Vedic influence on the Sun-worship in the Puranas

by Goswami Mitali | 2018 | 68,171 words

This page relates ‘Savitri (the Bestower of Wisdom and Intelligence)’ 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 12 - Savitṛ (the Bestower of Wisdom and Intelligence)

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Savitṛ is praised in the Gāyatrīmantra. Not only in the Saṃhitās, but in the Brāhmaṇas, Āraṇyakas, Upaniṣads and Sūtras also, the application of Gāyatrīmantra is mentioned. In the Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, in a single verse only the invocation occurs.^[1] But, in the other Saṃhitās, the application of it occurs more than once, which signifies that more importance is attached to Gāyatrīmantra on later date.^[2] The Gāyatrīmantra contains the notion that solar light is the symbol of ultimate knowledge and reality.^[3] Savitṛ is worshipped along with the other gods in the Agnihotra sacrifice,¹⁷² and aṣṭakapāla offerings.^[4] He is the divine object of meditation.^[5] For wisdom and intelligence the deity is prayed in the Vedas.^[6] Mitra:

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

cf., Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 3.62.10

[2]:

Vājasaneyisaṃhitā, 3.35; 22.9; Taittirīyasaṃhitā, 1.5.6.4; 4.1.11.1; Śatapathabrāhmaṇa, 2.3.4.39; 13.6.2.9; Gopathabrāhmaṇa,1.1.34-36; TA., 1.11.2; Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad, 6.3.11; Śvetāśvetaropaniṣad, 4.18; Āśvalāyanaśrautasūtra, 7.6.6; 8.1.18; Āpastambagṛhyasūtra, 4.10.9-12

[3]:

cf., yaḥ savitā devaḥ naḥ asmākaṃ dhiyaḥ karmāṇi dharmādiviṣayā vā buddhīḥ pracodayāt prerayet tat tasya devasya savituḥ sarvāntaryāmitayā prerakasya jagatsraṣṭuḥ parameśvarasya vareṇyaṃ sarvaiḥ upāsyatayā jñepatayā ca saṃbhajanīyaṃ bhargaḥ avidyātatkāryayorbharjanādbhargaḥ svayaṃjyotiḥ parabrahmātmakaṃ tejaḥ dhīmahi vayaṃ dhyāyāmaḥ/ Sāyaṇācārya on Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 3.62.10¹⁷² Vājasaneyisaṃhitā, 3.35

[4]:

Taittirīyasaṃhitā, 4.1.11.1

[5]:

cf., bhagaṃ dhiyaṃ vājayantaḥ puraṃdhiṃ narāśaṃso grāspatirno avyāḥ/ āye vāmasya saṃgathe rayīṇāṃ priyā devasya savituḥ syāma// Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 2.38.10

[6]:

cf., devaṃ naraḥ savitāraṃ viprā yajñaiḥ suvṛktibhiḥ/ namasyanti dhiyeṣitāḥ// Ibid., 3.62.12 yuñjate mana uta yuñjate dhiyo viprā viprasya bṛhato vipaścitaḥ// vi hotrā dadhe vayunāvideka inmahī devasya savituḥ pariṣṭutiḥ/ Ibid., 5.81.1,2

Last Updated: 03 April, 2021