Dharmachakra: The Cosmic Geometry of Faith and Power

In the silence of ancient sanctuaries etched in sandstone or cast in bronze, a wheel spins – not in motion, but in significance. This sign, known as the Dharmachakra or "Wheel of Dharma", is one of the oldest and most powerful visual motifs in the Indian subcontinent. While it has gained global popularity as a result of Buddhist teachings, its origins can be traced back to Hindu religious philosophy. Long before Siddhartha Gautama delivered his first speech in Sarnath's deer park, Vedic seers had etched the wheel in their metaphysical imaginations.

The Rigveda, written approximately 1500 BCE, has some of the first references to the wheel as a cosmic and spiritual tool. It appears not just as a component of chariots, but also as an abstract force, like a solar wheel rolling through the sky, measuring time and preserving cosmic rhythm. The sun, seasons, and sacrifices that connected mankind to the heavens were all observed to revolve around this celestial axis. The wheel became a symbol for rta, the Vedic idea of natural order, the invisible structure that is thought to underpin all reality. In this early environment, dharma was more than just ethics or law; it was also about aligning with the cosmic rhythm.

The wheel transitioned from symbol to doctrine in the Upanishads and other intellectual literature. The concept of samsara, the never-ending cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, was envisioned as a wheel that confines the soul (atman) in the material world. Liberation, or moksha, entailed breaking free from this cycle—not by destroying the wheel, but by comprehending its nature. The Dharmachakra then became more than just a symbol of order; it was also a key to transcendence.

Art and scripture began to reflect this knowledge. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna mentions the "wheel of creation" and begs Arjuna to act in line with dharma, lest the wheel of the world fall into disarray. Vishnu, the universe's preserver, carries the Sudarshana Chakra, a spinning discus that destroys chaos and restores harmony. This holy weapon is spiritual rather than physical, enforcing cosmic order through clarity of sight (sudarshana translates as "auspicious vision"). Its appearance in temples and iconography strengthens the concept that the divine maintains the wheel of dharma by actively intervening in the mortal world.

Architectural evidence of the Dharmachakra's significance can be found dispersed throughout India's sacred landscape. The 13th-century Konark Sun Temple in Odisha is undoubtedly the most visually striking tribute: its huge chariot, drawn by seven horses, is sculpted with twelve pairs of wheels, each of which serves as a sundial. These intricately designed and astronomically matched stone wheels represent the belief that the universe is a chariot moved by invisible laws, a manifestation of time and transcendence linked.

Architectural evidence of the Dharmachakra's

The wheel often finds delicate expression in cultural performances. Classical Indian dance forms like Bharatanatyam and Kathak use circular movements in their footwork, hand gestures, and spins to symbolise the cycles of time and existence. Even in oral storytelling traditions, the concept of cyclical time remains, with epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana being recited in countless cycles spanning generations, each narration restarting the wheel of memory.

Beyond art and religion, the wheel had a strong political relevance. Ancient Indian monarchs aspired to be chakravartins, or ideal rulers who turned the wheel of dharma on earth. Their legitimacy was both military and moral. They were meant to defend justice, protect the weak, and reflect the order of heaven in their earthly kingdoms. This ideal was possibly best exemplified by Ashoka the Great, who ruled in the third century BCE. Following the deadly Kalinga War, he embraced Buddhist ideas and adopted the Dharmachakra as a state emblem, inscribing it on stone pillars throughout his empire to represent nonviolence, governance, and moral awakening.

Centuries later, when the new Republic of India sought a national emblem, Ashoka's lion capital from Sarnath was chosen — and the Ashoka Chakra, a 24-spoked wheel, is now at the centre of the Indian flag. This was more than just an aesthetic choice; it represented continuity with ancient values of moral governance, ethical duty, and the continual movement of time and progress.

Despite the passage of time, the Dharmachakra has remained impressively intact—not only as a visual emblem, but also as a philosophical lens. Its meaning varies among religions, but it always relates to the human condition: the desire for order in chaos, the search for purpose in an ever-changing world, and the notion that righteousness, once established, may sustain an entire civilisation.

From sun-drenched temples in Tamil Nadu to weathered stupas in the north, the wheel continues to turn — silently, metaphorically, and perpetually. It informs its observers that time passes in cycles rather than straight lines. And that each revolution carries the promise for rebirth, knowledge, and emancipation.