Chapter 28 - Glory of Sun-God

The Sages said:

1-6. The wonderful glory of Sun-god, lord of the universe, has been heard, O most excellent one among gods, even as you are recounting the most rare and inacessible tales among them. O lord of Devas, O lord of universe, tell us again what we are anxious to know. O brahmā, we wish to hear the same. We are extremely eager. Which deity shall a devotee desiring liberation worship, no matter whether he be a householder or a religious student or a forester or a recluse? Whence can his celestial attainment be assured? Wherefrom is the supreme welfare gained? What shall he do, while in the heaven, to prevent his falling off therefrom? Who is the god of gods? Who is the father of manes? O lord of Devas, tell us that than which there is no greater Being. O Brahmā, whence is this universe of mobile and immobile beings originated? Whom does it resort to at the time of dissolution? It behoves you to mention that.

Brahmā said:

7. O excellent brahmins, rising up, Sun-god makes the universe by his rays free from darkness. There is no other lord greater than him.

8. He has neither beginning nor death. He is eternal, unchanging and force. With his rays he scorches the three worlds revolving round.

9. He is identical with Devas. He is the most excellent among the scorchers. He is the lord of entire universe. He is the witness unto every activity, auspicious or inauspicious.

10. He makes the living beings shrink. He creates them once again. With his rays he illuminates and scorches the earth. He causes rain too.

11. He is the creator and dispenser of destiny. He is the first cause of living beings. He purifies all living beings. He never faces decline nor does his disc ever dwindle.

12. He is the father of Manes and the deity of gods. He is known as the steady and steadfast abode from which one never falls off.

13. They say that, at the time of creation, the entire universe is evolved from Sun-god and at the time of dissolution reverts to him.

14. Abandoning their abode—the physical body—innumerable Yogins turn into gaseous state and retire to Sun-god who is a mass of refulgence.

15. Just as the birds of sky resort to the branches of trees, the sages and the liberated souls along with the gods resort to his thousands of rays and stay there.

16-17. Householders, Janaka and other kings possessing Yogic virtue, Vālakhilyas and other sages who expound Brahman, others who are forest-dwellers and Vyāsa and other mendicants or recluses—all these acquire Yogic power and enter the disc of the Sun.

18. Śuka, the glorious son of Vyāsa attained Yogic virtue, entered the rays of the Sun-god and got union with him never to be separated again.

19. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva and others are mentioned in the Vedas as the bestowers of happiness and the Vedas are only words. But lord Sun who destroys darkness is the visible god.

20. Hence devotional pursuits should not be directed elsewhere by him who longs for auspicious benefits, since what is not seen never nullifies what is seen.

21. Hence, Sun-god should always be worshipped by you. Indeed, he is the mother, father and preceptor of the universe.

22-27. The lord without beginning, lord of worlds, lord of universe possessing garlands of rays, stationed in the form of Sun, blazes, O excellent brahmins. Brahma, devoid of beginning and end, permanent lord devoid of decline, created oceans, continents and the fourteen worlds. For the welfare of the world he stayed on the banks of the river Candrasarit after creating lords of subjects, Prajāpatis and other subjects. Therefore, the unmanifest hundred thousand rayed Sun-god divided himself into twelve Ādityas. They are:—Indra, Dhātṛ, Parjanya, Tvaṣṭṛ, Pūṣan, Aryaman, Bhaga, Vivasvat, Viṣṇu Aṃśa (?) (Aṃśumān), Varuṇa and Mitra.

O excellent brahmins, this entire universe has been pervaded by the Sun-god the supreme soul by these twelve-physical forms.

28. The first form of Āditya named Indra is the king of Devas. It destroys the enemies of Devas.

29. His second form glorified by the dame Dhātṛ is Prajāpati who creates different kinds of subjects.

30. His third form well known as Parjanya is stationed amongst the clouds. It causes rain through the rays.

31. His fourth form well known by the name Tvaṣṭṛ is stationed amidst trees, plants and medicinal herbs all around.

32. His fifth form well known by the name Pūṣan is stationed in grains and edible foodstuff. It accords perpetual nourishment unto the subjects.

