One-line: exiled prince protected by the Goddess and restored to power through a hidden mantra.
First seen / best remembered: Book 3 (Book 3 retelling; atlas: ). Name trap: this is Sudarshana the king, not Vishnu’s discus.
Who they are: Sudarshana is the underdog prince of Book 3. He has no army, grows up in exile, and should lose the marriage contest before it begins. His strength is devotion to the Goddess through a seed mantra, and that hidden power changes the political outcome.
What they do that matters:
- Survives the succession struggle after his father dies.
- Wins Shashikala’s public bride-choice against powerful rivals.
- Is protected by the lion-riding Goddess and restored to rule.
Other names: None in this storybook layer.
Family / lineage (when relevant): Distinct from Vishnu’s Sudarshana chakra.