SUN - SŪRYA NĀRĀYAṆA

SUN - SŪRYA NĀRĀYAṆA 
Sūrya Nārāyaṇa is the personification of the Sun which is daily worshipped by all Hindus. The Sun is the direct manifestation of the Absolute or Brahman. The physical Sun shares some characteristics posited of Brahman —the Absolute Reality.

We speak of the Sun rising, setting being hidden by the clouds etc. In fact he neither raises not sets nor is covered by anything. All of these perceptions of the Sun are conditioned by our time and space bound existence upon earth.

Self-luminosity is that which reveals itself and throws light on other objects. The earth and the moon both come from the Sun but neither is self-luminous, it is the Sun that reveals both the earth and the moon —all of this is akin to what we conceive of in Brahman.

The Sun is both the material cause and the efficient cause of his satellites; he originates them and sustains them but himself does not undergo any change. Brahman projects the universe into being, sustains it but is never Itself modified.

The Sun rides a chariot drawn by 7 horses which are the 7 colours of the spectrum. He carries the Śankha and Cakra — conch and wheel, the symbols of creation through sound and order.

He’s often depicted displaying the Varadā and Abhayā mudras as well. Sometimes he is shown just holding two lotuses as symbols of unfoldment.

Sūrya has four wives:—

1. Suvarcala —the Resplendent, illumination or knowledge
2. Chāyā — Shade
3. Jyoti — Light
4. Aiśvarya — Sovereignty

His charioteer is Aruṇa, the red-light of dawn and his companion is Uṣā —the dawn itself.

The gemstone related to the Sun is the ruby - the metal is gold. The Sun rules number 1 in Indian numerology.

Sūrya - Sun bīja mantra:

ॐ ह्रं ह्रां ह्रीं ह्रौं सः सूर्याय नमः

oṁ hraṁ hrāṁ hrīṁ hrauṁ saḥ sūryāya namaḥ

Vedic mantra for Sun:

जपाकुसुमसंकाशं काश्यपेयं महाद्युतिम् तमोऽरिं सर्वपापघ्नं प्रणतोऽस्मि दिवाकरम्

japākusumasaṁkāśaṁ kāśyapeyaṁ mahādyutim
tamo'riṁ sarvapāpaghnaṁ praṇato'smi divākaram

I bow to the Lord Surya (Sun), who is the colour of the china rose (Hibiscus), who is the son of Rishi Kaśyapa, Who is supremely resplendent. Who is the destroyer of darkness and the remover of all sins.