Part 6 - Sūrya (the Lord of Morality)

Sūrya is worshipped in the Vedas as the observer of all the divine and mortal beings. In the Vedas, Sūrya is often called the eye of the gods like Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni, etc.^[1]

He is worshipped to guard his devotees against distress and blemishes:

adyā devā uditā sūryasya niraṃhasaḥ pipṛtā niravadyāt.^[2]

Sāyaṇācārya interprets the relevant passage thus:

yuyamasmān aṃhasaḥ pāpāt niṣpipṛta niṣkṛṣya palāyata.^[3]

In the Taittirīyasaṃhitā also, Sūrya is eulogized to protect his devotees from the evil.^[4] The Upaniṣads and the Sūtras also enjoin the Sun-worship to release his worshippers from sin and distress.^[5] Ṛtaja, i.e. born of truth, an attributive to Sūrya also indicates Sūryaʹs command over the morality.^[6]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

cf., cakṣurmitrasya varuṇasyāgneḥ / Ibid., 1.115.1

[2]:

Ibid., 1.115.6

[3]:

Sāyaṇācārya, Ibid.

[4]:

cf., … sūryastvā purastvātpātu kasyāśridabhiśastyā vītihotraṃ tvā kave dyumantaṃ samidhīmahyagne bṛhantamadhvare viśo yantre stho vasunāṃ rudrāṇāmādityānāṃ sadasi sīda juhūrūpabhṛddhruvāʹsi…/ Taittirīyasaṃhitā, 1.1.11

[5]:

cf.,. …udayantam ādityam upatiṣṭhate yajñopavītaṃ kṛtvodakam ānīya triḥ prasicyodapātraṃ vargoʹsi pāpmānaṃ me vṛndhīti…/ Kauṣītataki Upaniṣad, 2.7

[6]:

cf., …nṛṣadvarasadṛtasadvyomasadabjā gojā ṛtajā adrijā ṛtam// Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 4.40.5