Vedic influence on the Sun-worship in the Puranas
by Goswami Mitali | 2018 | 68,171 words
This page relates ‘Symbolic relevance of the Bird in Sun-worship’ of the study on the Vedic influence of Sun-worship in the Puranas, conducted by Goswami Mitali in 2018. The tradition of observing Agnihotra sacrifice and the Sandhya, etc., is frequently observed among the Hindus. Another important innovation of the Sun-worship in the Puranas is the installation of the images of the Sun in the temples.—This section belongs to the series “Salient Traits of the Solar Divinities in the Veda”.
Part 37 - Symbolic relevance of the Bird in Sun-worship
Bird is one of the animal fetishes employed for the Sun-god. Frequently in the Vedic literature, Sūrya is compared to the bird,[1] as because of the swiftness of its speed. Though he is mentioned as an eagle, or a swan, or a falcon, etc., in the Vedic literature but a particular bird Suparṇa Garutmat or simply Suparṇa is closely associated with him.[2] Suparṇa probably was a mythical bird associated with the Viṣṇu. Thus, the birds in general and Suparṇa in particular are employed as the symbol of the Sun-god.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
Macdonell, A.A. Op cit., p. 152