While most of the Western World in the Northern hemisphere enjoys the Foliage in the Fall/Autumn, we in South of India are definitely not left behind. Our Mr. Reliable Sun (Surya/Aditya as we call Him) is there to show us the Foliage in its true spirit
Verse 7
सर्वदेवात्मको ह्येषः तेजस्वी रश्मिभावनः ।
एष देवासुरगणान् लोकान् पाति गभस्तिभिः ॥७॥
sarvadevAtmakO hyESha tEjasvI rashmibhAvana:
ESha devAsuragaNAn lokAn pAti gabhastibhi:
Meaning of the Sanskrit words
sarva deva Atmaka: = all the devAs’ embodiment/real nature/form
hi ESha: = indeed, this [sUryA]
tEjasvI = bright, sharp
rashmi bhAvana: = creator/cause of His rays
ESha: = this [AdityA]
devA asura = devAs and asurAs
gaNa: = group/collection [gaNA: = plural; gaNAn = used in object sense]
lokAn = all the worlds [used in an object form here]
pAti = sustains/takes care [pAti: = master, husband; pAlanam = take care
comes from this root]
gabhasti: = rays/beams of light [gabhastibhi: = by His rays]
Meaning of the Verse
Indeed, He is the real form (embodiment) of all devAs, bright, and creator of His rays.
He sustains the groups of devAs and asurAs and their worlds by His rays.
Meaning in Tamil
கருத்துருவமன்றோ ஆதவன் அனைத்து தேவரினத்தின்
கதிரொளி படைத்துக்காப்பான் தேவ அசுர கணங்களை
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Verse 8
एष ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च शिवः स्कन्दः प्रजापतिः ।
माहेन्द्रो धनदः कालो यमस्सोमो ह्यपां पतिः ॥८॥
ESha: brahmA ca vishnushca shiva: skanda: prajApati:
mahEndrO dhanada: kAlO yama: sOmO hyapAm pati:
Meaning of the Sanskrit words
ESha: = He
brahmA ca vishnu: ca shiva: ca = the trinity
skanda: = shivA’s son
prajApati: = Lord of all creatures
mahA indra: = great Indra (Lord of Celestial Beings)
dhanada: = Kubera (Lord of Wealth)
kAla: = Lord of Time
yama: = Lord of Death
soma: = moon, nourisher (Moon God)
hi = indeed
apAm pati: = Varuna (Lord of Waters)
Meaning of the Verse
He is indeed Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Skanda, Prajaapati, Indra, Kubera,
Kaala, Yamaa, Soma, and Varuna.
Meaning in Tamil
அயனும் மாயவனும் அழழேந்தியும் அவனே
அறுமுகனும் ஆக்குபவனும் அவனே
காலமும் காலனும் அவனே
இந்திரனும் சந்திரனும் அவனே
பொன்னரசனும் பொழிமழையரசனும் அவனே
(அறிந்திடுவாய் இராமா)
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Verse 9
पितरो वसवस्साध्याः ह्यश्विनौ मरुतो मनुः ।
वायुर्वह्निः प्रजाप्राणा ऋतुकर्ता प्रभाकरः ॥९॥
pitarO vasava: sAdhyA hi ashvinOu marutO manu:
vAyu: vahni: prajAprANa R^itukartA prabhAkara:
Meaning of the Sanskrit words
pitara: = revered spirit of dead/manes
vasava: = (8) gods who attend to indrA [vasu: – singular] 8 Vasus
sAdhyA: = (12) yogIs
hi = indeed
ashvinOu = (2) physicians in devaloka: ( Ashwini kumaras)
maruta: = (49) more gods
manu: = another god
vAyu: = wind god
vahni: = agni, fire-god
prajAprANa = air that sustains life
R^itukartA = creator of seasons
prabhAkara: = producer of light
Meaning of the Verse
Indeed He is the Pitrs, Vasus, Sadhyas, Ashwins,
Maruts, Manu, Vayu, Agni, life-breath, source of
seasons and light in the universe.