33. Hit sixth form well known as Aryamā is the outer covering of the Wind. It is stationed among Devas.

34. His seventh form well known as Bhaga is stationed among the elements, living beings and the physical bodies of the embodied souls.

35. His eighth form well known as Vivasvān is established fire; it digests the food-in-take of the embodied souls.

36. His ninth form well known as Viṣṇu incarnates and destroys the enemies of Devas.

37. His tenth form well known as Aṃśumān is established in the Wind; it delights the subjects.

38. His eleventh form called Varuṇa is stationed in the waters; it protects subjects continuously.

39. His twelfth form known as Mitra is stationed on the Candrasarit river for the welfare of the world.

40. Stationed there he performed a penance having air alone as his food.

By the benign glance of his eyes he blessed his devotees bestowing several boons.

41. This first abode was well established later on by the lord. Since Mitra (the Sun-god) stayed there it is known as Mitravana (forest of Mitra).

42. O excellent brahmins, this universe is pervaded by the supreme being Sun-god through these twelve forms.

43. Hence, the Sun-god should be meditated upon and worshipped by men with devotion as stationed in the twelve forms and their mind shall dwell upon him.

44. Thus, by bowing to the twelve forms of Sun-god, by listening to their accounts and by reading (this account), a man is honoured in the world of Sun-god.

The Sages said:

45. If this sun is the primordial eternal lord wherefore did he perform penance desirous of boons like a common person?

Brahmā said:

46. I shall mention the secret of (Sun-god). This was asked by Nārada the noble-souled sage and explained to him formerly by Mitra.

47. The twelve forms of Sun-god have been mentioned to you before. Two of them viz Mitra and Varuṇa performed penances.

48. Among them, Varuṇa performed penance in the Western ocean with water alone as his food-in-take. Mitra performed, penance in Mitravana with air alone as his food-in-take.

49-50. Descending from the peak of Meru during his sojourn through the worlds, Nārada the Yogin of self-control reached Gandhamādana. He came to the place where Mitra was performing penance. Seeing him engaged in penance Nārada’s curiosity was aroused.

51-52. He thought thus—“This Mitra is devoid of decline and is unchanging. He is manifest and unmanifest. He is eternal. The whole of the three worlds has been held as one unit by this noble-souled Being. He is the father of all Devas. He is greater than the greatest Being. Which deity did he worship then? Which ancestors did he propitiate?” After reflecting thus Nārada spoke to the lord.

Nārada said:

53. “In Vedas and their ancillary (subsidiary) sections and in the Purāṇas you are glorified as the unborn, perpetual creator of great and excellent form.

54-56. Everything whether past, present or future is founded in you, O lord, the four stages of life worship you every day. You have assumed different forms. You are the father and mother of everyone. You are the ever-present deity. We do not know which forefather or lord you worship.”

Mitra said:

57. This eternal great secret cannot be adequately expressed, even if it should be explained. O brahmin, I shall mention it precisely to you since you are endowed with devotion and. piety.

58-61. That which is subtle, incomprehensible, unmanifest, steady and devoid of sense-organs, sensual objects and elements is the immanent soul of all living beings. He is called the knower of shrine, the immortal soul. He is the being that lies latent in the mind conceived of as separate from three attributes. He is known as lord Hiraṇyagarbha. In the Yoga treatises he is known as the cosmic intellect, great principle and the chief Being. In the systems of Sāṃkhya and Yoga he is said to be of various natures and names. He has three features; he is the soul of the universe; he is known as One and Imperishable.

62. As a matter of fact the whole of the three worlds is one unit. Himself unembodied, he is present in all the bodies.

63. Though he stays in different bodies he is not tarnished by physical activities. He is your immanent soul, mine too, as well as of all those others stationed in bodies.

