Surya

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Template:IndicText In Hinduism, Surya (Devanagari: सूर्य, sūrya) is the chief solar deity, son of Dyaus Pitar. He has hair and arms of gold. His chariot is pulled by seven horses, which represent the seven chakras. Tvashtar is his son.

1 Surya Namaskara
2 Literary sources
3 Trivia
4 See also
5 External links

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Surya Namaskara

A well-known Hindu mode of worship of Surya is done at the rising of the Sun, known as Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation). Ten yogic postures are assumed in successive flowing movements to complete one namaskar. Twelve sacred Hindu mantras uttered and for each mantra one complete namaskar is done. Ancient practice is to do 108 namaskaras a day. It is considered most auspicious by Hindus to do this. Its origins have been traced back to the time of the Ramayana (around 5100 BCE). The 12 mantras for surya namaskar:

ऊँ मित्राय नमः aum mitrāya namah
ऊँ रावये नमः aum rāvayé namah
ऊँ सूर्याय नमः aum sūryāya namah
ऊँ भानवे नमः aum bhānavé namah
ऊँ खगय नमः aum khagaya namah
ऊँ पुष्णे नमः aum pushné namah
ऊँ हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः aum hiranyagarbhāya namah
ऊँ मारिचाये नमः aum mārichāyé namah
ऊँ आदित्याय नमः aum ādityāya namah
ऊँ सावित्रे नमः aum sāvitré namah
ऊँ आर्काय नमः aum ārkāya namah
ऊँ भास्कराय नमः aum bhāskarāya namah

The Gayatri Mantra is also associated with Surya. Another hymn associated with Surya is the Aditya Hridayam, recited by the great sage Agastya to Rama on the battlefield before fighting with Ravana.

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Literary sources

In Hindu religious literature, Surya is notably mentioned as the visible form of God that one can see every day. Furthermore, Shaivites and Vaishnavas often regard Surya as an aspect of Shiva and Vishnu, respectively. For example, the sun is called Surya Narayana by Vaishnavas. In Shaivite theology, Surya is said to be one of eight forms of Shiva, named the Astamurti.

In the Mahabharata, princess Kunti receives instruction for a mantra from sage Durvasa reciting which she is able to summon any god and bear a child with him. Unable to believe the power of this mantra, she tries to summon Surya. When Surya appears, she is overawed and requests him to go back, but Surya is compelled to fulfil the mantra before returning. Surya magically causes Kunti to bear a child immediately so that she, an unmarried princess, would not be subject to questions from the king or his court. Kunti discards this child, Karna, who grows up to become one of the central characters in the great battle of Kurukshetra.

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