Meaning in Tamil
முன்னோரும் முனியோரும் இறையோரும் இறையோரின்
மருத்துவரும் இயற்கையின் ஐம்புலன்களும் அவனே
பருவ காலங்களும் பகலொளி படைப்போனும் அவனே
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Verse 10
आदित्यः सविता सूर्यः खगः पूषा गभस्तिमान् ।
सुवर्णसदृशो भानुर्हिरण्यरेतो दिवाकरः ॥१०॥
Aditya: savitA sUrya: khaga: pUShA gabhastimAn
suvarNasadrushO bhAnur hirenyaretaa divAkara:
Meaning of the Sanskrit words
Aditya: = son of aditi [srimad bhAgavatam has great
details on lineages]
savitA = creator/generator/inspirer (of senses)
sUrya: = sun
khaga: = moving/flying in the air; here it is the sun;
it is also used to mean “bird”
pUShA = nourisher [pUSh dhAtu has the meanings of
nourish, to grow, increase; pOShanam is a noun
form]
gabhastimAn = owner of rays of light
suvarNasadrusha: = like (sadrusha:) pearls (suvarNa:)
[golden, sparkling]
bhAnu: = brilliant
Hirenyareta = fertility seed (rEtA) of the world (vishva)
divAkara: = maker (-Akara:) of days (diva:)
Meaning of the Verse
He is the son of Aditi, the inspirer/creator of senses, the sun,
the traveller in the heavens, sustainer, possessor of
rays, golden, brilliant, and the cause of the universe
and creator of day.
Meaning in Tamil
புலன் ஐந்தும் ஊக்குவிப்போன் அதிதிஅன்னையின் புதல்வன் அவன்
வான் உலவிப்பேணி உலகூட்டமளித் திகழொளிக்கதிரவன் அவன்
பொன் ஒளியினால் இயலுலகுக்கு கருவான வித்தவன் பகலவன் அவன்
Verse 4
आदित्यहृदयं पुण्यं सर्वशत्रुविनाशनम् ।
जयावहं जपेन्नित्यमक्षय्यं परमं शिवम् ॥४॥
Aaditya-Hrdayam Punnyam Sarva-Shatru-Vinaashanam |
Jaya-[A]avaham Japen-Nityam-Akssayyam Paramam Shivam ||4||
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
AdityahR^idayam = this is the first and only time the name of this shlokam is mentioned by agastyA. It literally means the “Heart of sUryabhagavAn”
pUNyam = sacred (adjective for AH)
sarva = all
shatru = enemies [in the third, agastyA calls the same “sarvAn arIn”]
vinAshanam = destruction
jaya = victory
Avaham = giving, bestowing, producing, bringing forth
[several mantrAs will invoke a deity and say “… AvAhayAmi”; bhayAvahaH =producing fear; kleshAvahaH = causing pain/distress]
japa: = chanting prayers [japet = should chant/recite (preranA/request
form)]
nityam = daily/forever/always
akshayyam = eternal
paramam = highest, greatest [superlative]
shivam = prosperity, well-being, happiness, blessed
Meaning of the Verse
The Holy Aditya Hridayam gives victory, eternal and greatly blessed and is the destroyer of enemies. One should chant it always.
Meaning in Tamil
ஆதவன் புகழ் மந்திரம் புனிதம் அனத்துப்பகையழி வென்றிடும்
அனுதினம் உரைத்தல் அளிக்கும் நிலையான அதி புகழ் வளம்
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Verse 5
सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् ।
चिन्ताशोकप्रशमनमायुर्वर्धनमुत्तमम् ॥५॥
Sarva-Manggala-Maanggalyam Sarva-Paapa-Prannaashanam |
Cintaa-Shoka-Prashamanam-Aayur-Vardhanam-Uttamam ||5||
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
sarva ma~ngala = of all the blessings
mAngalyam = the blessing/auspicious (it is the auspiciousness of all that is auspicious)
sarva pApa = of all sins
praNAshanam = annihilation/destruction [the root “nAsha:” gives rise to several things that have the “perishable” flavor – nAshanam, vinAshanam, nAshtA, nAshTika: (someone who lost
something)]
cintA = anxiety/fear [it is literally “thought”/”worry”]
shOka = sadness/grief
prashama: = calmness/pacification (indicates here – “cooling down” or removing sadness and anxiety]
Ayu: = lifespan
vardhanam = increasing/enlarging
uttamam = most appropriate/best/ultimate
Meaning of the Verse
[Aditya Hridayam] is the best blessing of all blessings, the destroyer of
all sins, and causes the removal of anxiety, grief and most suitable for
facilitating logevity.
