DITYA HRDAYAM - PART 5

ditya savit srya khaga p gabhastimn |

suvarasado bhnuhirayareto divkara || (10)

haridava sahasrrci saptasaptirmarcimn |

timironmathana ambhustva mrta aumn || (11)

hirayagarbha iirastapano bhskaro ravi |

agnigarbho'dite putra akha iiranana || (12)
Meaning:
10) ditya - son of Aditi (Rig Veda X.88.11 says
sryamditeyam); savit

srya - savit means sun and srya also means the sun; Vedas are also identified
with srya; sometimes personified as the divine influence and vivifying power of the sun,
while Srya is the more concrete conception (further discussed in the summary
section); khaga - seat of the sun; p - a Vedic deity, originally connected with the
sun; gabhastimn garland comprising rays of the sun; suvarasada - appearing
like gold; bhnu - splendorous luster; hirayareta - having the shining seed (shining
like gold); divkara - the maker of the day (due to light);
11) haridava - green colored horses (hari refers to different colours such as red,
yellow and green); ssahasrrci - thousands of rays; sapta sapti - seven horses;
marcimn radiant because of the rays; timironmathana - dispelling darkness;
ambhu causing happiness; tva creator of beings and the one who builds higher
cosmic planes (a Vedic deity); mrta the sun (literally it means apparently sprung
from a lifeless egg'); aumn the halo of the sun.

12) hirayagarbha - the golden egg, splendiferous as the sun (also mean the first of
creation); iira -cool, chilly, cold; tapana warming, burning; bhskara - making light;
ravi - the sun god (sometimes interpreted as the Creator); agnigarbha pregnant with
fire or Agni (subtly conveys that fire originated from the sun); aditi putra - son of Aditi;
akha - akha refers to conch; but contextually refers to fear due to spiritual
ignorance; iira nana - destruction through mythical weapon (may be referring to
the dawn of spiritual knowledge).
Summary of verses 10, 11 and 12:
After having established the supremacy of the sun and having compared him to the
miniscule Prakaaspect of Brahman, Agastya now proceeds to discuss the
idiosyncratic resplendence of the sun.
Verse 10 says that sun god is the son of Aditi, a Vedic goddess. Who is this Aditi? Yajur
Veda (I.5.3.1) says, O Aditi, you pervade the entire earth, supreme in heave and vast in
the mid world. O Goddess Aditi, I place in your lap Agni, the giver of food. Again in
I.5.11.17 says, May Aditi protect us, may Aditi give us peace and bliss. Let Aditi guard
us from sin. Seed for Vednta was sown in Yajur Veda (I.7.7.4) like this. By impelling
the plentitude of the mother Mah (Goddess of vastness; sometimes referred to as
Mother Earth), I proclaim the birth of word, Aditi by name, who has entered and
pervaded this entire world (three worlds mentioned in Gyatri mantra three vyhti-s).
Thus the verse 10 does not simply refer Aditi as a mother, but implies the source of the
entire creation. Who else can be source of creation other than Brahman? Therefore, it
clearly proves that sun does not merely represent the source of light for the worlds, but
also represents a miniscule portion of Brahmans Self-effulgent Light. Since sun is
visible to our biological eyes and sun physically exhibits all the aspects of invisible and
eternal Brahman, worshiping sun is considered as supreme. It amounts to worshiping
Brahman.
In the same verse, two other names of sun god savit and sry are used to refer sun
god. Savit is derived from the word savit, a Vedic god. Similarly Sry is also a Vedic
God. In fact, these two names refer to the same sun. Sun at the time of dawn is known
as Savit and sun after the dawn till it sets is known as Sry. This goes to prove that
Brahman alone is worshiped in different shapes and forms, which is in total agreement
with Advaita Philosophy. There are number of verses about dawn in Rig Veda. Dawn is
described as a deity on her chariot, sometimes drawn by cows and other times by
horses. There is difference between dawn and sunrise. Dawn is the first light of the day,
whereas sunrise is the first appearance of the sun above the horizon. What is the seat
of the sun? This can at best be explained as the mountain range and oceans. This

explains the rotation of the earth as if sun is moving from East to West. The rays of the
sun are described as a garland. The golden hue of the rays of the sun is compared to a
gold garland. This description perfectly matches with ChndogyaUpaniad. The
Upaniad makes several references to the sun. In fact the Upaniad says that Brahman
has golden beard and golden hair; this subtly refers to the sun. It also says that if one
realizes the sun, he is deemed to have realized Brahman.
Verse 11 refers to different colored rays of the sun. The verse says that suns chariot is
drawn by seven horses that are green in color. It is not just the green color. The word
haridava is so meticulously chosen to subtly convey the seven principle colors
VIBGYOR. According to some texts, the seven horses also refer to seven Vedic meters
(chandas). VIBGYOR is the foundational color for the existence of the universe.
Like pra, these seven colors are present in all the objects in different degrees. In
other words, the rays of the sun spread throughout the universe making living possible.
When sun is made so indispensible, it obviously refers to Self-effulgent Light of
Brahman. Dispelling darkness and causing happiness refers to the stage of Bliss or
nanda. Unless one experiences the state of Bliss, his spiritual journey will be
hampered. When one enters into the state of Bliss, his mind becomes calm and
composed, leading to higher cosmic planes. What is meant by higher cosmic planes? It
refers the status of the mind. When the mind is agitated and associated with unwanted
desires and attachments, the mind is said to be in lowest plane, which is quotidian in
nature. When the mind is purified through pryama and other meditative techniques,
the density of the mind is diminished so that it can go to higher cosmic planes (due to
its lightness). In the highest cosmic plane, the union between individual consciousness
and Supreme Consciousness takes place and this is known as Self-realization. The
usage of mrta is significant. It talks about the process of creation.
Verse 12 typically is a sum up of the previous two verses. Sun not only produces heat,
but also produces chillness in the form of rains. The fire too originates from the sun. It is
said in epics that at the time of setting, sun hands over the vital energy to Agni with a
request to protect the world till its dawn the next day. Even if the entire universe is
annihilated, the sun eternally remains. At the time of annihilation, Brahman alone
remains. When it is said that the sun remains even after annihilation, it clearly indicates
that we are not discussing about the sun god, but about Brahman. Thus, contemplating
on the sun, which is visible to our biological eyes, destroys avidya or spiritual ignorance.
In perfect meditative stage, Light of Brahman is visible to us in the form of sun. When
this Light appears in our meditation, it signifies that we are evolving spiritually. This also
confirms the perfection of practice, known as sdhana.

These are the words of Agastya to r Rma. As Agastya proceeds to praise the sun,
r Rma could recollect His original nature. Subsequent verses also talk about the
grandeur of the sun from different angles, which also goes to prove that the sun is a
miniscule Light of Brahman.