Introduction
This article is a translation and paraphrase of an excerpt from Samavedam Shanmuka Sharma Garu’s Aditya Hridayam-Suryaradhana, a textual form of the discourses given on the worship of Surya Bhagavan .
Surya Bhagavan is fond of a ritually purified water offering (arghya pradhan) and a namaskar. The way to do a namaskar is quite diverse. The namaskar mentioned here refers to Surya namaskar. These have been derived from the Vedas. Surya mantras are utilized along with certain yoga postures (asana). So it is observed that both yoga and mantra work together.
The relationship between yoga and mantra is made fruitful with agama. This is a generalised explanation of what a namaskar is. In recent times, yoga centers have also been teaching Surya namaskar. However, yoga practices devoid of scripturally sanctioned methodology (achara) serve to restrict the individuals involved from developing spiritually. Some people believe that yoga is for mere health purposes or that those health benefits by themselves constitute spiritual growth.
Devotional practice (adhyatmik sadhana) is aided by health. Health is important but is not a purposeful end on its own. Yoga when in accordance with achara, upasana, and incorporated in rites, results in a steady disciplining of the mind (ekagratha) and the purification of consciousness (chitta shuddhi). These are the prerequisites for one to eventually pursue moksha.
Note: The namaskaras with all its various components require special training from a guru but we aim to provide the most basic information so that all may practice it. Depending on one’s interest, further training and application can be done.
How to offer Arghya?
All are expected to wake up at Brahma muhurta (time varies but try to wake up 1hr before sunrise), take a bath, wear clean clothes, and make sure to not eat anything till the worship is completed. This, along with the below, may seem like a lot but the worship procedure we mention hardly takes more than a few minutes. If anyone still has issues with following then they must certainly do it on Sunday.
Bhagavan Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna ji, as to how one should offer arghya to Surya Bhagavan in the Bhavishyottara purana. Many texts also give various insights into Surya aradhana and if we take the Aditya Purana for example, it gives extra emphasis on using a copper vessel when it mentions Surya Bhagavan having a great fondness for worship using it. So first we must take a copper vessel and keep it pure by cleaning it regularly. If this is not done and we move on to the next step of filling the vessel with water, the water will become ritually impure and is therefore unfit to be offered.
We can offer water that is pure because the vessel is purified while chanting mantras or shlokas. As we want this article to have universal reach and enable upliftment, we will take shlokas wherever applicable.
Along with water, we must add durva grass (cynodon dactylon), rice grains (akshata), red sandalwood, and if that is not possible then vermillion (kumkum) and red flowers.
Before offering the water, one must contemplate briefly on Surya Bhagavan. One must visualize Surya Bhagavan as bearing all sorts of weapons with his seven legions (Gana) accompanying him.
These 7 Legions are:
- Adityas
- Apsaras
- Rishis
- Nagas
- Gramanas
- Rakhshasas
- Gandharvas
Each legion consists of 12 members and their names are available in our sacred texts but we shall not delve into them here.
Now that one has done this, we must worship the chariot of Surya Bhagavan through the following shloka from the Aditya Stotra Ratna authored by the illustrious Appayya Dikshita and we may picture further that Surya Bhagavan’s legions occupy the first division of that chariot. After this Surya Bhagavan can be pondered over.
विस्तारायाममानं दशभिरुपगतो योजनानां सहस्रैः
चक्रे पञ्चारनाभित्रितयवति लसन् नेमिषट्के निविष्टः।
सप्तच्छन्दस्तुरङ्गाहितवहनधुरो हायनांशत्रिवर्ग
व्यक्ताक्लृप्ताखिलाङ्गः स्फुरतु मम पुरः स्यन्दनश्चण्डभानोः।।
Click Here for Aditya Stotra Ratnam – Other language translations available
Depending on one’s interest, this can be extended to the seven horses and chariot wheels as well.
Now we may proceed to the next step.
Chant the following names of Surya Bhagavan, in the following order:
- Mitraya namah-िमत्राय नमः
- Ravaye namah-रवये नमः
- Suryaya namah-सूर्याय नमः
- Bhanave namah-भानवे नमः
- Khagaya namah-खगाय नमः
- Pushne namah-पूष्णे नमः
- Hiranyagarbhaya namah-हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः
- Marichaye namah-मरीचये नमः
- Adityaya namah-आदित्याय नमः
- Savitre namah-सवित्रे नमः
- Arkaya namah-अर्काय नमः
- Bhaskaraya namah-भास्कराय नमः
These names may slightly differ depending on the purana used but that is not in any way a problem and we will simply follow the above. In some puranas, one can see an argyam procedure with 72 names as well.
Before one recites those 12 names they must assume a position where their knees are touching the ground as if one is standing with knees and must not be sitting.
Now, one must raise the copper vessel to his head and recite the above names one by one.
Each time a name is recited, the individual must pour some water onto a copper plate (ideally), and then proceed to the next name while making sure to keep the copper vessel raised to one’s head.
If one has doubts about what to do or how to pronounce the names properly, the video below is made based on Samavedam Shanmuka Sharma Garu’s discourses for clarification:
https://youtu.be/yfMqjOmrq5Y?si=2KAhmIk660RFatpt
Please understand that everything in the video is per scripture but you are recommended not to use the Pranava (A U M) as the pronunciation is restricted.
Stuti and Namaskar
Stuti (praise of God) can also be done and based on one’s preference such as the Surya Shatakam by Mayura Bhatta or Aditya Stotra Ratna by Appayya Dikshita or anything else dedicated to Surya Bhagavan.
Let us take a look at the importance of stuti. A stuti is responsible for inducing change (prerna) in a deity such that it excites (utsāha) him. This happens through the ordered sound that we produce while reciting the specific stuti and this makes sense when we learn that the Devatas themselves constitute a mantric potency (mantra chaitanya). The 7 legions induce fruitful change in the deity through various ways. The Gandharvas sing, the Apsaras dance, the Rishis pray, etc.
Once stuti is completed the daily worship can conclude with a simple namaskar (prostration) without any of the yoga asanas that require training.
Males should do the Sashatanga namaskar where one lies flat on the ground with palms joined together. Females should do the Panchanga namaskar which means that they must not allow their chest region and womb to touch the ground as they are seen as the basis of creation.
There is also a namaskar involving circumambulation (pradakshina namaskar). A doubt may arise as to how we could circle the sun. Brahma purana clarifies this and states that we should create an image of Surya Bhagavan as occupying our body and with this mindset we should also think we are circumambulating around him and proceed to do the same physically.
You may also light a lamp if you wish for prosperity and health.