SUDARSANA CAKRA

The Sudarsana temple at Srirangam and at Kanchie are very popular. The temple at Srirangam, believed to be of 12^th century A.D., and damaged during the Mohammadan invasion, was restored in the 15^th century A.D. Kuranarayana Jiyar, who belonged to the 12^th century A.D. composed a stotra by name Sudarsanastaka. There is an interesting incident recorded in Koilolugu; while Nanjiyar was administering the darsana one of the Vinnappam-saivar became unfit to serve in the holy presence. Andal, wife of Alvar, out of kindness towards him called Kuranarayana Jiyar, who had sought spiritual guidance at the feet of Alvan, while the latter was residing at Tirumaliruncolai, and had become a sanyasin, an aged man well-versed in the profession of his Acaryas and a mahamantrica, living in Srirangam, and said to him, "You had promised to use your mantras in a certain service. Now would you make this Vinnappam-saivar fit for doing service to the Perumal?" Thus commanded, Kuranarayana Jiyar gave out the Sudarsana-satakam and freeing the Vinnappam-saivar from ill-health made him fit for puja hour.

Sri Vedantadesika of 14^th century A.D. composed two works on Sudarsana, namely Sodasayudhastotra and Sudarsanastakam. These stotras are very popular among the Sri vaisnava community. Sudarsanasatakam is composed on Sudarsana enshrined at Srirangam and Sodasayudha stotra by Vedantadesika is believed to be composed on Sudarsana at Kanchi temple.

Dr. K.V. Raman in his book on Kanchi Varadarajswamy temple, has established with the evidence of epigraphy that the Sudarsana temple was in existence from 12^th century during the Vijayanagar period.