Śrī Sudarśana Aṣṭakam

The Sudarśanāṣṭakam is a hymn of eight verses composed by the revered Vedānta Deśika, a prominent philosopher and poet of the Śrī Vaiṣṇava tradition. This aṣṭakam is dedicated to Śrī Sudarśana, the divine discus of Lord Viṣṇu, who is an embodiment of the Lord's protective and transformative power. The verses highlight Sudarśana's brilliant, fiery form, and his ability to vanquish negativity, remove ignorance, and guide the devotees on the right path. It is chanted by followers seeking to invoke his powerful energy, to remove all the obstacles in one's way.

VERSE 1

प्रतिभटश्रेणिभीषण वरगुणस्थोमभूषण जनिभयस्थानतारण जगदवस्थानकारण
निखिलदुष्कर्मकर्शन निगमसद्धर्मदर्शन जय जय श्री सुदर्शन जय जय श्री सुदर्शन

pratibhaṭa-śreṇi-bhīṣaṇa varaguṇa-sthoma-bhūṣaṇa
janibhaya-sthāna-tāraṇa jagadavasthāna-kāraṇa
nikhila-duṣkarma-karśana nigama-saddharma-darśana
jaya jaya śrī sudarśana jaya jaya śrī sudarśana

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

O Śrī Sudarśana! You are terrifying to the ranks of enemies and adorned with a multitude of excellent qualities. You are the deliverer from the state of fear of birth, and the cause of the establishment of the world. You are the destroyer of all evil deeds, and the embodiment of the true righteousness taught in the Vedas. Victory, victory to You, O auspicious Sudarśana! Victory, victory to you, O auspicious Sudarśana!

PURPORT

Oh Sri Sudarsana! All the enemies of your Lord's devotees run away fearing your prowess. All auspicious attributes find their home in you. Those, who worship you cross the shore less ocean of Samsara and free themselves from their cycles of Births and Deaths. The entire Universe is stabilized by your mighty power. You cut asunder all the sins of those, who approach you as their refuge. You bless all of your devotees with the knowledge about the righteous conduct prescribed by the Vedas. Oh Lord Sudarsana of these auspicious attributes! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!

VERSE 2

शुभजगद्रूपमण्डन सुरगणत्रासखण्डन शतमखब्रह्मवन्दित शतपथब्रह्मनन्दित
पृथुविधावृत्तसंयुत प्रणतार्तिघ्नविभूषित जय जय श्री सुदर्शन जय जय श्री सुदर्शन

śubha-jagadrūpa-maṇḍana suragaṇatrāsa-khaṇḍana
śatamakha-brahma-vandita śatapatha-brahma-nandita
pṛthuvidhā-vṛtta-saṃyuta praṇatārtighna-vibhūṣita
jaya jaya śrī sudarśana jaya jaya śrī sudarśana

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

O Auspicious Ornament of the Universe! Destroyer of the fear of the Devas. Revered by Indra and Brahma, Glorified by the Satapatha Brahmana. Oh You who are endowed with various kinds of conducts, destroying distresses, you are adorned by it. Victory, victory to You, O auspicious Sudarśana! Victory, victory to you, O auspicious Sudarśana!

PURPORT

Oh Sri Sudarsana! You are resplendent as a precious decoration on the hand of Sriman Narayana, who has the universe as His body. Through your grace, Devas are freed from the fear caused by the Asuras. Indra and Brahma always worship you. The Satapata Brahmana belonging to Sukla Yajur Veda hails your glories and pays its tributes to you. The scholars of this universe seek your help to overcome their contestants. Ahirbudhnya Samhita states that Ahirbudhnyan (Sivan) worships you and sought the boon to see your beautiful form with His own eyes. Oh Lord Sudarsana of illustrious attributes! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!

VERSE 3

स्फुटतडिज्जालपिञ्जर पृथुतरज्वालपञ्जर परिगतप्रत्नविग्रह पटुतरप्रज्ञदुर्ग्रह
प्रहरणग्राममण्डिथ परिजनत्राणपण्डिथ जय जय श्री सुदर्शन जय जय श्री सुदर्शन

sphuṭa-taḍijjāla-piñjara pṛthutarajvāla-pañjara
parigata-pratna-vigraha paṭutara-prajña-durgraha
praharaṇa-grāma-maṇḍitha parijana-trāṇa-paṇḍitha
jaya jaya śrī sudarśana jaya jaya śrī sudarśana

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

You are golden-hued like a brilliant network of lightning, and surrounded by a cage of extensive flames. You are encompassed by an ancient form, and difficult to grasp even for the very wise. You are adorned with a collection of weapons, and skilled in the protection of your attendants. Victory, victory to You, O auspicious Sudarśana! Victory, victory to you, O auspicious Sudarśana!

