Sūrya and the Ādityas
The eight sons born to the Sage Kaśyapa of his wife Aditi are known as the Ādityas.
According to the Ṛg Vēda are the following: Mitra, Aryamā, Bhāga, Varuṇa, Dakṣa, Aṁśa, Savitṛ, for the eighth, Mārtāṇḍa, she brought forth unformed. (The Ādityas are 12 in number according to the Bhāgavata Purāna, each rising in the 12 months of the year, therefore, each month being illumined by one of the twelve Ādityas — Parjanya blazes in the month of Śrāvaṇa, Varuṇa in Prauṣṭhapada, Indra in Āśvayuja and Dhātṛ in Kārttika; Mitra blazes in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa; Puṣā, Bhaga in Māgha and Tvaṣṭr in Phālguna).
Vivasvān with one thousand four hundred rays; Aṃśumān with one thousand five hundred rays; Parjanya and Varuṇa like Vivasvān; Bhaga is like Mitra one thousand and four hundred rays; lord Tvaṣṭṛ with one thousand and one hundred rays; Indra with one thousand and two hundred rays; Dhātṛ with one thousand and one hundred rays; Mitra with a thousand rays and Pūṣan with nine hundred rays.
इमा गिर आदित्येभ्यो घर्तस्नूः सनाद राजभ्यो जुह्वा जुहोमि
शर्णोतु मित्रो अर्यमा भगो नस्तुविजातो वरुणो दक्षो अंशः
इमं सतोमं सक्रतवो मे अद्य मित्रो अर्यमा वरुणो जुषन्त |
आदित्यासः शुचयो धारपूता अव्र्जिना अनवद्या अरिष्टाः ṚV 2.27
“These hymns that drop down fatness, with the ladle I ever offer to the Kings Ādityas.
May Mitra, Aryamā, and Bhāga hear us, the mighty Varuṇa, Dakṣa, and Aṁśa.
With one accord may Aryaman and Mitra and Varuṇa this day accept this praise-song —
Ādityas bright and pure as streams of water, free from all guile and falsehood, blameless, perfect.”
अष्टौ पुत्रासो अदितेर्ये जातास्तन्वस परि
देवानुपप्रैत सप्तभिः परा मार्ताण्डमास्यत ||
सप्तभिः पुत्रैरदितिरुप परैत पूर्व्यं युगम |
परजायै मर्त्यवे तवत पुनर्मार्ताण्डमाभरत || ṚV 10.72
“Eight are the Sons of Aditi who from her body sprang to life.
With seven she went to meet the Gods she cast Martanda far away.
So with her Seven Sons Aditi went forth to meet the earlier age.
She brought Mārtāṇḍa thitherward to spring to life and die again.”
From the Āditya Hrudayam, the ultimate meditation upon the Sun God, taken from the Yuddha Kanda of the Ramāyaṇa:
आदित्यः सविता सूर्यः खगः पूषा गभस्तिमान्। सुवर्णसदृशो भानुर्हिरण्यरेता दिवाकरः॥ १०
He is the Son of Aditi (the mother of creation), the Sun God who is a trasverser of the heavens, he is of a brilliant golden hue, the possessor of a myriad rays, by illuminating all directions he is the maker of daylight. He is the all pervading, shining principle, the dispeller of darkness, exhibiting a beautiful sight with golden light.
एक एव हि लोकानाम् सूर्य आत्मादिकृद् हरिः।
सर्व वेद क्रिया मूलम् ऋषिभिर्बहुधोदितः॥
The Sun God is a manifestation of Lord Hari, the one Soul of everyone in this world. He is the source of all Vedic activities, and is praised by several Rishis”. Bhāgavata Purāṇa, 12.11.30
“Being the seat of this power, the Sun blazes with his rays and destroys the darkness in all the worlds. Such a Sun is praised by the hermits. The Gāndharvas sing in front of the Sun. The celestial maids dance before him. The giants guard him, the serpents prepare his chariot, the Yakṣas hold the bridle and the Bālakhilyas stand around him. Viṣṇu who is having the figure of the Sun pervaded by the power of the Vedas, never rises or sets. The seven groups are separate from that Viṣṇu. As the figures of those who approach, are reflected in a mirror fixed on a post, that power of Viṣṇu, without separating itself from that chariot, pervades them who come every month in turn.”
Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Aṃśa 2, Chapter 11
Viṣṇu is identified with the sun, and this idea is incorporated into the dhāna śloka: ‘dhēya-ssadā savitṛi-maṇdala-madhyavartī Nārāyaṇa-ssaarasijāsana sannivishṭhah kēyūravān makara-kuṇdalavan kirīṭi hāri hiraṇmaya-vapuh dhṛita-śankha-chakrah’, wherein Viṣṇu as Nārāyaṇa is described as residing in the orb of the sun. In the Vēdas, the Ādityas are said to be seven or eight in number. In the Śatapata-Brāhmaṇa, they are once said to be eight and in another instance, twelve, with Viṣṇu being one among them. The Mahābhāratha, after referring to the twelve Ādityas as the sons of Kaśyapa by Aditi, declares that the twelvth Āditya is Viṣṇu, who, though the latest born, surpasses all Ādityas in greatness and glory of his attributes.
source: Elelments of Hindu Iconography by T.A Gopinatha Rao
_________________________________________________
If you find value in my work, I hope you consider becoming a patron through Patreon. Hindu Aesthetic requires a lot of time and effort and your support would mean that I can continue bringing you the highest quality content. Link to my Patreon:
