According to Shiva Purana, Once, Lord Vishnu, Lord of Vaikuntha, left his abode and went to Varanasi to worship Lord Shiva on this day. He pledged to worship Shiva with one thousand lotuses. While singing hymns in glorification of Shiva, Lord Vishnu found the last or 'thousandth' lotus missing. Vishnu, whose eyes are often compared to lotuses, plucked one of them and offers it to Shiva. Lord Shiva becoming intensely pleased with His love, restored Vishnu's eye and rewarded Him the Sudarshana chakra, Vishnu's discus and sacred weapon.