Sudarshana Ashtakam

                                                  By

                                        Vedanta Desika

                                          Translated By

                                         P.R.Ramachander

(Sudarshana is the holy wheel which Lord Vishnu uses as his chief weapon. There is a story that the daughter of Viswa Karma, who was the architect of the God’s, was married to the sun God and she left him because of his immense heat. It seems Viswa Karma put Sun God in a cage and churned him to reduce his heat. The heat was reduced and Sudarshana Chakra, Trishoola and Shakthi, respectively the weapons of Lord Vishnu, Shiva and Subrhamnya were born out of the churning.  Sudarshana Chakra is given the status of God by the followers of Ramanujacharya. He being a prime devotee is called the Chakrathazhwar. (Sage of the wheel) and worshipped by Vaishnavas .

  Venkata Natha or Vedantha Desika is one of the greatest  savants that Visishitadvaitha produced ,after Ramanuja. He lived about 140 years  after Saint Ramanuja and has written several books. The prayers he wrote are immensely popular among the devotees of Vishnu. Raghavabhyudhyam, one of his greatest works has a commentary written by Appayya Deekshitha who was a savant following Advaitha .Though there were several great teachers in the Visishtadvaitha devotees, Desika(Meaning teacher) is only used for denoting Vedantha Desika.

    This octet on Sudarshana by Vedanta Desika  is a great work of devotion. It is extremely musical and full of meaning. It is normally recited when there is an illness at home, to get rid of it.)

Pratibhatasreni Bhishana,Varagunasthoma Bhushana

Janibhyasthana Taarana ,Jagadavasthaana Karana ,

Nikhiladushkarma Karsaana, Nigamasaddharma Darsana

Jaya Jaya Sri sudarsana ,Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana .               1

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Who is fearsome to hoards of enemies of devotees

Who is ornament for all blessed actions,

Who helps one to cross sea of samsara,

Who stabilizes the entire universe,

Who cuts off accumulated sins of bad actions,

And who teaches righteous conduct.

Subhajagadrupa Mandana, Suraganathrasa Khandana

Satamakabrahma vandita ,Satapatabrahma Nandita   ,

Pratitavidvat Sapakshita ,Bhajata Ahirbudhnya Lakshita

Jaya jaya Sri Sudarsana ,Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana  .                 2

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Who is the ornament of him who is Lord of universe,

Who removes the fear of all asuras towards devas,

Who is worshipped by Lord Brahma and hosts of others,

Who is worshipped by Sat Pada Brahmana,

Who is on the part of devotees for overcoming contestants,

And who is worshipped by Lord Shiva.

Sphutata -Dijjaala Pinjara,Pruthutarajwaala Panjara

Parigata Pratnavigraha ,Padutaraprajna Durgraha  ,

Praharana Grama Manditha, Parijana Thraana Panditha

Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana, Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana  .                 3

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Who is surrounded by resplendent light like a halo,

Who is surrounded by forms of Vishnu,

Who is difficult for even great scholars to grasp,

And who helps devotees to cross problems.

Nijapatapreetha saddgana ,Nirupathispeetha Shad Guna

 Nigama NirvyuDa Vaibhava ,Nijapara Vyuha Vaibhava  ,

 Hari Haya Dweshi Daarana,Hara Pura Plosha Kaarana

 Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana , Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana  .              4

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Who is firmly attached to righteous people,

Who is the natural home for six good assets,

Who took the form with a horse’s neck,

And who was the reason for destruction of the cities by Shiva.

Dhanuja visthaara Kartana,Janitamisraa Vikartana

Dhanujavidya Nikartana, Bhajatavidya Nivatana ,

Amara drushtasva Vikrama,Samara Jushta Bramikrama

Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana, Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana  .                5

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Who destroys the spread of asuras,

Who removes the sorrows of birth , aging and death,

Who wins over the art of war of asuras,

Who removes the false knowledge from his devotees,

Whose valour is praised by devas,

And who rotates in various ways in a war.

Prathimukhaaleeta Bandhura, Pruthumahaheti Danthura

Vikatamaaya Bahishkrutha ,Vividhamaalaa  Parishkrutha ,

Sthiramahaayantra Tantritha ,Dhruta Daya Tantra Yantrita

Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana , Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana  .               6

       

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Who appeared with a fast forward gait,

And whose gait appeared very pretty,

Who is surrounded by several weapons,

And expels the illusions sent by  enemy in case of war,

Who decorates himself with several garlands,

Who wears mercy and blesses devotees,

Who worship him through tantra and yantras.

Mahita Sampath Sadhakshara ,Vihitasampath Shatakshara

Shatarachakra Pratisishtita ,Sakala Tattva Prathishtita ,

Vividha Sankalpaka Kalpaka,Vibhudhasankalpa Kalpaka

Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana, Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana  .            7

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Who gives wealth of salvation to those who,

Chant your six lettered mantra,

Who gives incomparable wealth to those who,

Chant your six lettered mantra,

Who is available in yantra of six corners,

Who is a form in which all knowledge  exists,

Who is able to complete all deeds that you take up,

And who is the kalpaka tree fulfilling all wishes.

Bhuvana Netra Trayeemaya , Savanatejastrayeemaya

Niravadhisvaadhu Chinmaya, Nikhila Sakthe Jaganmaya  ,

Amita Viswakriyaamaya,Samitavishvagbhayaamaya

Jaya Jaya Sri Sudarsana ,Jaya Jaya  Sri Sudarsana  .                8

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Victory and Victory to you, oh, Sudarshana,

Who is the three Vedas which are the eye of the world,

Who is the form of the three fires of yagas,

Who is the eternal knowledge of true knowledge,

Who is a form of the power of universe,

Who is accomplisher of deeds that you take up,

And who destroys all fears occurring in the world.

Verse 9: Phala Sruthi

Dwichatushkamidam Prabhoothasaaram patathaam Venkatanayaka Praneetham ,

Vishamepi Manorata: Pradhaavan na Vihanyeta Rataangadhuryagupta :  .

This octet which fulfills all desires,

Which gives the inner meaning of Lord Sudarshana,

Composed by Venkata Natha, if read,

Would fulfill desires, remove obstacles,

Because of the glorious boon granting powers of the Lord.