Sun

Planetary Relationships

ॐ ह्रां ह्रीं ह्रौं सः सूर्याय नमः

Om Hraam Hreem Hraum Sah Suryaya Namah

Salutations to the Sun God

ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्

Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat

We meditate upon the divine light of the Sun; may it illuminate our intellect

ॐ आ कृष्णेन रजसा वर्तमानो निवेशयन्नमृतं मर्त्यं च। हिरण्ययेन सविता रथेना देवो याति भुवनानि पश्यन्॥

Om Aa Krishnena Rajasa Vartamano Niveshayann Amritam Martyam Cha...

Hymn describing the Sun's journey across the sky

जपाकुसुम सङ्काशं काश्यपेयं महाद्युतिम्। तमोऽरिं सर्वपापघ्नं प्रणतोऽस्मि दिवाकरम्॥

Japa Kusuma Sankasham Kashyapeyam Mahadyutim, Tamorim Sarva Papaghnam Pranato'smi Divakaram

I bow to the Sun, who is red like hibiscus flower, son of Kashyapa, very brilliant, enemy of darkness, destroyer of all sins

Birth of Surya

Aditi, the mother of gods, was one of the thirteen daughters of Daksha who were married to the sage Kashyapa. Distressed by the defeat of her sons (the Devas) at the hands of the Asuras, Aditi performed severe penance to Lord Vishnu. Pleased with her devotion, Vishnu promised to be born as her son. Thus, Surya (also called Vivasvan or Martanda) was born with divine brilliance that illuminated all three worlds. He became the source of light and life for the universe. According to Rig Veda, Surya is praised as the eye of Mitra, Varuna, and Agni, and as the soul of all that moves and stands still.

Source: Markandeya Purana, Bhagavata Purana

The Twelve Adityas

Aditi gave birth to twelve sons known as the Dwadasha Adityas (Twelve Adityas). They are: Dhata, Mitra, Aryaman, Shakra, Varuna, Amsha, Bhaga, Vivasvan (Surya), Pushan, Savita, Tvashta, and Vishnu. Each Aditya presides over one month of the year. Surya, as Vivasvan, is considered the most prominent among them, being the visible manifestation of the supreme light. During the twelve months, different Adityas preside: Dhata in Chaitra, Aryaman in Vaishakha, and so on. Together, they represent the different aspects of solar energy throughout the year.

Source: Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana

Surya and Sanjna - The Marriage

Vishwakarma, the divine architect of the gods, had a beautiful daughter named Sanjna (also called Saranyu). She was of incomparable beauty and virtue. When she came of age, Vishwakarma offered her in marriage to Surya, the lord of the day. The marriage was solemnized with great splendor. However, Sanjna soon found it difficult to bear the intense brilliance and heat of her husband. His radiance was so overwhelming that she could not even look at him directly. Despite her discomfort, out of devotion to her husband, she bore three children: Manu (Vaivasvata), Yama, and Yamuna (twins). But the unbearable heat continued to torment her.

Source: Markandeya Purana, Vishnu Purana

The Shadow Wife - Origin of Chhaya

Unable to endure Surya's brilliance any longer, Sanjna devised a plan. Using her yogic powers, she created an exact replica of herself from her own shadow, naming her Chhaya (meaning 'shadow'). She instructed Chhaya to take her place as Surya's wife and care for her three children, warning her never to reveal the truth. Chhaya agreed, promising to maintain the secret unless she was cursed or physically pulled by the hair. Sanjna then returned to her father Vishwakarma's house. When her father urged her to return to her husband, she refused, fearing his unbearable brilliance. Instead, she transformed herself into a mare and went to the northern region of Uttara Kuru to perform penance, hoping that through austerities, she might gain the ability to bear her husband's radiance.

Source: Markandeya Purana, Matsya Purana

Chhaya's Children and the Curse on Yama

Surya did not initially realize that Chhaya was not his real wife Sanjna. With Chhaya, he had three children: Shani (Saturn), Tapati, and Savarni Manu. However, over time, Yama noticed that Chhaya showed more affection to her own children than to him and his siblings. One day, in a moment of childish anger, Yama raised his foot threateningly toward Chhaya. Furious, Chhaya cursed him: 'May this foot of yours fall off!' Yama was shocked and went to his father Surya to complain. A true mother, he argued, would never curse her own child so severely. Surya realized something was amiss. He questioned Chhaya intensely, and under pressure, she eventually revealed the truth. Surya mitigated Yama's curse by declaring that worms would take some flesh from his foot, thus technically fulfilling the curse without Yama losing his leg entirely. Yama later became Dharmaraja, the god of death and righteousness.

