My Interpretation of Surya Mantra (RV 1.35.2)

June 15, 2007

Dear Sreenu,

Hoping that you will not mind, I am cc'ing my reply to the " "

and " sivacharya " . I was actually thinking of picking some

RigVedic hymn and sharing my interpretation with others this weekend. Now

that I got this mail from you, I will take up the Surya mantra.

* * *

This mantra is a very popular mantra for worshipping Surya (Sun god). It is

used in Navagraha homam and navagraha pooja as a part of Satya Narayana

vratam. Parasara Maharshi (father of Veda Vyasa Maharshi) specified this

mantra as a remedy for any problems related to Sun in the horoscope (see

" Brihat Paaraasara Horaa Saastram " ).

My interpretation may be different from what Sayana, Max Muller etc gave.

Especially when it comes to the second line, most scholars have interpreted

" ratha " as chariot and alluded to Sun going around earth on a chariot. I

have a different Vedantic take on it. I know some Sanskrit, but it is the

inner inspiration given by Mother Mahalakshmi that enables to interpret.

May erudite scholars ignore me if they find my interpretation faulty!

* * *

RigVeda 1.35.2

AkR^iShNena rajasA vartamAno niveshayannamR^itaM martyaM ca |

hiraNyayena savitA rathenAdevo yAti bhuvanAni pashyan ||

vartamAnaH = existing (present)

rajasA = with the light [though rajas is one of the three gunas, it also

means light and energy]

AkR^iShNa = extending till (including) darkness

niveshayan = inhabiting/dwelling in/filling

amR^itaM = the imperishable [brahman, the unmanifested potentiality]

martyaM ca = and the perishable too [all the manifestations of Brahman in

this universe perish]

savitA = the god Savita

hiraNyayena = with the pure/golden essence of Brahman

rathena = with desire/attachment [though ratha normally means a

chariot/vehicle, it also means a desire. The word " manoratha " (manah+ratha)

comes from it. It means the desires and wishes of the heart. I prefer this

meaning here and not the normally taken " chariot " .]

yAti = moves into

AdevaH = all beings including gods

pashyan = experiencing [though pashyan basically means " watching " , it also

means considering, perceiving and experiencing]

bhuvanAni = all the worlds and the beings dwelling in it

Meaning in Brief:

Existing with all the light and the darkness, dwelling in the imperishable

Brahman as well as the perishable creation, Savita, with the pure essence of

Brahman and with the desire that causes movement in it (and results in

creation), moves into all beings including the gods and experiences through

them all the worlds and the beings of this diverse creation.

Detailed Commentary:

If you study carefully, this verse gives the essence of Vedic philosophy. It

contains the essence of great scriptures such as " Yoga Vaasishtham " and

" BhagavadGita " , sooktas such as Purusha Sooktam and Narayana Sooktam and

hymns such as Ganapathi Atharva Seersham. It is a very important hymn.

Savita is the highest form of Surya. He is basically the supreme cosmic

being. He is Atman, the pure spirit that fills the entire universe - the

creation as well as the uncreated. He is the pure light behind all the light

and darkness that we see. Good and bad, gods and demons, pleasure and pain,

all such dualities are but different manifestations of the same Brahman. The

ONE Brahman manifests as the duality and diverse beings.

The one Atman, which is but pure light, manifests as duality - as light and

darkness - and fills the entire universe. Savita dwells in Brahman as well

as the entire perishable creation. Everything that has manifested has to

perish. Savita dwells in all - in the imperishable Brahman as well as the

perishable manifestations of Brahman (various worlds, gods, demons and other

beings).

The ONE pure light of Savita manifests as DIVERSE objects ranging all the

way from pure light to darkness and fills all beings. With the pure and

untaintable essence of Brahman and the movement caused in Brahman due to

desire, Savita enters all the beings including gods. In other words, all the

beings are created from Brahman and the desire/movement in Brahman.

Vedanta teaches that Brahman is unmanifested pure consciousness. A part of

Brahman causes movement in Brahman, which becomes a desire and gets

fulfilled immediately. This results in the creation of various beings. The

word " ratha " refers to this. The pure essence of Brahman (hiraNyaya) as well

as the desire that caused a movement of thought in Brahman (ratha) enter all

beings. Savita enters all being as Shiva as well as Shakti!

When all the desires come to a halt and the movement of mind stops, all

beings can experience the pure essence of Brahman that has entered them

(i.e. sat-chid-ananda). When the desire is there, there are thoughts and

movement of mind and the beings do not experience the pure essence of

Brahman that has entered them.

The hymn says that the pure essence of Brahman (Shiva) and the desire that

causes movement of thought (Shakti) are both aspects of ONE Savita only.

Savita enters all the beings with the pure essence and the desire/thought

and experiences the worlds and beings through them. If a person called

" Narasimha Rao " exists, it is actually Savita who exists through him. If a

person called " Narasimha Rao " experiences the entire world - various worlds

and beings in those worlds - it is actually Savita who has entered him that

experiences the entire world through him!! All his thoughts, experiences and

actions are actually those of Savita - the in-dwelling spirit.

