Sudarshana Perumal with Multi-Armed Form and Yoga Narasimha Reverse in Bronze – Swamimalai, Tamil Nadu

Sudarshana Perumal, also known as Chakrathalwar, represents the divine discus of Vishnu and occupies a central place in Ayudha Puja, the ritual veneration of sacred weapons in Vaishnava temples of South India.

In the Ahirbudhnya Samhita of the Pancharatra tradition, the discus is conceived as Sudarshana Purusha, a multi-armed, manifest presence invoked through elaborate ritual practice.

This Panchaloha icon, set on a two-tiered lotus pedestal, presents Sudarshana within a radiating, flame-like aureole. The protruding teeth and the array of weapons across multiple arms align with the visual language of guardian deities, conveying controlled ferocity and protective force. His identity with Vishnu is marked through the Vaishnava U-shaped tilaka, makara-shaped earrings, and the Srivatsa emblem associated with Lakshmi.

On the reverse, Yoga Narasimha appears seated in a composed yogic posture, bound by the characteristic yogapatta, holding the Sudarshana Chakra to emphasise its primacy within the composition.

He rests upon the coiled hoods of Adishesha, evoking a domain that extends beyond time. The pentagonal frame enclosing both forms reflects a Tantric schema of balanced energies, bringing the icon into a unified field of contained power and concentrated presence.