PURPORT

Oh Lord Sudarsana! You shine like the resplendent assembly of lightings. The bright tongues of flames surrounding you appear like a cage (home) for you. The forms of Vasudava, Sankarshana and other Vyuha Murthys find their positions around your geometric form (Yantra). Even the scholars with sharp intellects stumble, when they try to understand the full extent of your glory. It is a beautiful sight to see the sixteen weapons of yours resting on your hands to serve you. You are dedicated to come to the rescue of those, who seek your protection. Oh Sri Sudarsana of such auspicious attributes! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!

VERSE 4

निजपदप्रीतसद्गण निरुपधिस्फीतषड्गुण निगमनिर्व्यूढवैभव निजपरव्यूहवैभव
हरिहयद्वेषिदारण हरपुरप्लोषकारण जय जय श्री सुदर्शन जय जय श्री सुदर्शन

nijapada-prīta-sadgaṇa nirupadhi-sphīta-ṣaḍguṇa
nigama-nirvyūḍha-vaibhava nijapara-vyūha-vaibhava
harihaya-dveṣi-dāraṇa harapura-ploṣa-kāraṇa
jaya jaya śrī sudarśana jaya jaya śrī sudarśana

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

The assembly of the virtuous are delighted by your own feet, and you possess the six qualities abundantly and unconditionally. Your glory is established by the Vedas, and you have the glory of your own supreme emanations. You are the cleaver of the enemies of Indra, and the cause of the burning of Shiva's city. Victory, victory to You, O auspicious Sudarśana! Victory, victory to you, O auspicious Sudarśana!

PURPORT

Oh Lord Sudarsana! The Righteous people have firm attachment to your holy feet. The Six Kalyana Gunaas --- Knowledge, Power, Strength, Wealth, Heroism, and effulgence-- find their natural home in you. The Vedas have firmly established your glory in their many sections. Like your Lord, You have the forms of Param and Vyuham. You cut asunder the fear caused by the foes of Indra, the foremost among your devotees. You were responsible for the burning down of Kasi, the city of Siva to ashes. You stood at the tip of Siva's arrow, when He was engaged in the campaign to destroy Tripuraasura. Oh Sri Sudarsana of such Kalyana Gunas! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!

VERSE 5

दनुजविस्तारकर्तन जनितामिस्राविकर्तन दनुजविद्यानिकर्तन भजताविद्यानिवर्तन
अमरदृष्टस्वविक्रम समरजुष्टभ्रमिक्रम जय जय श्री सुदर्शन जय जय श्री सुदर्शन

danuja-vistāra-kartana janitāmisrā-vikartana
danuja-vidyā-nikartana bhajatāvidyā-nivartana
amara-dṛṣṭa-sva-vikrama samara-juṣṭa-bhramikrama
jaya jaya śrī sudarśana jaya jaya śrī sudarśana

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

You are the cutter of the expansion of demons, and the remover of the darkness they produce. You are the destroyer of demonic knowledge, and the remover of ignorance for those who worship you. The gods have seen your own valor, and you delight in the whirling motion of battle. Victory, victory to You, O auspicious Sudarśana! Victory, victory to you, O auspicious Sudarśana!

PURPORT

Oh Lord Sudarsana! You arrest the growth of the evil-minded Asuras and destroy them down to their roots. You are like the resplendent Sun banishing the dark night of Samsara, which bedevil your devotees. You overcome any and every act of deception practiced by the Asuras. You remove every shred of false knowledge that invades the minds of those, who seek refuge in you. The Devas celebrate your heroic deeds and experience joy in witnessing your powerful actions. You revolve and rotate in many ways in your battles against the enemies of your devotees. May Thou with such auspicious attributes prosper further! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!