Source: Markandeya Purana

Vishwakarma Reduces Surya's Brilliance

Learning that Sanjna had fled because of his unbearable brilliance, Surya felt deep remorse. He went to Vishwakarma, his father-in-law, who revealed that Sanjna had gone north and taken the form of a mare. Before Surya could pursue her, Vishwakarma suggested reducing his brilliance so that Sanjna could comfortably live with him. He placed Surya on his lathe and carefully shaved off one-eighth of his radiance from all parts except his feet (as they could not be placed on the lathe). From this divine brilliance (tejas), Vishwakarma fashioned several celestial weapons: the Sudarshana Chakra for Lord Vishnu, the Trishula (trident) for Lord Shiva, the Pushpaka Vimana (flying chariot), the lance of Kartikeya, and all the weapons of Kubera. With his reduced but still magnificent radiance, Surya set out to find his wife.

Source: Markandeya Purana, Vishnu Purana, Matsya Purana

Birth of Ashwini Kumaras

Surya, now with reduced brilliance, traced Sanjna to Uttara Kuru, where she was performing penance in the form of a mare. To approach her, Surya transformed himself into a horse. When Sanjna saw this magnificent stallion approaching, she was wary, fearing it might be someone other than her husband. To protect her chastity, she turned to face him, keeping him at a distance. When their noses touched and she exhaled, from that breath were born the twin gods known as the Ashwini Kumaras (Dasra and Nasatya). These divine twins became the physicians of the gods, possessing the power to cure any ailment and restore youth. After their birth, Surya revealed his true identity. The couple reconciled, and with his brilliance now bearable, Sanjna returned home with him. The Ashwini Kumaras are celebrated as the presiding deities of the Ashwini Nakshatra.

Source: Markandeya Purana, Bhagavata Purana

The Birth of Shani and the Cursed Gaze

While serving as Surya's wife, Chhaya became pregnant with Shani (Saturn). During her pregnancy, Chhaya was deeply devoted to Lord Shiva and would observe severe fasts and perform intense penance. She would remain in meditation for such extended periods that she barely ate or took care of herself. Surya was displeased with what he saw as neglect of her wifely duties and her health during pregnancy. In anger, he cursed the unborn child: 'Since you are being nourished in darkness by a mother who ignores her husband, you shall be dark in complexion!' When Shani was born, he was indeed dark. Upon opening his eyes for the first time to look at his father, his gaze was so powerful—carrying the intensity of his parents' accumulated tensions—that Surya fell down, afflicted with temporary loss of brilliance. This marked the beginning of Shani's reputation for having a destructive gaze. Despite this difficult beginning, Shani grew to become the god of karma and justice, and Surya later acknowledged him as his son.

Source: Brahma Purana, Skanda Purana

The Birth of Karna

Kunti, daughter of King Kuntibhoja, as a young princess served the irascible sage Durvasa with great devotion when he visited her father's kingdom. Pleased with her service, Durvasa granted her a mantra that could summon any deity, who would then bless her with a child possessing their qualities. Out of youthful curiosity and to test the mantra's power, the unmarried Kunti invoked Surya. The Sun god appeared before her in brilliant splendor. Despite Kunti's protests that she had called him only to test the mantra, Surya explained that a deity once invoked must fulfill the summons. He assured her that her honor would remain intact—she would remain a virgin even after bearing his child. Kunti gave birth to a radiant son born with divine armor (Kavach) fused to his body and golden earrings (Kundal) attached to his ears—making him virtually invincible. Fearing social disgrace, Kunti tearfully placed the infant in a basket and set him afloat in the river. He was found and raised by the charioteer Adhiratha and his wife Radha, and named Karna. He grew up to become one of the greatest warriors of the Mahabharata, renowned for his generosity and tragic fate.

