The word ‘Sudarshan’ means ‘auspicious vision’ in Sanskrit. It is the name of Vishnu’s weapon, the Chakra or discus he carries in his right rear hand. Lord Vishnu used this king of weapons to protect the universe from evil forces.

In Vedic times, the Sudarshan Chakra was considered a symbol of the wheel of time. But, by the late medieval period, it was seen as “Ayudha Purush,” a fierce form of Vishnu and a weapon for destroying enemies. The Sudarshan Chakra is called “Chakkrath Azhwar” in Tamil, which means the Ring or Circlet of God.

The Sudarshan Chakra consists of two discs that rotate in opposite directions. Each disc has over a million sharp spikes on its edges. The Linga Purana says that Lord Shiva gave Vishnu this weapon.

How was the Sudarshan Chakra Created?

According to the Puranas, the Sudarshan Chakra was created by Lord Vishwakarma, the architect of the Gods. Vishwakarma’s daughter, Sanjana, was the wife of Lord Surya, the Sun God. She could not be with her husband as the Sun was very bright and hot. When she told her father about this, Vishwakarma reduced the Sun’s radiance. He also collected the leftover stardust and made 3 divine objects with it. They were the flying chariot, Pushpaka Vimana, the Trishul of Shiva, and the Sudarshana Chakra.

How Vishnu Got the Sudarshan Chakra

The Devas or Gods could not defeat the demons or Asuras in their battles. The Asuras’ Guru, Shukracharya, knew the Mrityunjaya Mantra, which could heal even the mortal wounds of the Asuras. So Vishnu decided to fight the Asuras himself. But eventually, he realized that he could not defeat them. Vishnu then went to Mount Kailasha to seek Shiva’s help. But Shiva was in deep meditation. Vishnu did not want to disturb Shiva, so he began to pray to Shiva.

Vishnu kept chanting Shiva’s name a thousand times every day and offered a lotus flower against each chant. He did this daily until Shiva emerged from his trance. One day, unaware that Shiva was awake, Vishnu continued his worship. Shiva wanted to play a prank on Vishnu.

He removed one lotus from the bunch Vishnu had plucked. After chanting 999 times, Vishnu noticed that one flower was missing. So, he plucked out one of his eyes and offered it at Shiva’s feet. Moved by Vishnu’s devotion, Shiva said he would grant him a boon. Vishnu asked him for the power to defeat the demons. It was then that Shiva gave him the Sudarshana Chakra, a powerful weapon that could kill anything.

The Valmiki Ramayana says that Purushottama (Vishnu) killed a Danava called Hayagriva atop a mountain named Chakravana constructed by Vishwakarma and took the Sudarshana Chakra from him.

Uses of the Sudarshana Chakra

The Sudarshana Chakra has been used to kill many evil people. These stories are found in the Itihasas and Puranas. In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna, who is an avatar of Vishnu, beheaded Shishupala with it during Emperor Yudhisthira’s Rajasuya Yagna.

He also used it during the 14th day of the Kurukshetra war to confuse Jayadratha by creating an artificial sunset by using the Chakra to hide the sun. Jayadratha had killed Arjuna’s son, Abhimanyu, and Arjuna had sworn to kill Jayadratha before sunset the next day. Krishna’s ploy fooled the Kauravas and enabled Arjuna to avenge the death of his son, Abhimanyu.

Vishnu used the Sudarshana Chakra to dismember the corpse of Sati, Shiva’s consort, into 51 pieces after she died by self-immolation. The grieving Shiva was inconsolable and wandered around with her corpse like a madman. This was when Vishnu used the Chakra. The 51 parts of Sati’s body were tossed about in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. These spots became the “Shakti Peethas”.

The Chakra was also used to cut the celestial Mandara mountain during Samudra Manthan and behead Rahu.

The Power of Sudarshana Homam

Performing Sudarshana Homam helps destroy negativity, brings victory over one’s enemies, and protects against the evil eye. It also enables self-purification and restores energy and good health. Chanting Sudarshana mantra supposedly saved the people of a village from a deadly epidemic.

Things Required to Perform Sudarshana Homam

Tulsi leaves, incense sticks, Prasad, flowers, fruits, herbs, Sudarshana Yantra.

Sudarshana Homam Procedure:

· Chant Sudarshana Mantra followed by “Naarayaanakrupavyuha Tejaschakraya Nama”.
· Take the Sankalpa to invoke Vishnu’s blessings.
· Chant Agni Prathishtai.
· Chant Sudarshana Shadakshari 108 times with aahuthi.
· Perform Poornahuthi.
· Go round the Agni Kuntam and chant Sudarshana Ashtakam.
· Wear the sacred ash from the Homam on the forehead for protection.

Benefits

· Protection from harm and enemies.
· Brings positivity.
· Relief from worry and suffering.
· Enables Career and Business Growth.
· Bestows good health.
· Prevents accidents.
· Energizes the mind, body, and soul.
· Bestows spiritual wisdom and knowledge.

When to Perform

Purnima, Dwadasi, and Ekadashi days that coincide with Saturdays and Wednesdays are auspicious for performing Sudarshana Homa.

The birthday of Lord Sudarshanar, the deity of Sudarshana Chakra, is celebrated as Sudarshana Jayanthi. In 2022, it is on July 8.