Meaning in Tamil
கதிரவனொளி நல்வாழ்விற்கு நல்வாழ்வாய் சகலபாவ வினைகளழிக்கும்
பதற்றமிகு கவலை நீக்கி அமைதியுடன் நீடூழி வாழ வழிவகுத்திடுமன்றோ
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Verse 6
रश्मिमन्तं समुद्यन्तं देवासुरनमस्कृतम् ।
पूजयस्व विवस्वन्तं भास्करं भुवनेश्वरम् ॥६॥
Rashmimantam Samudyantam Deva-Asura-Namaskrtam |
Puujayasva Vivasvantam Bhaaskaram Bhuvane[a-Ii]shvaram ||6||
Meaning of Sanskrit Words
rashmi: = beam/ray of light [rashmima = sun; rashmimantam = haloed with rays, possessed of rays, crowned with rays]
samudyantam = having risen up [in the morning] [udaya: = to rise, samudaya: = to rise (in a good manner), samudyata =raised, lifted up]
devAsura = devAs and asurAs
namaskrutam = namas + krutam [namas = bowing/salutation, krutam = doing it; namaskaranam is the nominal verb form]
pUjayasva = agastyA is addressing rAmA here and saying “You Worship!”
vivasvantam = AdityA [vivasvat = brilliant/shining one; vivasta/vivasvAn = sun; vaivasvatA is the current Manu, son of sUryA]
bhAskaram = sun [bhAs = light, brightness; it also has a meaning of
“revealing, making clear” and light surely does that. The word “bhAshyam” has this same root; kara = to do, create; bhAskaram = the one that creates light]
bhuvana Eshvaram = ruler of the worlds [bhuvana refers to all the worlds; Esh = possessor, owner; Eshvaram = master, lord]
Meaning of the Verse
Pay respects to the risen sUryA, crowned with rays of light, who is most fitting to be worshipped, who is the ruler of all the worlds, who is the creator of light, who is brilliant, and venerated by the devAs and asurAs.
Meaning in Tamil
அண்டங்கள் அனைத்தாளும் ஆதவனை
விண்ணோர் வணங்கும் வெய்யோனை
பூரண நல்உதயமாகும் கதிரொளியவனை
பூசித்திடுவாய் புனிதமுடன் இராமனே
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It is a nice coincidence that I am writing two blogs in the same week on the same subject viz. Sun (Aditya). One is Aditya Hridayam (The heart of the Sun) in the Spiritual Category & the other Aditya Udayam (Sun Rise) in the Photography/Travel Category.
In one of my earlier blogs (Springing Eastern Sun – PANY 2019 on 01 Aug 2019) I had posted photographs of Sun during my visit to Pennsylvania and Newyork. After my return to my base, I have been continuing my reverence for the Sun and never failed to capture its graceful rise to dispel the darkness in us.
Here is a fascinating video taken from my apartment roof top recently. Look at the impact that the Sun brings out in the form of dazzling colors, brightness, clarity and the ambience. The serenity is aided by the background music in the Rag Bowli (courtesy VK Raman, the eminent flautist).
iPhone X has an amazing camera which syncs with my reverence in its true spirit. Enjoy this video at
The Sun—the heart of our solar system—is a yellow dwarf star, a hot ball of glowing gases.
