Sudarsana Sathakam Part IV: Sudarsna Kavacham

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

Sofar we have covered the Taniyan for Sri Sudarsana

Sathakam , the eleven ThiruvAimozhi Paasurams ( TVM:7.4)

which are traditionally recited before SrI Sudarsna

Sathakam of SrI Koora NaarAyana Jeeyar .

 

Before we delve in to the individual slOkams of

this sacred work , adiyEn would like to comment

breifly on Sri Sudarsana Kavacham , which is also

part of the important assembly of SthOrams and

manthrams related to Lord Sudarsana such as

Sudarsana Shatkam , Ashtakam and Sudarsana Manthram.

 

Please refer to an earlier articles of adiyEn on

Sudarsana Kavacham and Sudarsana ashtakam archived

in the Bhakthi list:

 

1) Sudarsana Kavacham:

http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/oct96/0040.html

 

2) Sudarsna Ashtakam of Swamy Desikan :

http://www.ramanuja.org//sv/achrayas/desika/stotras/sudarsana.html

 

In the above article , the special realtionship of

Sudarsanar to Lord Narasimhan is also touched upon.

A more elaborate description of the sambhnadham

of Lord Narasimhan to ChakrarAjan is covered

by SrI MuraLi Rangaswamy in an artcile that

appeared in SaranAgathy Journal (November 27,1997:

Issue 1.8):

 

http://www.srivaishnava.org/sgati/volume1/v01008.htm

 

Sudarsana Kavacham is incorporated in

VihagEndhra samhitha. adiyEn thanks SrIman Varada

Desikan of Delhi for sending me the text during 2001.

 

Sudarsana Kavacham

*******************

For this Sudarsana Kavacha MahA Manthram ,

(antharyAmi BhagavAn) SrIman NaarAyanan is

the Rishi, Chandas is anushtup and

the (Para) Devathai is SrIman NaarAyaNan

Himself.

 

For SrI Sudarsana Japa ViniyOgam , the Bheejam is

"rum" , the sakthi is "hum" ; the keelakam is

"PhaD". These aksharams used in SrI Sudarsana

Japam pleases Lord ChakrarAjan.

 

Sankham , Chakram, Gadhai , Sword and Padhmam/lotus

on the hands of SrIman NaarAyaNan as well as

the Musalam on the hand of Sudarshanar are

some of the well known MudhrAs for this kavacham.

Two more MudhrAs ( DhEnu: and Yama Paasam ) complete

the list of the array of MudhrAs for the kavacham.

Please learn them form dedicated upAsakAs of

SrI Sudarsana BhagavAn.

 

DhyAnam

********

 

Sankham Saarngam sakhEDam hala-parasu-gadhA-

kuntha-paasAn dhadhAnam ThvanyairvAmaischa

chakrEshvasimusala-sdhavaja-soolAmkusaAgneen .

JwAlA kesam kireetam Jwaladhanalanibham

vahnimugrasthapeeDam prahtyAleedam

thrinEthram ripu-gaNa-dhamanam

bhAvayE ChakrarAjam

 

The visualization of Lord Sudarsana is

powerful here . Lord Sudarsna with His sixteen

weapons on the sixteen hands , with flames

shooting out of His hair , His incomparable

radiance , His three eyes , His prathyAleeDam

pose ( with slightly bent and crossed legs

in the posture of movement)on a peetam of

Agni is visualized here.

 

Lord SudarsanA's Sixteen weapons saluted in

Swamy Desikan's ShOdasAyudha Sthothram are:

1) Chakram/Disc (2) Mazhu/Parasu/Axe

(3) Eetti/spear/Kuntha: (4)ThaNDu/staff/DhaNDa:

(5) Ankusam /Elephant goad (6) Agni roopa weapon/

with hundred faces/Satha vakthra agni hEthi:

7)Sword/Nisthrimsam (8)vEl/another kind of spear /Sakthi

9) Sankham/Conch (10)Bow/Saarngam (11)Paasam /Rope

12)Kalappai/Plough/Seeram (13)Vajram/Weapon made of

the back bone of a sage (14)mace/Gadhai

(15) Ulakkai/Pestle/Musalam and (16) Soolam/Trident.

 

Number of these weapons have a Tatthvam behind them.

For instance Gadhai is the mahath Tatthvam in the row

of Prakruthi-MahAn-ahankAram.Saathvika ahankAram is

recognized as the Bow .Some of these weapons are

associated with individual gods (Sivan known for

His Trident and Axe, Subramanyan for His Sakthi Aayudham

and spear, Yama dharman for his paasam , Indhran for

VajrAyudham).

 

We will conclude this portion of the introduction to

Sudarsana Kavacham here; Extensive prayers are included

for the protection of the various limbs of the body

(from head to foot) , one's Jn~Anam, Japam , wealth,

Courage , Keerthi, Aayus/life, Strength , dangers

from different directions , Bhootha-prEtha-PaisAsa

bheethi, Naaga dhOsham (Sarpa dhOsham), diseases and

natural calamities .

 

Those who need more details on these individual manthrams

constituting the 56 slOkams of SrI Sudarsna kavacham

are requested to make a small contribution to

the ThiruvahIndhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimkaryam

and adiyEn will send you a copy of the Sudarsana

Kavacham and its additional meanings .Thank you.

 

Jaya Jaya SrI Sudarshana ,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan