suuryopanishhat 1

bhadraM pashyemaaksha- bhir-yajatraaH OM bhadraM karNebhiH shR^iNuyaama devaaH bhadraM pashyemaaksha- bhir-yajatraaH O God! May we listen with our ears what is auspicious and good. May we with our eyes see what is auspicious and good. O God! May we sing your praises. 2

sthirair-a~Ngai-stushhTu- vaa(gm)-sas-tanuubhiH vyashema deva-hitam yadaayuH May we glorify You. May we enjoy with our strong limbs and bodies the life-span bestowed on us so that it is spent in harmony with nature. 3

svasti naH (f) puushhaa vishva-vedaaH svasti na indro vR^iddha-shravaaH svasti naH (f) puushhaa vishva-vedaaH May Indra grant us auspiciousness, strength-both physical and mental, and vastness of hearing which will enable clarity of thought and intelligence. May the Sun, the omniscient one, grant us auspiciousness. 4

OM shaantiH shaantiH shaantiH || Peace to the body, mind and soul. svasti nastaarkshyo arishhTanemiH svasti no bR^ihaspatir- dadhaatu || OM shaantiH shaantiH shaantiH || May Taarkshya and ArishhTanemiH grant us auspiciousness. May Brihaspati grant us auspiciousness and success in our study. Peace to the body, mind and soul. 5

atharvaa~Ngi-rasaM vyaakhyaasyaamaH bramhaa R^ishhiH OM atha suurya- atharvaa~Ngi-rasaM vyaakhyaasyaamaH bramhaa R^ishhiH gaayatrii chhandaH aadityo devataa Now we shall expound the essence of the Atharva veda in relation to the sun. The seer is Brahma. The metre is Gayatri; the deity is the Sun. 6

naaraayaNa-yuktaM biijam hR^illekhaa shaktiH viyadaadi-sarga- haMsaH so.ahamagni- naaraayaNa-yuktaM biijam hR^illekhaa shaktiH viyadaadi-sarga- sainyuktaM kiilakam The basic words for the entire chant are- haMsaH, sohaM, agni and naaraayaNa. Light and illumination provides the power for the chant. The pillar for the chant is the sky and the heaven. 7

siddhyarthe viniyogaH chaturvidha- purushhaartha siddhyarthe viniyogaH The hymn is chanted for attaining the four human goals of righteousness, wealth, desire for noble causes and liberation. 8

shhaT-svaraaruuDhena biijena shhaDa~NgaM raktaambuja sansthitaM sapta-ashva-rathinaM The six limbs consist of the seed with six vowels added. The Sun god is mounted on the chariot that is set in the red lotus and drawn by seven horses representing the seven days of the week. 9

hiraNya-varNaM chaturbhujaM padma-dvayaa- .abhayavarada-hastaM He is golden-hued; has four arms and holds two lotuses. His hand is raised in blessing and for granting the boon of fearlessness. 10

kaalachakra praNetaaraM shrii- suurya-naaraayaNaM ya evaM veda sa vai braamhaNaH || He is the impeller of the wheel of time. Indeed, only one who knows the Lord Narayana is a learned person. 11

tat-savitur-vareNyaM bhargo devasya dhiimahi OM bhuur-bhuvaH suvaH tat-savitur-vareNyaM bhargo devasya dhiimahi We contemplate the glory of Light illuminating the three worlds-gross, subtle and causal. The most exalted Divine is the source of all three worlds. We meditate upon the Divine Light of the Sun. 12

dhiyo yo naH (f) prachodayaat May the lord fertilize our intellect such that our intelligence blossoms into wisdom and we get illumined. 13

jagatas-tasthushhash-cha suuryaad-vai khalvimaani bhuutaani jaayante suurya aatmaa jagatas-tasthushhash-cha suuryaad-vai khalvimaani bhuutaani jaayante The sun is the inner-self of the world, both animate and inanimate. Indeed, the beings and the fire sacrifice arise from the Sun. 14