Source: Mahabharata (Adi Parva)

Hanuman Tries to Swallow the Sun

When Hanuman was an infant, his mother Anjana left him briefly while she went to gather food. The baby Hanuman, being the son of Vayu (the wind god) and blessed with divine powers, saw the rising sun and mistook it for a ripe fruit. Filled with hunger and wonder, he leaped into the sky to catch and eat this 'fruit.' As Hanuman approached Surya, the sun god became alarmed. That same day, Rahu, the shadow planet, was supposed to cause an eclipse. When Rahu saw another being approaching the sun, he complained to Indra, the king of gods. Indra rushed on his elephant Airavata and struck baby Hanuman with his thunderbolt (Vajra), hitting him on the jaw. Hanuman fell down unconscious. Vayu, enraged at this attack on his son, withdrew all air from the universe. As beings began to suffocate, the gods rushed to pacify Vayu. Each god granted Hanuman boons—Surya promised to give him one percent of his own brilliance and later agreed to be his teacher. Brahma made him immune to his own powerful weapons. This incident gave Hanuman his name (Hanu = jaw, implying 'one with a prominent jaw').

Source: Valmiki Ramayana (Kishkindha Kanda), Hanuman Chalisa traditions

Surya as Hanuman's Guru

When Hanuman came of age and wished to acquire knowledge, he approached Surya to be his guru. Surya initially refused, explaining that he could never stop his chariot—he must continuously traverse the sky to sustain the world. If Hanuman wished to learn, he would have to keep pace with the moving chariot. Hanuman agreed and faced Surya, flying backward as the sun moved across the sky, never taking his eyes off his teacher. In this manner, he mastered all the Vedas, Vedangas, and various sciences. Impressed by his dedication, Surya refused to accept any guru-dakshina (teacher's fee). Hanuman insisted, and Surya asked only that Hanuman serve and protect Sugriva, Surya's son, as his dakshina. Hanuman faithfully fulfilled this promise, later bringing Sugriva together with Lord Rama and helping him regain his kingdom from his brother Bali.

Source: Various Puranas and folk traditions

Aditya Hridayam - Surya Empowers Rama

During the epic battle between Rama and Ravana in Lanka, there came a moment when Rama appeared exhausted and uncertain. The great sage Agastya approached him on the battlefield. He taught Rama the sacred hymn called 'Aditya Hridayam' (Heart of the Sun), a powerful stotra in praise of Surya. Agastya explained that this hymn contained the essence of all Vedas and would grant victory, well-being, and the destruction of all enemies. It describes Surya as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva combined; as the source of all life; and as the remover of all sins and darkness. Rama recited this hymn three times, sipping water and purifying himself. Filled with renewed energy and divine power, he then faced Ravana with great vigor. This sacred hymn became one of the most important Surya stotras, recited for health, victory, and spiritual upliftment.

Source: Valmiki Ramayana (Yuddha Kanda)

Yama and Yamuna - The Divine Twins

Yama and Yamuna were the twin children born to Surya and Sanjna. Yama, the elder, became the lord of death and dharma, positioned in the southern direction. Yamuna became the sacred river that flows through northern India. There is a touching story of sibling affection between them. Yamuna deeply loved her brother Yama and wished to see him regularly. When Yama became Dharmaraja, stationed in his realm of Yamaloka, Yamuna missed him greatly. On one occasion, Yama visited his sister on the day of Bhai Dooj (two days after Diwali). Yamuna welcomed him with great love, applied tilak on his forehead, and fed him with affection. Moved by her devotion, Yama granted her a boon: whoever bathes in the Yamuna river and worships her on that day will not fear death, and sisters who honor their brothers on this day will bring them long life and protection.

Source: Vishnu Purana, Markandeya Purana

Surya and the Syamantaka Gem

Satrajit, a nobleman of Dwaraka and devotee of Surya, worshipped the sun god with great devotion. Pleased with his devotion, Surya appeared before him and gifted him the Syamantaka gem (mani), one of the most precious jewels in existence. This gem had the power to produce gold daily and protect its owner's kingdom from all calamities including famine, disease, and natural disasters. When Satrajit returned to Dwaraka wearing the brilliant gem, people initially mistook him for Surya himself, such was its radiance. This gem later became the center of a major incident involving Krishna, Satrajit, and Jambavan, leading to Krishna's marriage with Jambavati and Satyabhama. The story illustrates how Surya rewards his sincere devotees with extraordinary blessings.

Source: Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana