Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 12

Ambarīṣa’s Prayers to Sudarśana and the Deliverance of Durvāsā

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच इति संस्तुवतो राज्ञो विष्णुचक्रं सुदर्शनम् । अशाम्यत् सर्वतो विप्रं प्रदहद् राजयाञ्चया ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca iti saṁstuvato rājño viṣṇu-cakraṁ sudarśanam aśāmyat sarvato vipraṁ pradahad rāja-yācñayā

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī fuhr fort: Als der König auf diese Weise zum Sudarśana-cakra Viṣṇus betete, wurde das Rad friedvoll und hörte auf, den Brāhmaṇa Durvāsā Muni zu verbrennen, bewegt durch die Bitte des Königs.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (honorific epithet): श्रीमान् शुकः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद: “said”

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक-अव्यय: “thus”

• saṁstuvataḥ: of (the one) praising
• saṁstuvataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-stu (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle) in genitive singular; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन: “of (him) who was praising”

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• rājñaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन (genitive): “of the king”

• viṣṇu-cakram: Viṣṇu’s discus
• viṣṇu-cakram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: विष्णोः चक्रम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• sudarśanam: Sudarśana (beautiful/auspicious to behold)
• sudarśanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sudarśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; विशेषण of viṣṇu-cakram

• aśāmyat: did not subside
• aśāmyat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śam (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद: “did not subside/was not pacified” (a- negation)

• sarvataḥ: from all sides
• sarvataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb): “from all sides/everywhere”

• vipram: the brāhmaṇa
• vipram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (accusative): “the brāhmaṇa”

• pradahat: burned/scorched
• pradahat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-dah (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद: “burned, scorched”

• rāja-yācñayā: by the king’s entreaty
• rāja-yācñayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + yācñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: राज्ञः याच्ञा; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (instrumental): “by the king’s request/entreaty”

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Viṣṇu
• Sudarśana Cakra
• Durvāsā (vipra/brāhmaṇa)
• Ambarīṣa (the king)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Sudarshana Chakra protecting devotees?

This verse shows Sudarśana actively acting on behalf of the Lord’s devotee—remaining unappeased and burning the offending brāhmaṇa—indicating divine protection for sincere bhaktas.

Why was Sudarshana Chakra burning the brāhmaṇa Durvāsā in Canto 9 Chapter 5?

In the Ambarīṣa–Durvāsā episode, Durvāsā’s offense against the devotee led to Sudarśana pursuing him; here Śukadeva describes the disc blazing around him, invoked through the king’s situation and prayers.

Practical application of this Bhagavatam teaching in modern life?

Respect devotees and avoid spiritual offense; when facing injustice, take shelter of prayerful devotion and integrity rather than retaliation—trusting that dharma ultimately protects the sincere.