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Thread: Devotion to Surya and Questions

  1. #1

    Devotion to Surya and Questions

    Greetings all,

    I have been viewing these forums for the past few years to further my knowledge, understanding and practice of Sanatana Dharma. Without a guru available to me, I have found the posts on these forums invaluable in my quest..so I'd like to extend a huge thank you to the operators and members of these forums.

    I have read the scriptures and multiple commentaries pertaining to them and for the life of me I could never find which direction or sect to adhere to. I have always been at conflict with myself in finding what path is right for me.

    A couple weeks ago I had a terrible night. I couldn't sleep at all and my mind was in torment. I began to doubt myself, my spiritual beliefs and my ability to connect to God per say and move my soul towards liberation. I had tried meditating and offering puja to multiple entities to what felt like no avail. I never felt so troubled spiritually in my life. So I decided to meditate perhaps for the last time to ease my suffering.

    I began meditating around 3AM outside in my backyard. I chanted the Ganesa Mantra and concentrated on the Mover of Obstacles but I could not clear my head. I began to chant the Heart Sutra (a Buddhist mantra) which always puts me at ease. After 108 shlokas I returned to the Ganesa Mantra. Finally my mind was at ease and after 324 shlokas I fell into deep meditation. I went from pain, sorrow and anger to joy and tranquility in a way I have never experienced before in my life. It was at the climax of my inner happiness that Ganesa faded and all I could see was a bright light and I could feel an intense warmth. I opened my eyes anticipating the sun was up and to my amazement the sky was still dark although turning blue.

    I felt as if Ganesa had led me right to Surya who I have never concentrated on or offered puja to. I had learned the Surya Naramskara a while back so felt as if I should give my salutations to the sun as it rose. Yoga had never felt so good or meant as much. I felt renewed and a strong sense of devotional love with Surya. Once I finished the salutation I sat back down again and meditated while chanting the Gayatri Mantra. I could not escape the vision of Surya on his chariot with his immense radiance and warmth. I felt like I finally had succeeded in finding my path. Om Ghrini Surya Namah.

    I now perform bhakti yoga and meditation concentrated on Surya and after reading the Vedas over and over again recently I believe Surya to be Saguna Brahman as he is Brahma at dawn, Vishnu at midday and Shiva at dusk. Being that the sun is the creator, sustainer and destroyer responsible for all the life on Earth it just makes so much sense to me.

    Now I have researched and studied on Surya, Savitr, Mitra, the Adityas as well as the Saura Sect which has either gone extinct or is endangered. Anyways to my question.

    Is it possible for Surya to be Saguna Brahman and manifest himself as the Trimirti? Or do I have it all wrong. Is my path incorrect? Am I disgracing Sanatana Dharma? Am I not understanding the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and Gita correctly?

    Please your answers would mean a lot to me. I am certain I am doing no wrong and that Surya is worthy of my devotion. I'd just like some constructive criticism or affirmation. As never having an affinity with Vaishnavism, Shaivism or Shaktism or a proper teacher I do feel kind of lost.

    Thank you.

  2. #2
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    Re: Devotion to Surya and Questions

    Maha papa haram devam, Tham sooryam pranamamyaham.

    Beloved Bhagavan come to us in the way we need Him. *It can be her*

    Recently, Lord Surya finally showed Himself to me. He had been working in my life...well...my WHOLE life long! I looked around after He came through and allowed me the privilege of knowing who was behind all of this good stuff happening...and i realized...He was all over my Home...all over everything! I had been talking to Him, not realizing...He actually is there in that what we refer to as the Sun...we see it as the Sun...but it is in fact a representation of His Presence.

    One morning...i was very concerned over this strong connection to Lord Surya as Mahadeva is my whole heart. I say to Mahadeva...please...if i am offending you...please teach me the right thing to do.

    Suddenly the Sun shined through my window and i watched as a silver line went across it...in the shape of the Tripundra.

    Our Beloved Pujari said to never fear when Bhagavan comes to you, whatever Beloved Form. He is a true Devotee of Lord Surya and also of Mahadeva and my goodness i have seen such wonderful things thanks to him.

    To me, Papa Lord Surya is our very good friend...Mitra...so close to us. He is the physical presence...the very very Hand of Bhagavan...the Beloved Hand upon which our Dharma turns!

    So it is very natural for Him to be moving through your life...He moves through us all...as our wheel turns...His Beloved Hand gently turning it.

    Om Suryaya Namah <3


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr5wT3CFwmk

    P.S. Welcome to the forum Mr. Green.

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    Re: Devotion to Surya and Questions

    Namaste Dan Green

    Congratulations on Living Hinduism and your experience.

    If you think praising Surya in your backyard is Amazing, you should try the same on the banks of Ganga in Kashi Varanasi the City of Shiva. I would recommend you save all your money and fly Trans World Airways with Surya as your Copilot as soon as possible to Varanasi, India. Actually, not joking though it may be difficult and would require planning. Of course Surya is Everywhere, but the Experience would truly be special.

    There, especially during certain holy times and melas, you will see gatherings of Sadhus. While that may not be for you, who knows? You may be ready to be a Sadhu or a renunciate with ashes. Or you may want to wait and see in this life, it is extreme in one sense to take that journey, but even the simple journey to Kashi would be interesting to say the least.