Its gravity holds the solar system together, keeping everything from the biggest planets to the smallest particles of debris in its orbit. Electric currents in the Sun generate a magnetic field that is carried out through the solar system by the solar wind—a stream of electrically charged gas blowing outward from the Sun in all directions.
The connection and interactions between the Sun and Earth drive the seasons, ocean currents, weather, climate, radiation belts and aurorae. Though it is special to us, there are billions of stars like our Sun scattered across the Milky Way galaxy.
With a radius of 432,168.6 miles (695,508 kilometers), our Sun is not an especially large star—many are several times bigger—but it is still far more massive than our home planet: 332,946 Earths match the mass of the Sun. The Sun’s volume would need 1.3 million Earths to fill it.
(Ref: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system/sun/in-depth/)
I never get tired of seeing the Sun rise and the Sun set. Everyday I try and make it a point to watch the Sun Rise & Sun set. I am amazed at the splash of colors and contrast that Sun provides. I was fortunate to watch the Sun Rise from my apartment roof top on one fine morning. I have posted the video in the Photography Section of my blog.
Now, let us read carefully the above description of the Sun particularly on its critical role in the universe and relate them to the Verses that will follow on Sunday. From Verse 4 to Verse 25, Sage Agasthya brings out through his praise for Aditya, the features and characteristics of the Sun and its importance. One can see the striking similarity between the century old views to the scientific description. No wonder you will see temples for the Sun God in several States of India such as Orissa, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Andra Pradesh , Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
Verse 1
ततो युद्धपरिश्रान्तं समरे चिन्तया स्थितम् ।
रावणं चाग्रतो दृष्ट्वा युद्धाय समुपस्थितम् ॥१॥
tatO yuddha parishrAntam samarE cintayAsthitam
rAvaNam cAgratO dR^iShTvA yuddhAya samupasthitam
Meaning of Sanskrit words
tata: – Then (at that very time)
yuddham – battle
parishrAnti: – exhaustion/fatigue
samara: – battle(-field)
cintayA – in the middle of a thought
sthitam – staying/standing
rAvaNam – ravana (used as an object of the sentence)
ca – and
agrata: – in front of
dR^iShTvA – on seeing (Dhrusti – seeing)
yuddhAya – for the battle
Sam-upa-sthitam – standing prepared (‘Sam’ – popular prefix to indicate correctness/propreity – in this case, ravana is standing, correctly prepared to fight)
Meaning of the Verse
When Lord Rama (implicit subject of the sentence) is standing absorbed in thought, on the battlefield, as He is exhausted by the fight till now; seeing Ravana facing Him (in front of Him) duly prepared for the fight…
Verse 2
दैवतैश्च समागम्य द्रष्टुमभ्यागतो रणम् ।
उपागम्याब्रवीद्राममगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः ॥२॥
daivatai: ca samAgamya draShTum abhyAgatOraNam
upAgamya: abravIt rAmam agastyO bhagavAn R^ishi:
Meaning of Sanskrit Words
daivatai: – with Devas
ca – and
sama-Agamya – arriving (at the same time) [Sam is prefixed for
‘simultaneously’] Aagaami is come, Aagamya is coming
draShTum – to see/witness [dR^iShTi: = sight]
abhyAgata: – he who had come
raNam – battle
upAgamya: – approaching [Agamya – coming, upa – near => to come near]
abravIt – spoke (past tense)
rAmam – Sri Rama
agastyO
bhagavAn – “blessed” is one of the meanings
R^ishi: – sage
Meaning of the Verse
The ‘Blessed’ Sage, Agastya, who had come to see the battle with the Devataas, on approaching Sri Rama, spoke…
Verse 1 & 2 – Tamil Version
சரிநிகர் சமமென நின்ற இலங்கையன் எதிரே
புரிபோர் விளை சோர்வுடன் சிந்தனைநடு நின்ற
கோசலைமைந்தனை நோக்கி தேவரினம் சூழ
போர் காண களம் வந்த குருமுனி சென்றுரைத்தான்
Verse 3
राम राम महाबाहो शृणु गुह्यं सनातनम् ।