suuryaad-yaGYaH (f) parjanyo.annam-aatmaa namaste aaditya tvameva pratyakshaM karma kartaasi Rain, food and the Self arise from the Sun . Salutations to the Sun! You alone are the doer of all actions. 15

tvameva pratyakshaM bramhaasi tvameva pratyakshaM vishhNurasi tvameva pratyakshaM rudro.asi You alone are the manifestation of the Creator, the Protector and the Destroyer. 16

tvameva pratyakshaM yajurasi tvameva pratyakshaM saamaasi R^igasi tvameva pratyakshaM yajurasi tvameva pratyakshaM saamaasi You alone are the manifestation of the Rig Veda; the Yajur Veda and the Sama Veda; 17

tvameva pratyaksham- atharvaasi tvameva sarvaM chhando.asi You alone are the manifestation of the Atharva Veda. You alone are the basis for all Vedas. 18

aadityaad-vaayur-jaayate aadityaad-bhuumir-jaayate aadityaad-aapo-jaayante aadityaaj-jyotir-jaayate aadityaad vyoma disho jaayante From the Sun, emerged the Air; the Earth; the Water; the Fire and the Directions. 19

aadityaad devaa jaayante aadityaad-vedaa jaayante aadityo vaa eshha etanmaNDalaM tapati asaavaadityo bramhaa From the Sun, emerged the Gods and the Vedas. The Sun shines on this sphere (earth). This Sun is the Supreme God. 20

aadityo.antaH-karaNa-mano- buddhi-chitta-ahankaaraaH aadityo vai vyaanas-samaano-daano.apaanaH (f) praaNaH The Sun, representing the illumined intellect, is the basis of our inner self, the mind, intellect, consciousness and ego. The Sun is the basis of the five vital life breaths. 21

aadityo vai shrotra- tvak- chakshuu- rasana-ghraaNaaH || The Sun is the basis of our five organs of perception or cognition i.e., hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell. 22

aadityo vai vaak-paaNi paada-paayuupasthaaH aadityo vai shabdasparsha-ruupa-rasa-gandhaaH The Sun is also the basis of our five organs of action i.e., tongue, hands, legs, excretory organ and organs of generation. The Sun powers our five abilities of speech, touch, sight, taste, and smell. 23

aanandamayo viGYaanamayo viGYaanaghana aadityaH aadityo vai vachanaa- daanaa-gamana visargaanandaaH aanandamayo viGYaanamayo viGYaanaghana aadityaH The Sun is the basis of joy we experience during chanting and during the pauses in the flow of the chant. The Sun is the basis of our intellectual and bliss sheaths. 24

namo mitraaya bhaanave mR^ityormaa paahi bhraajishhNave vishva-hetave namaH I bow to the shining Sun who can release me from death. O Resplendent One! You exist for the welfare of the whole world. 25

suuryaad-bhavanti bhuutaani suuryeNa paalitaani tu suurye layaM praapnuvanti yaH suuryaH so.ahameva cha All are born due to the Sun and all are protected by Him. O Sun! May I acquire the opportunity to merge with You, who is the embodiment of Soham. 26

chakshurno devaH savitaa chakshurna uta parvataH chakshur-dhaataa dadhaatu naH He is the God of vision and the Highest source of sight. Please grant us the right vision. 27

sahasra-kiraNaaya dhiimahi tannaH suuryaH (f) prachodayaat aadityaaya vidmahe sahasra-kiraNaaya dhiimahi tannaH suuryaH (f) prachodayaat May we know or realize the Sun. For that, may we meditate upon the innumerable rays of the Sun. 28

savitaa pashchaattaat- savitaa-dharaattaat- savitaa purastaat- savitaa pashchaattaat- savitottaraattaat- savitaa-dharaattaat- savitaa naH suvatu sarvataati (gm) Savita - the source of all life is in front of us, behind us, above us and below us. May He enfold us from all sides. 29

