(Sudarshana Stuti and Prahlada’s preaching to King Bali included)

                                                                                                                                                      

As Vamana Deva who occupied the totality of the Universe pursuant to the illustrious charity of mere Three Feet by Bali Chakravarti, Maha Vamana Murti bestowed the boon of long life to King Bali to administer the Sapta Lokas beneath the Bhumi and Oceans viz. Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talaatala, Mahatala, Rasaatala and Paataalas. As Vishvakarma constructed a luxurious palace and  Bilwa Swarga of the Underworld with no comforts and desires unfulfilled, the cozy life to the hilt, Bali was fully contented with his family and Praja. One day suddenly, the Sudarshana Chakra of Vaikuntha made its appearance and King Bali prostrated before the Chakra and reverentially prayed to it as follows: Namasyaami Hareshchakram Daityachakra vidaaranam, Sahasaamshum Sdahasrtaabham Sahasraaram Sunirmalam/ Namasyaami Hareshchakram yasya naabhyaam Pitaamahah,  Tundey Trishula dhruk Sharva Aaraamuley Mahaadrayah/ Aareshu smamstitaa Devaah Sendraah Saarkaah Sapaavakaah, Javey yasya sthito Vaayuraapognih Prithivi nabhah/ Aarapraateshu Jeemutaah Soudaaminuruksha taarakaah, Baahyato Muniyo yasya Baalakhilyaadayashathaa/ Tamaayudhavaram Vandey Vaasudevasya Bhaktitah, Yaney Paapam Sharirottham Vaagjam Manasamevacha/ Tanmey dahaswa Deeptaamsho Vishnoschakra Sudarshana, Yanmo Kulodbhavam Paapam Paitrukam Maatrukam tathaa/ Tanmey Haraswa gtarasaa Namastey Achutaayudha, Aadhayo mama nashyantu Vyaadhayo hyaantui Samkshayam/ Iktevamuktwaa matimaan Samabhyacchaartha B haktitah, Samsmafran Pundareekaasham Sarva Paapa pranaashanam/ Pujitam Balinaa Chakram krutwaa Nistejasosuraan, Nischakraamaatha Paataalaad vishuvey Dakshiney Muney/ Sudarshaney nirgatey tu Balirviklabvataam gatah, Paramaapadam praapya sasmaara Swa Pitaamaham/ (My salutations to Vishnu Sudarshana Chakra which smashes the multitudes of Daitya enemies by its endless and most powerful sparkles of extraordinay rays with thousands of spokes and compartments within. I pray most reverentially to the Chakra in whose axis exists Brahma, its periphery resides Trishladhaari Maha Deva, spoke-ends are embellished with mammoth Mountains, inside the compartments are Indra, Surya, Agni, and other Devaas, its speed and velocity likened toVayu Deva, and its other inhabitants are Varuna, Agni, Bhumi, and Akaasha; its compartment ends are clouds, Vidyut or Electricity, Nakshatraas, etc and in the peripherry of the Chakra Bakakhilyas and Munis. May the Chakra destroy greatest sins of the devotees on account of  physical, vocal, and antarika or mind-born blemishes; may the Chakra punch and blow the sins of Vamsa Vaasis of the present and  previous generations! As Bali extolled the Chakra and  visioned it  travelling away southwards, he wondered as to what was the need for its visit to the Bilwa Swarga, prayed to Bhagavan Vamana and remembered his grand father to ascertain the forebodings of the surprise appearance of the Sudarshana). Bhakta Prahlada met the King at once and congratulated Bali at the timely, prognostic and propitious appearance of Sudarshan to remind him and his ‘Praja’ about the need and urgency for worshipping Bhagavan Vishnu and his incarntion as Vamana Deva!

