Part 7 - Sūrya (the Supreme Reality)

In the Upaniṣads, Sūrya is identified with the Supreme Reality, i.e. the Brahman:

āditye brahmetyādeśaḥ,^[1]
sūrya brahmetyupāste.^[2]

The worshippers are advised to worship the Brahman, meditating him on the Sun as the Sun is the symbol of Brahman.^[3] In the Maitryopaniṣad, Sūrya is identified with Aum, i.e. Praṇava and the relevant text enjoins that one should meditate on the Sun as aum and get united to it.^[4]

In the Upaniṣadic doctrine, the Brahman represents the formless part.

He is described as the formless form of Brahman that is known as the puruṣa:

etasya yataḥ etasya tasyaiṣa raso ya eṣa etasmin maṇḍale puruṣaḥ, tasya hyeṣa rasaḥ.^[5]

This Brahman is the light and that light is called the Sun.^[6] Thus, due to the all-pervading power of Sūrya, he is identified with Brahman, the Supreme Reality.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Chāndogyopaniṣad, 3.19.1

[2]:

Ibid., 3.19.4

[3]:

cf., sa ya etam evaṃ vidvān ādityaṃ brahmetyupāsteʹbhyāso ha yadenaṃ sādhavo ghoṣā ā ca gaccheyurūpa ca nimrederannimreḍeran// Ibid.

[4]:

cf., evaṃ hyādityād vā ādityṃ aum ityevam dhyāyāt ātmānaṃ yuñjīteti/ Maitryopaniṣad, 6.3

[5]:

cf., asau vā āditya eṣa puruṣaḥ/ Śatapathabrāhmaṇa 7.5.2.27

[6]:

cf., yad amūrtaṃ tatsatyaṃ tad brahma tajjyoti yajjyotiḥ sa ādityaḥ/Maitryopaniṣad, 6.3