Sun Worship - Suryopanishad

The Upanishad Text

harih aum atha suuryaatharvaangirasam vyaakhyaasyaamah
brahmaa rishhih  gaayatrii chhandah  aadityo devataa
hamsah soaham agni naaraayanayuktam biijam  hrillekhaa shaktih
viyadaadisargasamyuktan kiilakam
chaturvidha purushhaarthasiddhyarthe viniyogah

Now we shall expound mantras of Atharva Veda in relation to the Sun: The seer of this Atharva Angirasa mantra is Brahma, metre Gayatri, Aditya the deity, ‘Hamsas so’ham with Agni and Narayana is the seed, the power is hrillekha or hrim, the pin is the power in the process of unfolding the sky etc., the application is its use in repetition for winning the four human goals (viz. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha).

shhatsvaraaruudhena biijena shhadangam raktaambujasansthitam
saptaashvarathinam hiranyavarnam chaturbhujam
padmadvayaabhayavaradahastam kaalachakrapranetaaram
shriisuuryanaaraayanam ya evam veda sa vai braahmanah

The six limbs consist of the seed with six vowels added. He indeed is a Brahmana who thus knows the golden Surya Narayana seated on the chariot with seven horses, impeller of the time-wheel, having four arms bearing  two lotuses, the others bestowing promise of refuge and boon, set in the red lotus.

aum bhuurbhuvahsuvah  aum tatsaviturvarenyam bhargo devasya
dhiimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayaath

Om, Earth, middle region and sky; we meditate on the adorable splendor of Savitar (Sun) who may inspire our thoughts.

suurya aatmaa jagatastasthushhashcha  suuryaadvai khalvimaani
bhuutaani jaayante
suuryaadyagyah parjanyoannamaatmaa namasta aaditya 

The Sun is the Self of the world, moving as well as un-moving. From Surya indeed are these creatures born, so also the Yajna (Sacrifice), Parjanya (Rains), food and spirit.

tvameva pratyaksham karmakartaasi  tvameva pratyaksham brahmaasi
tvameva pratyaksham vishhnurasi
tvameva pratyaksham rudroasi  tvameva pratyakshamrigasi
tvameva pratyaksham yajurasi
tvameva pratyaksham saamaasi  tvameva pratyakshamatharvaasi
tvameva sarvam chhandoasi

I bow to you Aditya; you are the agent himself of work, the manifest Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra,  Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva Vedas, as well as all the chandas (Metres).

aadityaadvaayurjaayate  aadityaadbhuumirjaayate
aadityaadaapojaayante aadityaajjyotirjaayate
aadityaadvyoma disho jaayante  aadityaaddevaa jaayante
aadityaadvedaa jaayante
aadityo vaa eshha etanmandalan tapati  asaavaadityo brahma

From Aditya are born air, earth, water, fire, sky, directions, Devas, Vedas; indeed the Sun gives warmth to this sphere (Planet) ; that Sun God is Brahman,

aadityoantahkaranamanobuddhichittaahankaaraah  aadityo vai
vyaanah samaanodaanoapaanah praanah
aadityo vai shrotratvakchakshuurasanaghraanaah  aadityo vai
vaakpaanipaadapaayuupasthaah
aadityo vai shabdasparsharuuparasagandhaah  aadityo vai
vachanaadaanaagamanavisargaanandaah

I bow to Aditya who is the form of antahkarana or inner organs of mind, intellect, mind-stuff and Ego. He is  prana, apana, samana, vyana and udhana, (all the five airs circulating in the physical body). He is  the five sense organs viz. ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose whose modifications are sound, touch, form, taste and smell.  He is the five motor organs of mouth, hands, legs, anus and generative organ whose modifications are speech, movement of things through hands, movement of the body from place to place through legs, evacuation and procreation.

aanandamayo gyaanamayo vigyaanaanamaya aadityah namo mitraaya
bhaanave mrityormaa paahi
bhraajishhnave vishvahetave namah  suuryaadbhavanti bhuutaani
suuryena paalitaani tu
suurye layam praapnuvanti yah suuryah soahameva cha chakshurno
devah savitaa chakshurna uta parvatah
chakshurdhaataa dadhaatu nah

aadityaaya vidmahe sahasrakiranaaya dhiimahi taanah suuryah prachodayaath

Bliss, knowledge and wisdom are Sun himself. I bow to Mitra, Bhanu, to the shining one, the cause of the universe and let Him protect me from death.

All creatures are born of Surya and are protected by him, dissolve in him – I am Surya himself. The divine Savitar is our eye and He is called the Parvata because He indicates Sacred timings through His Time-periods and let Him protect our eyes.

We know the Sun. We meditate on the thousand-rayed Sun. May the Sun inspire us! (This is called Surya Gayatri Mantra).

savitaa pashchaattaat savitaa purastaat
savitottaraattaat savitaadharaattaath
savitaa nah suvatu sarvataatin savitaa no raasataam diirghamaayuh

Savitar (Sun) is before us as well as behind us, above us and below us. May He grant us omnipresence and long life!

aumityekaaksharam brahma ghriniriti dve akshare suurya
ityaksharadvayam  aaditya iti triinyaksharaani
etasyaiva suuryasyaashhtaaksharo manuh  yah sadaaharaharjapati sa
vai braahmano bhavati sa vai braahmano bhavati

Brahman is the single syllable Om, “Ghrini’ has two syllables, ‘Surya’ also has two syllables. ‘Aditya’ has three. This is the mantra of eight syllables. All together the mantra will be "Om, Ghrinih Surya Aadityom". This is Atharvaangiras Surya mantra. He who recites this everyday is said to be a Brahmana,

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