Prahlaada’s exhortation to King Bali and his Subjects: Prahlada addressed the King and through him his entire population of Pataala Lokas as follows: Bhavajaladhigataanaam Dwandwavaataa hataanaam Suta duhitru kalatra traana bhaaraarditaanaam, Vishamavishayatoye Majjataama -plavaanaam bhavati sharanameko Vishnupoto Naraayaam/ Ye samshritaa Harimanantamanaadi –madhyam Naaraayanam Suragurum Shubhadam Varenyam, Shuddham Khagendragamanam Kamalaalyesham tey Dharmaraaja karanam na vishanti Dheeraah/ Swapurushamabhiveekshya Paashahastam, Vadati Yamah kila tasya karnamuley, Parihara Madhusudana prapannaan Prabhurahamanya nrunaam na Vaishnavaanaam/ Tathaanyaduttam Narasattamena Ikshvaakunaa Bhaktiyutena nyunam, Ye Vishnu Bhaktaah Purushaah Pruthivyaam Yamasya tey nirvishayaa bhavanti/ Saa jihvaa yaa Harim stutoti tacchhit yattadarpitam, Taaveva kevalam Shlaaghyou yow tatpujaakraou Karou/ Nunam na tou karou proktou Vriksha shaakaagrapallavou, Na yow Pujayatum shaktou Haripaadaambuja dwayam/ Nyunam tat kantha shaalookamathavaa prati jihvakaa, Rogovaanyo na saa jihvaa yaana vakti Hareygunaan/ Shochaniyam sabandhu -naam Jeevannapi mruto Narah, Yah Paada pankajam Vishnorna pujayati Bhaktitah/ Ye Naraa Vaasudevasya satatampujaney rataah, Mritaa api na shocchastey Satyam Satyam mayoditam/ Shareeram Maanasam Vaagjam Mritaamurtam charaacharam, Drushyam sprushyamadrushyam cha tatsarvam Keshavaatmakam/ Ye naarchitohi Bhgavaan Chaturthaa vai Trivikramah, Tenaarchitaa na samdeho Lokaah saamara daanavaah/ Yathaa ratnaani jaladhera samkhye –yaani putraka, Tathaa gunaa hi Devasya twasamkhyataastu Chakrinah/ Ye Shankha Chakra -abjakaram sa Shaaranginam Khagendra ketum Varadam  Shriyah Patim, Samaashrayantey Bhavabheeti naashanam Samsaaragartena patanti tey punah/ Yeshaam Manasi Govindo Nivaasi Satatam Baley, Na tey paribhavam  yaanti  na Mrutyoruddijanti cha/ Devam shaarangadharam Vishnum  ye praopannah paraayanam, Na teshaam Yamasaalokyam na cha tey Naakoukasah/  Na taam gatim praapruvanti Shruti Shastra Vishaaradaah, Vipraa Daanava shaardula Vishnu Bhaktaa vrajaanti yaam/Yaa Gatirdaithya shaardula hataanaam tu Mahaahavey, Tatodhikaam gatim yaanti Vishnu bhaktaa Narotthamaah/ Yaa Gatirdharma sheelaanaam Saathvikaanaam Mahaatmanaam, Saa Gatirditaa Daitya Bhagavatsevinaamapi/ Sarvaavaasam Vaasudevam Sukshmamavyakta Vigraham, Pravishaanti Mahaatmaanam tad Bhaktaa naanyachetasah/  Ananya manaso Bhakatyaa ye Namasyaanti Keshavam, Shuchayastey Mahaatmaanasteertha bhutaa Bhavanti tey/ Gacchhan tishthan swapancha jaagrut pibannashwanna bheekshanashah, Dhyaanam Naraayanam yastu na tonyosti Punya bhaak, Vaikuntham khadga parashum bhava- bandhasamucchidam/Pranipatya Yathaanyaayam Samsaarey na punarbhavet, Kshetreshu vasatey nithyam kreedaannaasteymita dyutih/ Aaseenah Sarvadeheshu Karmabhirna sa badhyatey, Yeshaam Vishnum Priyo nityam  tey Vishnoh Satatam Priyaah/ Na tey punah sambhavanti tad Bhaktaastatparaayanaah, Dhyaayed Damodaram yastu Bhakti namrorchayet vaa/ Na sa Samsaara pankesmin majjatey Daanaveshwara, Kalyamutthaaya ye Bhaktyaa smaranti Madhusudanam, Stuvantyapyabhi shrunvanti Durgaanyati taranti tey/ Yeshaam Chakra gadaa paanou Bhaktiravyabhichaarini, Tey Yaanti Niyatam sthaanam yatra Yogeshwaro Harih/ Vishnu karma prasaktaanaa \Bhaktaanaam yaa paraagatih, Saa tu Janma sahastrena na tapobhiravyaapyatey/ Kimjapyestasya Mantrarvaa kim Tapobhih kimaashramaih, Yasya naasti  paraa bhaktih satatam Madhusudaney/ Vrithaa Yagnaa Vrithaa Vedaa Vrithaa daanam vrithaa shrutam, Vrithaa Tapascha Keertischa yo dweshti Madhusudanam/ Kim tasya bahubhir mantrair bhaktiryasya Janardaney, Namo Naraayaneti mantrah  sarvaarthta saadhakah/ Vishnureva gatiryeshaam krutasteshaam paraajayah, Yeshaamindeevara shyaamo hridayastho Janardanah/ Sarva maangala