    Om Namah Sivaya

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    Re: Devotion to Surya and Questions

    Greetings,

    I venerate the physical sun as a non-human manifestation of the Divine Sun, Siva-Sakti. The guru is the human manifestation of the Divine Sun.
    "Everybody wants to see God but nobody wants to do any sadhana." -- Swami Sivananda
    "You can advance only through karma yoga; by karma yoga you may benefit others also....Only hard work can make a person powerful and energetic." -- Haidakhan Babaji
    "Do everything you do as Śivathondu." -- Yogaswami

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    Re: Devotion to Surya and Questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Green View Post
    Is it possible for Surya to be Saguna Brahman and manifest himself as the Trimirti? Or do I have it all wrong. Is my path incorrect? Am I disgracing Sanatana Dharma? Am I not understanding the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and Gita correctly?

    Please your answers would mean a lot to me. I am certain I am doing no wrong and that Surya is worthy of my devotion. I'd just like some constructive criticism or affirmation. As never having an affinity with Vaishnavism, Shaivism or Shaktism or a proper teacher I do feel kind of lost.

    Thank you.
    I would like to introduce myself as a spirituality enthusiast and no way a scholarly spiritualist to answer your question. Out of enthusiasm though, I thought of adding a few pointers.

    Surya can very well be a Saguna Brahman. By Saguna Brahman, I think you mean, "One who has or takes on a form and acts benevolently, having a merciful constitution akin to a spiritual guru". To this, the answer is very well 'yes'. Surya is not only having a form, he has a family life to, married to Usha and Pratyusha devis. Once his first wife, Usha devi, decided she could not bear Sun's heat and made another woman just looking like her from her shadow and left for tapas. She took the form of a mare and was residing in the forest. Soon Surya (Sun) figured this out and he went and took the form of a mare too and out of Sun and his wife Usha in mare forms were born the 'Ashwini Kumaras' - the divine physicians.

    Here are some facts about Surya:

    i) Once in Mid-summer down in South India, Jamadagni muni sent his wife Renuka devi for fetching fire wood. However, she (not having the slippers for her feet at those times) took a very long time to return because she would take a few steps and then out of heat take rest by sitting down somewhere for sometime. Angered by the fierce Sun's heat, Jamadagni is said to have taken his bow-and-arrow and aimed several shots at Sun, to which Sun god emerged in form in front of him and gave him the Umbrella and a fan for protection from his heat.

    ii) When Shri Hanuman wanted to have a guru, he was told to pursue Sun god for his guru. Upon initial rejection, eventually Hanuman proved his merit to Sun god, that he is worthy of a student for Sun, and Sun god gave out his lessons to Shri Hanuman, while moving about still in the sky. Surya gave Hanuman 'Ashtamaa Siddhis' or the 8 major spiritual boons.

    iii) Surya is the father of Mahabharata's Karna. Once when Lord Indra appeared before Karna in the disguise of a Brahmin and asked for Karna's golden shield and earrings he was born with, at the privacy of his prayer room, Surya spoke to Karna and told him who the visitor was and told Karna not to give away his birth-gifts. But the rest is history, Karna still gave them away and was killed at the battle.

    iv) Sage Agasthya gave the 'Adithya Hridayam' (sloka/hymn) to Sri Rama when Rama was taken aback at the monumental task of fighting Ravana initially and Rama prayed to Sun god and won the battle with Ravana.

    v) Sage Sukha is said to have made a shadow-Sukha who lives on earth and performed important duties such as instructing King Parikshit on Bhagawatham, while he himself (the original Sukha) is said to reside at Sun's abode (Surya-mandala) performing penance.

    vi) All those meritorious souls who still have to emerge spiritually are said to be reborn on this earth, they are said to be sent over to the 'realm of Chandra' (Chandra mandala) while all those meritorious souls who have only final emancipation left are said to be sent to the 'realm of Sun' or Surya mandala.

    So Sun can be a good husband, good friend, good guru and a good father. Hope my Sun tales have been helpful!
    Last edited by Viraja; 18 June 2013 at 08:21 AM.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

  6. #6

    Re: Devotion to Surya and Questions

    pranam

    Surya, the Vedic god, has nothing to do with saguna or nirguna Brahman. Though his "twin", Aryaman, can indeed be somewhat seen along those lines.

    We should be open to the Gods as and when they chose to come to us; we cannot force it on them, can we? This is the only way. Those who keep repeating the name Brahman don't achieve anything at the end.

    regards,
    Things to remember:

    1. Life = yajña
    2. Depth of Āstika knowledge is directly proportional
    to the richness of Sanskrit it is written in
    3. Āstika = Bhārata ("east") / Ārya ("west")
    4. Varṇa = tripartite division of Vedic polity
    5. r = c. x²
    where,
    r = realisation
    constant c = intelligence
    variable x = bhakti

  7. #7

    Re: Devotion to Surya and Questions

    Sri Mathre Namaha,

    What I understood from your post is that you have a question in mind if Surya is a Godhead who can grant you Moksha or only a demi god who can fulfill your desires. He is Brahma, He is Vishnu and He is Siva. So He is the Supreme Godhead. He is both Saguna and Nirguna. Here is the Maha Soura Mantra. Chant it and know it for yourself.

    Om Ghrini SooryadityOm

    Regards.
    Sivoham

    That, which is the cause for the entire Cosmos to be as it is, is Mahamaya the divine player.

    Rameeshh

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