Sudarsanastakam of Vedanta Desika

 

    Traditionally, this stotram is recited in homes, when some one has fever or illness of some kind. Vedanta Desika is said to have composed it to help the residents of Thiruputtkuzhi, when they suffered from the grip  of  a epidemic fever.

Alternatively, It is said that he composed it at Thiruvahindrapuram prior to a major debate with a leader of  another sampradaya. Vedanta Desika won that debate and thereby established the supermacy of Lord Narayana and Visisthadvaita philosophy.

 

Vedanta Desika chose the dhritas chanda as a meter for the 8 verses praising Sudarsana. He chose the aupachandasikam meter for the phala stuti sloka . Both these meters hint at the Vedic origin of Sudarsana  as indicated by Vedanta Desika in one or more verses of this stotram.

 

 

// shrimate nigamanta maha desikaya namah //

 

shriman venkatanathacaryah

kavitarkika kesari |

vedantacarya varyomeh

sannidatattam sada hrdi ||

 

Verse 1

pratibhatasreni bhisana   vara-gunasthoma bhusana

janibhyastana tarana   jagad-avasthana karana   |

nikhila-duskarma karsana nigama-saddharma darsana

jaya jaya shri sudarsana jaya jaya jaya shri sudarsana  ||

 

"O 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 shoreless 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. O Lord Sudarsana of these auspicious attributes! All glories unto you, all glories unto you!"

 

Verse 2

subha-jagadrupa mandana  sura-ganatrasa khandana

satamaka-brahma vandita  satapata-brahmanandita  |

pratita-vidvat sapaksita  bhajata ahirbudhnya laksita

jaya jaya shri sudarsana jaya jaya jaya shri sudarsana   ||

 

"O Sudarsana! You are resplendent as a precious decoration on the hand of  Narayana , who has the universes 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 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 Ahirbudhnya (Mahesa) worships you and  sought the boon to see your beautiful form with His own eyes. O Lord Sudarsana of illustrious attributes! All glories to you, all glories to you."

 

Verse 3

sphutata dijala pinjara   prthutara-jvala panjara

parigata pratna-vigraha  padutara-prajna durgrah  |

praharana grama mandita  parijana trana pandita

jaya jaya shri sudarsana jaya jaya jaya shri sudarsana  ||

 

"O Lord Sudarsana! You shine like the resplendent assembly of lightnings. The bright tongues of flames surrounding you appear like a cage (home) for you. The forms of Vasudeva, Sankarsana and other Vyuha Murtis 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 . O Sudarsana of such auspicious a tributes! All glories to you, all glories to you!"

 

 

Verse  4

nijapatapritha sadgana nirupathispitha sad guna

nigama nirvyuda vaibhava nijapara-vyuha vaibhava |

hari haya dvesi darana  hara-pura plosa karana

jaya jaya shri sudarsana jaya jaya jaya shri sudarsana   ||

 

 

"O Lord Sudarsana! The Righteous people have firm attachment to your lotus feet. The six kalyana gunas - 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 Kasi to ashes. You stood at the tip of siva's arrow, when He was engaged in the campaign to destroy Tripurasura. O Sudarsana Of such kalyana gunas! All glories unto you, all glories unto you!"

 

 

Verse 5

dhanuja visthara kartana  janitamisra vikartana

dhanujavidya nikartana  bhajatavidya nivatana |

amara drstasva vikrama samara justa bramikrama

jaya jaya shri sudarsana jaya jaya jaya shri sudarsana   ||

 

 

"O 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 bewilders 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 you, with such auspicious attributes, prosper further! All glories unto you, all glories unto you!"

 

Verse 6

 

prathimukhalita bandhura pruthumahaheti danthura

vikatamaya bahiskrta vividhamala  pariskrta |

sthira-mahayantra tantrita dhrta daya tantra yantrita

jaya jaya shri sudarsana jaya jaya jaya shri sudarsana   ||

 

 

"O 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(maya) caused by Asuras. You are not therefore affected by their acts of maya. 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. O Sudarsana of such auspicious gunas! All glories unto you, all glories unto you."

 

Verse 7

 

mahita sampath sadhaksara vihitasampath sataksara

satara-cakra pratisthita sakala tattva pratisthita |

vividha sankalpaka kalpaka vibhudhasankalpa kalpaka

jaya jaya shri sudarsana jaya jaya jaya shri sudarsan  ||

 

"O Lord Sudarsana of many prime gunas! The wealth of the righteous is their true knowledge about  Your Lord. You bless them with the imperishable wealth of moksa, when they seek refuge at your lotus feet. Those who recite your mantra made up of the six letters(aksaras) gain incomparable wealth. Your devotees (upasakas) invoke you in your yantra of six corners formed  by two intersecting triangles and worship you at it's epicentre. 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. O Sudarsana! All glories unto you, all glories unto you."

 

Verse 8

 

bhuvana-netra trayimaya savana-tejas-trayimaya

niravadhisvadhu chinmaya  nikhila sakte jaganmaya  |

amita visvakriyamaya samitavisvagbhayamaya

jaya jaya shri sudarsana jaya jaya jaya shri sudarsana   ||

 

"O 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-garhapatyam, ahavaniyam and daksinagni- of the yajnas. 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 through the sacrificial rituals of your devotees. In return, you destroy the fears and diseases of those, who worship you from all directions. O Lord Sudarsana of auspicious qualities! All glories unto you, all glories unto you."

 

 

Verse 9: Phala Stuti

 

dvicatus-kamidam prabhuthasaram pathatam venkatanayaka pranitam |

visamepi manoratah pradhavan na vihanyeta ratangadhuryaguptah  ||

 

 

Those, who recite this stotram consisting of 8 verses in praise of Sudarsana composed by Venkatanatha known as Vedanta Desika, comprehend the deep references to the glory of Lord Sudarsana and will have the fulfillment of all their desires. The boon-granting powers of Lord Sudarsana will make them realize all their wishes by overcoming  all obstacles that stand in the way.

 

kavitarkika simhaya kalyana guna saline |

shrimate venkatesaya vedanta gurave namah ||