maangalyam Varenyam Varadam Prabhum, Naraayana Namaskrutya Sarva karmaani kaarayet/ Vishtayo vyatipaataascha ye nanye durneeti sambhavaah,  tey naama smaranaad Vishno naasham yaanti Mahaasura/ Tirtha koti sahastraani Tirtha Kotishataanicha, Naraayana pramaanasya kalaam naarhanti shodasheem/ Prithivyaam yaani Tirthaani Punyaanyaya tanaani cha, Taani Sarvaanavaapnoti Vishnor naamaanu kirtanaat/ Praapnuvanti na taamllokaan vratino vaa Tapaswinah, Praapyantey ye tu Krishnasya Namaskaara parairnareyh/ Yopyanya Devaataa bhakto Midhyaarchayati Keshavam, Sopi gacchati Saadhunaam sthaanam Punyakritaam mahat/ Saatatyena Hrishikesham puja itwaa tu Sumedhasah, Tey labhyantupavaasasya phalam naasyantra samshayah/ Satatam Shastra drushtena karmanaa Harimarchaya, Tatprasaadaat Paraam Siddhim Baley Praapsyasi shaashvatim/  Tanmanaabhava tadbhaktastadhyaaji tam Namaskuru,Tamevaashritya Devesham Sukham Praapyasi Putraka/ Aadyam hyanantamajaram Harimavyayam cha  ye vai smarantya harahanruvaraa Bhuvisthaah, Sarvatragam Shubhadam Brahma mayam puraanam tey yaanti  Vaishnavapadam dhruvamakshayancha/ Ye Maanavaa Vigataraaga paraaparagjnaa Naraayanam Suragurum satatam smaranti, Tey Dhouta paanduraputaa iva Raaja hamsaah Samsaara Saagara jalas ya taranti paaram/ Dhyaayanti ye satatam achyutameeshitaaram  Nishkalmasham Pravara Padma dalaayataaksham, Dhyaanena tena hata kilimbasha Veda naastey Maatuh Payodhara rasam na punah pibanti/ Ye Kirtayanti Varadam Vara Padma –naabham Shankaabja chakra vara chaapa gadaa si hastam, Padmaalayaavadana Pankaja shatpadaakhyam nyunam praayanti  sadanam  Madhughaatinastey/ Shrunvanti ye Bhaktiparaa Manushyaah Samkeertyamaanam Bhagavantamaadyam, Tey Mukta paapaah sukhino bhavanti yathaamruta praashana tarpitaastu/ Tasmaad Dhyaanam smaranam keertanam vaa Namnaam Shravanam pathataam Sajjanaanaam, Kaaryam Vishnoh Shraddhaanairmanushyaih Pujaatulyam tat Prashamsanti Devaah/ Baahyaaistathaantah Karanairaviklavairyo  naarchayet Keshavameeshitaaram, Pushpaischa Patrairjala pallavaadhibhi nyunam sa mushto Vidhitaskarena/ ( Danava Sreshtha! To those persons who are all drawn into the depths of Samsara Samudra, buffeted by mighty and cruel winds of perils at every mode of life carrying the heavy loads of wife, children and dependents and exposed to daily hazards and threats, the only support and relief is the Unique Ship of Vishnu Bhagavan! He is devoid of a beginning, midway or termination providing auspicious encouragement to one and all who would approach him with faith ad devotion. He is an epitome of benevolence and compassion, the Prime Source of Magnanimity and Radiance, Garuda vaahana, Lakshmikanta, Pavitra, Deva Guru, Narayana and the Ultimate Point of Refuge far above the Rule of Yama Dharma Raja, who swears that he is the Administrator of all Beings but certainly not for Vaishnava Bhaktaas! Also, the God of Death confirms that those tongues which extol Hari, those sincere hearts which are absorbed in the meditation of Shri Hari, and those hands which are engaged in performing worship to Hari are never in the purview of Dharma Raja! Those hands which are devoid of worship of Hari are as good as handless likened to useless and dried up leaves of a tree and those  ‘jihvas’ without describing and cherishing the enormous quailities of Hari are just guttural gruffs like the dead wood trunk of a desiccated tree! Those who are not engaged in Hari Seva are as good as dead and those who are committed to the devotion are alive even if dead and continue to be celebrities! For,  the totality of physical, mental, psychological and action- reaction impulses are all Vishnu Swarupas; and the Jangama- Sthaavara- Drushya- Sprushya- Murta and Amurta Elements are all indeed of Vishnu Swarupas! Those Suraasura / Manavas who are