dve akshare suurya ityakshara-dvayam savitaa no raasataaM dhiirgham-aayuH omityekaaksharaM bramhaa ghR^iNiriti dve akshare suurya ityakshara-dvayam May He grant us a long life. Bramhaa is one syllabled OM; ghRiNi has two syllables. Suurya also has two-syllables. 30

aaditya iti triiN-yaksharaaNi etasyaiva suuryasya -ashhTaaksharo manuH Aaditya has three syllables. Thus, this is the mantra of eight syllables. 31

yaH sadaa-haraharjapati sa vai braamhaNo bhavati He who chants this hymn always, becomes a learned person. He becomes a learned person. 32

japtvaa mahaa-vyaadhi bhayaat-pramuchyate suuryaabhi-mukho japtvaa mahaa-vyaadhi bhayaat-pramuchyate alakshmiir-nashyati When one chants this hymn while facing the sun, he is released from all major diseases. His poverty is destroyed. 33

abhakshya bhakshaNaat puuto bhavati agamya-agamanaat He becomes free from the sins of consuming undesirable food and going to undesirable places. 34

patita saMbhaashhaNaat puuto bhavati asat saMbhaashhaNaat puuto bhavati He becomes free from the sins of conversing with people who bring us down and of speaking the untruth. 35

madhyaahne suuryaabhi- sadyotpanna-paJNcha- mukhaH (f) paThet sadyotpanna-paJNcha- mahaapaata-kaat pramuchyate At mid-day when one contemplates on this hymn facing the Sun, he is released from the five great sins. 36

na kasmaichit-prashansayet ya etaaM mahaa-bhaagaH saishhaa saavitriiM vidyaaM na kinchidapi na kasmaichit-prashansayet ya etaaM mahaa-bhaagaH (f) praataH (f) paThati He should not impart this knowledge of the Sun to anyone who is not honorable on any account. When one contemplates on this hymn at dawn … 37

sa bhaagyavaan jaayate pashuunvindati vedaarthaM labhate trikaala-metaj-japtvaa kratushata-phalam-avaapnoti … he becomes fortunate. He gets livestock and attains the essence of the Vedas. When one recites during the three periods (dawn, noon and dusk), he gets the fruit of a hundred sacrifices. 38

tarati sa mahaa-mR^ityuM tarati ya evaM veda ityupanishhat || hastaaditye japati sa mahaa-mR^ityuM tarati sa mahaa-mR^ityuM tarati ya evaM veda ityupanishhat || Only by chanting and knowing this hymn to the Sun, he conquers death. Thus (iti), says the Upanishad. 39

bhadram pashyemaaksha- bhir-yajatraaH OM bhadraM karNebhiH shR^iNuyaama devaaH bhadram pashyemaaksha- bhir-yajatraaH O God! May we listen with our ears what is auspicious and good. May we see with our eyes what is auspicious and good. 40

sthirair-a~Ngai-stushhTu- vaa(gm)-sas-tanuubhiH vyashema deva-hitaM yadaayuH O God! May we sing Your praises. May we glorify You. May we enjoy with our strong limbs and bodies the life-span bestowed on us so that it is spent in harmony with nature. 41

svasti naH (f) puushhaa svasti na indro vR^iddha-shravaaH svasti naH (f) puushhaa vishva-vedaaH May Indra grant us auspiciousness and strength. May Puushhaa, the Sun, grant us auspiciousness. 42

OM shaantiH shaantiH shaantiH || svasti nastaarkshyo arishhTanemiH svasti no bR^ihaspatir- dadhaatu || OM shaantiH shaantiH shaantiH || May Taarkshya and ArishhTanemiH grant us auspiciousness. May Brihaspati grant us auspiciousness and success in our study. Peace to the body, mind and the soul. 43

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