This is the same as what Ganapathi Atharva Seersham means by " tvameva

kevalam kartAsi... " . This is the same as what Krishna means when he tells

Arjuna in BhagavadGita that it is Krishna who acts through various beings

and that the beings should not be deluded to think that they are doing

things.

Savita in this hymn is represented as the same supreme cosmic being that is

referred in various other Vedic scriptures!

Most authorities have interpreted the second line to mean that Sun goes on a

chariot and watches the entire world. That is a gross interpretation and

misses the subtle and deeper meaning.

In fact, when Atman goes on the chariot (ratha) of desire (ratha), it moves

and sees the diverse creation. When the chariot (ratha) stops, then the

desire (ratha) stops and there is no movement of thought. No longer a

diverse creation is perceived and there is only bliss of true being

(sat-chid-ananda). Thus, even the gross chaiot interpretation is a metaphor

for the subtle interpretation given above!

This hymn is very important as it covers several important Vedantic

concepts:

(1) The supreme cosmic being is one, but assumes duality.

(2) The supreme cosmic being enters all the beings with the duality.

(3) The supreme cosmic being experiences through all the beings.

(4) The pure essence of supreme cosmic being enters all the beings and helps

them experience sat-chid-ananda.

(5) The desire (movement of thought) in the supreme cosmic being enters all

the beings and results in movement of thought within them and diverse world

experiences.

* * *

You asked about the counts, rules etc. Unfortunately, I am not an expert on

those. But I will say what I know.

You can chant this mantra as many times as you want. Parasara also mentions

offering this mantra in fire (homam).

Imagine Sun god. Offer a mental obeisance to Hiranyasthoopa Angirasa

Maharshi. Then, thinking of Sun god, whose effulgence fills the entire

universe, read the mantra mentally with the correct intonation as many times

as you can.

The goal of sadhana with any Vedic mantra is to become one with the mantra.

The goal is to lose one's self-consciousness so completely that the mantra

can fill one's entire existence. One can feel and " experience " the sound and

meaning of the mantra then.

Forget " I " , " my body " , " my name " , " my senses " , " my experience " completely

and create a vacuum within, so that the mantra can fill the vacuum.

* * *

I now use the version from RigVeda. The audio on my website is quite old. It

not only has text errors, but pronunciation errors too. I will have to

update all the planetary mantra mp3's on my website someday.

Best regards,

Narasimha (PVR)

-------------------------------

Homam manual and audio: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam

Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net

Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org

Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org

-------------------------------

-

> Hi PVR,

> ...

> The information below is from a site that belongs to

> Sri Aurobindo followers. I went there to get the

> sandhya mantras. My question was about the surya

> mantra below, which I remember from your Vratham,

> about which I am having some keen interest recently.

>

> http://www.vedah.com/org2/literature/sandhya_mantras/conclusion.html

>

> From the site as well the Yajurveda Samhita(except

> that in the book with me, it is 3.4.11.6 or 7), the

> mantra is as follows:

> ***

> â satyena rajasâ vartamâno niveshayannamºtam martyam

> cha

>

> hiraòyayena savitâ rathenâdevo yâti bhuvanâ vipashyan

>

> [RV (1.35.2), KYV (3.4.11.2), SYV (33.43); (34.31)]

>

> Moving along the worlds of Truth duly establishing the

> immortal and the mortal,

>

> God Savitr comes in his golden car beholding the

> worlds.

> ***

>

> However, looking at the reference provided above of

> Rig Veda Samhita-1.35.2 the mantra has two

> differences.

>

> 1. It was 'a krishnena'(RV) for 'a satyena'(KYV)

> 2. In line 2 it was 'bhunanani pashyan'(RV) for

> 'bhuvana vipashyan'(KYV)

> 3. Your site audio sounded -'a satyena'(as in

> KYV)...'bhunanani pashyan'(as in RV)

>

> Hence wanted to talk to you about this. I would be

> delighted to know the primary importance of this

> mantra also the rules and numbers?

>

> You can call me anytime. Talk to you later.

> Sreenu

June 16, 2007

Namaste Sir,

Thank you for the information. I will remember it and pass it on.

Parasara Maharshi also suggests performing a homam with this mantra.

Best regards,Narasimha-------------------------------Homam manual and audio: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homamFree Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.netFree Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.orgSri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org-------------------------------

-

Radhakrishnan Jambunatha

pvr ; sivacharya

Saturday, June 16, 2007 7:55 AM

Re: [sivacharya] My Interpretation of Surya Mantra (RV 1.35.2)

Dear Sri.P.V.N.

Namaste for your erudite exposition of vedhic mantras. Incidentally, the hymn you have quoted in praise of Surya (Aakrishne----) is the Upasthana (in standing position) mantra every rig vedi to recite in the noon Vandanam known as "madhyahnikam", The rig vedi brahmin, who does 'Sandhya Vandana" thrice a day, is to recite the prayer quoted by you when he rises after "Gayathri Japa" at noon, Your interpretation of the verse is wonderful . After all "Surya' is the prdhyaksha God seen and felt by every being who sustains all the things material and immaterial in this universe.

with my namaskars

J.R.Krishnan

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