devoted to Trivikrama Bhagavan in all the four ways of Stuti-Dhyana- Puja and Manana would have performed worship to the whole Universe. There are as many unaccountable ‘Rathnaas’ (jewels) in the depths of Oceans as the Parama gunaas and Rupaas or the countless features and forms of Narayana Bhagavan! But to anchor one’s imagination about that Supreme Being, one could conjecture that the Virat Swarupa of Maha Vamana possesses Shankha, Chakra, Kamala and Sharanga Dhanush in his four arms and is also Garudadhwaja, Bhava Bheeti Vinashaka or the Destroyer of all fears and troubles, Varada or the Provider of boons, Lakshmi Pati and the Saviour of Deep Troubles. Those who keeps Govinda in his heart and Soul is never rejected in life nor is haunted by Mrityu and  even experience Naraka. Brahmanas who are well versed with Vedas and Shastras are not recognised as well as Vishnu Bhaktaas; similarly persons who die in battles and become eligible to Veera Swarga are not superior to Vishnu Bhaktaas. Those who are proven Mahatmas of extraordinary piety and virtue are indeed not rated better than Vishnu Bhaktaas! In fact such Bhaktas get readily absorbed into the Physique of Sarvavaasa, Sukshma, Avyakta, Ananta, Tirtha Swarupa Vaasudeva! There is no parallel to a person who takes the name and fame of Govinda while walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, eating and awake who is esteemed superior to any body else! As one worships in the prescribed manner that Vaikuntha Deva, he or she would indeed accomplish Moksha and would not be subject to rebirth! Even being in Samsaara, a typical Krishna Bhakta is not greatly influneced in his normal profession, since he or she is completely in love with  Bhagavan and vice-versa. Those who wake up in the morning and surrender to Narayana every day  and keeps the consciousness aligned to the latter is indeed unaffected by mundane affairs or Samsara bandhanaas. As the Bhakta is fully dedicated to Chakra-Gadaadhaari Govinda, that person would indeed carve a niche far ahead of Yogeshwaras for thousand previous lives. Why should persons waste precious time of their lives with Yagnas, Vedas, daanaas, jnaana, Tapas and Kirti! Why should one learn so many Mantras and  clutter their minds with mental confusion instead of merely reciting the simplest and unique Maha Mantra of Om Namo Narayanaaya! Could there be a defeat in one’s life if only that person recites always recite the MahaMantra and firmly establish the Swarupa of that Mangala Murti, Varenya, Varadaprada prabhu Narayana! Even the worst evils like Vishtis, Vyaktipaataas, and other physical and mental aberrations fall flat and get smashed with Narayana Smarana which is equivalent to the sevas of crores of Tirthaas! Persons desirous of organising mammoth Bhagavat Sevas for securing ‘Kirti’ and public recognition as also for displaying their wealth and might end up with nothing tangible whereas a modest, quiet and sincere appeal to Janardana of an individual with total submission to Hrishikesha is by far the most effective and fulfilling! Therefore King Bali! Do perform those prescribed deeds of virtue and worship Hari always. Do get fully engaged in the service of that Saadya, Ananta, Ajara, Sarvatragaami Shubhadaataa, Brahmamaya, Purana, Avyaya Hari day and night like the illustrious Dhruva who was blessed with an Eternal Position among Vaishnava Padaas! That ought  to be the way to Narayana. Do always  recite hymns of Madhusudana. Do always execute Dhyana, Smarana, Keertana, Paatha, Naama Shravana, and Manana. Those who regulate their Swasthya- Baahya-Aantarika Indriyas or Physical Parts and worship Keshava with Pushpa- Patra-Jala- and Pallavaas always avoid the onslaughts of Vidhi Rupa Taskaraas or Fate-determined robbers!)