येन सर्वानरीन्वत्स समरे विजयिष्यसि ॥३॥
rAma rAma mahA bAhO shrunu guhyam sanAtanam
yEna sarvAn arIn vatsa samarE vijayiShyasi
Meaning of Sanskrit Words
rAma – Agastya is talking to Raama directly, and addresses him “Hey Raama,
the Great-Shouldered Rama”
mahA – Great, mighty
bAhO – Shoulder
shrunu – listen [the word Shruthi has the same root]
guhyam – secret [Hindi word “Gupt” comes from this]
sanAtanam – forever, unending, eternal [as in Sanaathana Dharma]
[In fact, in AH, you will find several words for the same – akshaya,
nitya, shAshvatasya]
yEna – With which [ya: + Ena = yEna; ya: = whom/which, Ena = by/with]
sarvAn – all [used as an object here]
arIn – enemies [Krishna is “murAri” since he was the enemy of the demon
murA; kEsava since he killed the demon Kesi]
vatsa – child [Agastya addresses Rama as a child here]
samarE – on the battlefield
vijayiShyasi – You will win [vijayasi = You win; vijayAmi = I win;
vijayiShyAmi = I will win]
Meaning of the Verse
This stanza is a direct address from Agastya to Rama :
Hey Rama, the Great-Shouldered Rama, Listen to the eternal secret,
With which, Over all the enemies, Hey Child, You will win on the
battle-field!
Verse 3 – Tamil Version
தோள்வலி மிகுராமா கேளாயோ அழியாநிலையுடை மறைசெய்தி
அதன்வழி நடப்பின் அடைவர் அனைத்துப்பகைமீது உறுதிவெற்றி
இப்போர்களத்தில் உன் வெற்றி உறுதி பால ராமனே கவலைதவிர்
Preamble
The Dictionary Definition of resilience is “ the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after defamation caused especially by compressive stress “ or “ the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change “. American Psychological Association defines it as a “ process of adapting well in the face of adversity “.
Resilience is always built through learning, not acquired as a gift. Harvard Business School professor Bill George in his book “ Discover your true North “ highlights the method of “revisiting your crucibles”, viz our earlier trials and tribulations to draw from our inner strengths and lessons learnt. This however is a post facto process. We survived the storm and then we realised that we survived. We use the learning in the next storm not knowing whether it helps or not.
In the thick of the adverse situations most of the times, we need someone to confirm to us that we have what it takes to be resilient. We long for help. Ancient Indian history brings out several such adverse situations where the Principal Character derives his/her inner strength through the advice from a either friend or a philosopher or guide. Arjuna in the Indian epic Mahabharata finds Lord himself as Krishna to help him with “Bhagwad Gita” to launch the successful war against the Kauravas.
On many occasions, Nature’s manifestations themselves will provide the necessary impetus to us to recharge ourselves and have a go at the challenges that we face. If such manifestations are explained by an eminent Philosopher/Saint/Guru at the adverse situation, then it is an accelerator for rejuvenation.
This is exactly the theme of my next series of blogs on “Aditya Hridayam” by the diminutive ancient Hindu Sage Agasthya where we will see how Lord Rama finds his inner strength to defeat the Lankan King Ravana on hearing the manifestations of Aditya (The Sun) in the other epic of Sage Valmiki’s “Ramayana”.
Again a word of caution – As a novice, I am neither an expert in languages nor have adequate knowledge of religion/spirituality. I am just a mind seeker.
Note: Based on the feedback received on my earlier blogs, I have added meaning of Sanskrit words & the meaning of the Verse in English. Needless to say that I haven’t put any effort in these two additions as they are reproduced with courtesy from the information available in books and the Worldwide web!
True to the Indian name “Bhanu” for Sun & Sunday, I will try and update this blog every Sunday
Prabhu's Ponder 