VERSE 6

प्रतिमुखालीढबन्धुर पृथुमहाहेतिधन्थुर विकटमायाबहिष्कृत विविधमालापरिष्कृत
स्थिरमहायन्त्रतन्त्रित धृतदयातन्त्रयन्त्रित जय जय श्री सुदर्शन जय जय श्री सुदर्शन

pratimukhālīḍha-bandhura pṛthumahāheti-dhanthura
vikaṭamāyā-bahiṣkṛta vividhamālā-pariṣkṛta
sthiramahāyantra-tantrita dhṛtadayātantra-yantrita
jaya jaya śrī sudarśana jaya jaya śrī sudarśana

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

You are beautiful in the warrior's stance, facing forward, rugged with great weapons. You have expelled terrible illusions, and are adorned with various garlands. You are controlled by the steady, great yantra, and controlled by the mechanism of held compassion. Victory, victory to You, O auspicious Sudarśana! Victory, victory to you, O auspicious Sudarśana!

PURPORT

Oh Lord Sudarsana! You give darsana to us with your dynamic gait of One foot placed forward in movement and the other rapidly following it. Your position in that gait is beautiful to behold. You are surrounded by your magnificent and fearsome weapons. You are the conqueror of powerful illusions (Mayaa) caused by Asuras. You are not therefore affected by their acts of Mayaa. You are decorated with many beautiful flower garlands that add to your natural beauty. You are firmly bound in the warp of your great compassion for your devotees and bless them, when they worship You through Your Yantra and Mantra.Oh Sri Sudarsana of such auspicious Gunaas! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!

VERSE 7

महितसम्पत्सदक्षर विहितसम्पत्षडक्षर षडरचक्रप्रतिष्ठित सकलतत्त्वप्रतिष्ठित
विविधसङ्कल्पकल्पक विबुधसङ्कल्पकल्पक जय जय श्री सुदर्शन जय जय श्री सुदर्शन

mahita-sampat-sadakṣara vihita-sampat-ṣaḍakṣara
ṣaḍara-cakra-pratiṣṭhita sakala-tattva-pratiṣṭhita
vividha-saṅkalpa-kalpaka vibudha-saṅkalpa-kalpaka
jaya jaya śrī sudarśana jaya jaya śrī sudarśana

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

You are the six syllables of great wealth, and the bestower of wealth through six syllables. You are established in the six-spoked wheel, and established in all principles. You are the granter of various intentions, and the granter of the intentions of the wise. Victory, victory to You, O auspicious Sudarśana! Victory, victory to you, O auspicious Sudarśana!

PURPORT

Oh Lord Sudarsana of many prime Gunaas! The wealth of the righteous is their true knowledge about Your Lord. You bless them with the unperishable wealth of Moksham, when they seek refuge at your holy feet. Those, who recite Your Mantra made up of the Six Letters (Aksharas) gain incomparable wealth. Your devotees (Upasakas) Invoke You in Your Yantra of six corners formed by two intersecting triangles and worship you at its epicenter. You pervade and reside in all the creations of Your Lord. You have the power to complete all deeds that you decide to undertake. You are thus a Satya Sankalpa and serve as the divine Kalpaka tree granting all the boons that your devotees request. Oh Sri Sudarsana! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!

VERSE 8

भुवननेत्रत्रयीमय सवनतेजस्त्रयीमय निरवधिस्वाधुचिन्मय निखिलशक्तेजगन्मय
अमितविश्वक्रियामय शमितविश्वग्भयामय जय जय श्री सुदर्शन जय जय श्री सुदर्शन

bhuvana-netra-trayīmaya savana-tejas-trayīmaya
niravadhi-svādhu-cinmaya nikhila-śakte-jaganmaya
amita-viśvakriyāmaya śamita-viśvagbhayāmaya
jaya jaya śrī sudarśana jaya jaya śrī sudarśana

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

You are the eye of the world, consisting of the three Vedas. You are the three lights of the sacrifice, consisting of unlimited, sweet consciousness. O all-powerful one, you consist of the universe. You are immeasurable, consisting of all actions, and the pacifier of all fears. Victory, victory to You, O auspicious Sudarśana! Victory, victory to you, O auspicious Sudarśana!

PURPORT

Oh Lord Sudarsana, the eye of the Universe! You are of the form of the three Vedas. You are of the form of the three fires-- Gaarhapatyam, Aahavaneeyam and Dakshinagni--- of the Yagaas. You are of the delectable form of true knowledge! You have the power to accomplish every deed. You have taken the form of the Universe and its contents. You are worshipped thru the sacrificial rituals of your devotees. In return, you destroy the fears and diseases of those, who worship You from all directions. Oh Lord Sudarsana of auspicious qualities! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee!