of emperorship over a territory of diverse people; which ended the pre-Pallavan era of territorially segmented people, each with their culture, under a tribal chieftain.^[8] ThePallava period extolled ranked relationships based on ritual purity as enjoined by theshastras.^[9] Burton distinguishes between theChakravatin model and theKshatriya model, and likens kshatriyas to locally based warriors with ritual status sufficiently high enough to share withBrahmins; and states that in south India the kshatriya model did not emerge.^[9] As per Burton, South India was aware of the Indo-AryanVarna organized society in which decisive secular authority was vested in theKshatriyas; but apart from thePallava,Chola andVijayanagar line of warriors which claimedChakravartin status, only few locality warrior families achieved the prestigious kin-linked organization of northern warrior groups.^[9]

During the each motion of the half-cycle of the wheel of time, 63 Salakapurusa or 63 illustrious men, consisting of the 12 Chakravartin regularly appear.^[10] TheJain cosmology or legendary history is basically a compilation of the deeds of these illustrious men. As per Jain cosmology, Chakravartins areUniversal Monarchs orWorld Conquerors. Golden in complexion, they all belonged to theKasyapagotra. The mother of a Chakravartin sees some dreams at the time of conception. A chakravartin is considered an ideal human being endowed with thirty-two major signs of excellence and many minor signs of excellence.

The list of 12 chakravartin ofAvasarpini as perJainism is as follows^[11]

1. Bharata, son ofTirthankaraRishabhanatha
2. Sagara, ancestor ofBhagiratha as in thePuranas
3. Maghava^[12]: 306
4. Sanata Kumara^[12]: 306
6. TirthankaraShantinatha
7. TirthankaraKunthunatha^[12]: 308
8. TirthankaraAranatha^[12]: 308
9. Subhauma^[12]: 308
10. Padmanabha
11. Harishena
12. Jayasena
13. Brahmadatta

In Jainism, a Chakravartin Samrat was characterised by his possession ofSaptaratna, or "Seven Jewels":^{[citation needed]}

1. Ratna-Chakra, a miraculous diamond serrated discus that never misses its target
2. Empress
3. Divine Jewellery
4. Immense Wealth
5. Huge Army ofWar-Chariots
6. Huge Army of Cavalry
7. Huge Army of Elephants

Some lists citenavaratna or "nine jewels" instead, adding "Prime Minister" and "Son".^{[citation needed]}

InBuddhist chronicles,Buddha supposedly told the boy Jaya that he would indeed become an Chakravartiemperor in next life as a result of his act of generosity in offering sand and the boy in next life born asAshoka.^[14]

It was believed that once a chakravarti emerged the "Future Buddha"Maitreya would appear on earth.^[3]: 175

In early Buddhist art there are more than 30 depictions, all from theDeccan. In most the Chakravarti Emperor uses the "Imperial Gesture" in which the emperor "clenches his left hand at his chest and reaches up with his right hand". He is surrounded by his seven attributes: theChakraratna wheel, his state elephant, charger horse, "the octagonal gem which is so luminous it can light the path of his army by night", his empress, defense minister and finance minister.^{[3]: 175–176}

Theearly BuddhistMahāvastu (1.259f) and theDivyāvadāna, as well as theTheravadinMilindapañha, describe the marks of the chakravarti as ruler:uṣṇīṣa,chhatra "parasol", "horn jewel" orvajra,whisk andsandals. These were the marks of thekshatriya. Plastic art of earlyMahayana Buddhism illustratesbodhisattvas in a form calleduṣṇīṣin "wearing a turban/hair binding", wielding the mudras for "nonviolent cakravarti rule".^[15]

• Upinder Singh (2008).A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. Pearson Education India.ISBN 978-81-317-1120-0.
• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dallapiccola
• Cakkavatti Sutta The Wheel-turning Emperor (excerpt) Translated from the Pali byThanissaro Bhikkhu
• A Glossary of Pali and Buddhist Terms