64. He is the witness unto all living beings. He cannot be comprehended by anyone at any place. He is identical with the universe, with attributes and without attributes. He is known as comprehensible through perfect wisdom.

65. He has the extremities of feet, hands, eyes, heads and mouths all round; he has ears all round; he stands enveloping everything.

66. The universe is his head; the universe constitutes his arms, feet, eyes and nose. He moves about in the body happily and comfortably as he wills.

67. The body is meant by the word Kṣetra. The Supreme being, the Yogic Ātman, comfortably knows everything concerning the body. Hence, he is called the knower of the body.

68. He is called Puruṣa because he lies latent in the unmanifest city—the cosmic mind. The word Viśva connotes the knowables of diverse kinds. It is called sarva (the composite whole), pervading the universe.

69. Since he has many forms he is known as Viśvarūpa. The ultimate greatness belongs solely to him. He is called Puruṣa.

70. The sole, eternal Being, holds the title Mahāpuruṣa. Endowed with Sattva quality, intelligence and efficiency he creates his own soul by his own self.

71. By his own soul he creates many souls hundredfold, a thousandfold, in hundred thousands, in crores.

72. Just as the water that falls from firmament undergoes a change in taste by virtue of diverse tastes present in the Earth so also the soul undergoes change in attributes due to its. various contacts.

73. Just as the singular air within the body functions as five organic airs, so also the supreme Being has unity and diversity undoubtedly.

74. Just as fire undergoes changes in name by virtue of particularity of different sects so also the individual souls undergo different titles such as Dhruva, Brahmā etc.

75. Just as a single lamp lights up thousands of lamps, so also he, though single, gives birth to thousands of forms.

76. When he realizes his self he becomes alone and single. When singleness dissolves, diversity and multiplicity begin to function.

77. There is no living, mobile or immobile, who is permanent in this universe. The supreme self alone is called indeclinable (immeasurable, incomprehensible) and omnipresent.

78. O excellent sages, the unmanifest consisting of three attributes originated from him. That which is unmanifest, that the form of which is not clear, is called primordial nature.

79. Understand that primordial nature is the womb of Brahman; he who is of the nature of existent and non-existent is worshipped in the world, in the holy rites pertaining to Devas and manes.

80. O brahmins, there is none greater than he; therefore he the father or lord is greater than every being. He is comprehensible through the soul. Hence I worship him.

81. The embodied beings who are present in heaven make obeisance to him. Thereby, O celestial sage, they attain the benefit and goal as directed.

82. Devas who have assumed different forms, who are stationed in their respective stages of life, devoutly worship that primordial Being. He bestows salvation on them.

83. He is called omnipresent and devoid of attributes. Having heard thus and having understood it, I worship the lord.

84. Those who are sanctified by him resort to the sole and single entity. This is a further achievement unto them that they enter the sole and single entity.

85. Thus, O Nārada, the secret doctrine has been narrated to you. O celestial sage, by virtue of your devotion to us, the greatest fact has been revealed to you.

86. All those sages who imbibed this ancient knowledge devote themselves to the worship of Sun-god.

Brahmā said:

87. Thus, this had been formerly recounted to Nārada by Sun-god—through his form—Mitra. O excellent brahmins, thus, the story of sun-god has been mentioned to you.

88. O excellent brahmin this narrative recounted by me should be mentioned only to the good. This should never be imparted to one who is not a devotee of the solar deity.

89. There is no doubt that the man who listens to this account and narrates the same to another, will enter the lord of thousand brilliant rays.

90. The agonized will be liberated from ailment by listening to this story from the beginning. Those who are desirous of knowing shall derive perfect knowledge and the desired goal.

91. O sage, he who reads this account obtains the path of salvation instantaneously. Whatever one wishes for, one undoubtedly attains it.

92. Hence, lord Sun should be worshipped by you all. He is the creator, dispenser of destiny and the preceptor of all.