The sources of ultimate spiritual knowledge, the Vedas and Upanishads define the goals of human life in four forms of Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha and call them Purusharthas. They also advocate that the first three purusharthas should be achieved in tune with the fourth and the ultimate purushartha, the Moksha, which means salvation or getting rid of ignorance and realising the ultimate knowledge (bliss).

The Vedas, also called as Srutis suggest that Moksha can be realised by experiencing the Brahman or Atman as devoid of any quality or form. To obtain this experience, Karma (rituals mentioned in the Vedas in terms of Nitya Karma, Naimittika Karma & Kamya Karma) and Upasana should be practiced with no desires, which in turn lead to Chitta Shuddhi – a fundamental prerequisite to realise Moksha.

But, as the Vedokta Karma (rituals mentioned in the Vedas) need suitable external atmosphere, it often becomes difficult to practice the Vedokta Karmas under adverse circumstances, which is usually the order of the day in the Kaliyuga that we are in at present. Hence, we may say that Upasana, which is completely an Antaranga Sadhana is the easy way to practice and obtain Chitta Shuddhi during modern times. It also helps to cognize the formless truth in a form which the seeker or Sadhaka likes, is comfortable with and is suitable to practice with utmost dedication.

This is achieved usually by chanting Mantras (hymns), or reciting Stotras (spiritual recitals) and praying or worshipping the Ista daiva (form of Self as imagined by the seeker). This practice, when adopted with no expectations, helps in conditioning the mind and the body to be in the path to realise salvation.

Several Upasanas are mentioned throughout the Vedas including in the end portions called as Upanishads. Although, it is said that the purport of the Upanishads is not to initiate the Jijnasu (seeker) into the Upasana Vidhi (ritual), presence of numerous Upasana Vidhis in Upanishads like Chandogyopanishad highlight the importance of such Upasanas for the seeker who is not highly qualified to understand the Atma Tattwa directly from Srutis.

This importance of Upasana in the path to realise self can also be understood from the gamut of literature available even in the Smritis such as Itihasa and Puranas. The Mahabharata, widely known as the Panchama Veda (fifth Veda), contains many of the popular stotras such as Vishnu Sahasranama and explains the importance of Upasana through Bhakti Yoga in Bhagavadgita.

Thus the study of Itihasa, Puranas are given equal importance. Infact, it is said that the Vedas sometimes fear about those seekers who do not study Itihasa, Puranas as they may end up by wrongly interpreting the Vedas to be either only a text of rituals or of inexperienced theories (बिभेति अल्पश्रुताद्वेद: मामयं प्रतरेत इति).

Aditya Hridayam :

Ramayana, the other equally popular Itihasa Kavya has one such Upasana stotra 'Aditya Hridayam' about the Sun God or Surya Bhagavan known by other names Aaditya, Ravi, Savitr etc.

Found in the 107th Sarga (Chapter) of Yuddha Kanda in Valmiki Ramayana, the stotra is preached to Sri Rama by the Sage Agastya. When Sri Rama worries about killing Ravana due to the latter's occult powers (Maya Shakti) and about concluding the war, Sage Agastya comes to the war field and preaches this Guhyam (secret), Sanatanam (ancient), and Sarva Shatru Vinashakam (removal of all evils) stotra to Rama, asking him to recite the stotra thrice which helps Rama kill Ravana and conclude the war.

Commentaries :

Although, no separate commentary is available on this stotra of 31 stanzas, the commentaries written for Valmiki Ramayana viz., Kataka Vyakhyana, Tilaka Vyakhyana, Govindarajeeya Vyakhyana and Maheshwariya Vyakhyana have tried providing different spiritual dimensions for the stotra.

According to one commentary, the word Aaditya Hridayam means 'Aadityasya Hridayam' that which explains the nature of the Sun God in several Adhibhoutic, Adhidaivic and Adhyatmic forms.

The word 'Aditya' means the circular body of the Sun and 'Tasya hridayam' meaning the Brahman or the all-pervading Self, hidden within that globe, and therefore this Stotra is nothing but depicting the ultimate Brahman – says another commentary.

But Govindaraja opines that this "Aaditya Hridayam" doesn't exist in the original Ramayana written by the Sage Valmiki and must have been added later. He says, "this stotra is not available in some old manuscripts of Valmiki Ramayana. Udari whose commentary is said to be the oldest on Valmiki Ramayana has not mentioned this Stotra in his work. He says only 130 chapters exist in the Yuddha Kanda where as if this Stotra is considered as the 107th Chapter in it, the total is 131 ! Last but not the least, the Ramayana is all about praising Lord Sri Rama, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu but this stotra alone praises Sun God who is not an Amsha (incarnation) of the Lord Vishnu".

The Stotra form :

The Stotra begins from "ततो युद्धपरिश्रान्तं समरे चिन्तया स्थितम् । " and ends with "निशिचरपतिसंक्षयं विदित्वा सुरगणमध्यगतो वचस्त्वरेति ॥" that includes the preamble in terms of Agastya coming to the battle field and asking Sri Rama to listen to Aaditya Hridayam. Kataka in his commentary indicates that 125 names of Sun God are mentioned here beginning from "रश्मिमन्तं समुद्यन्तं" and ending with रविः प्रभुः" where as Maheshwara Teertha mentions of only 108 names starting from "सर्वदेवात्मको ह्येष" and ending with "लोकसाक्षिणे". Then the concluding part that consists of Phala Sruti is ended with the Sun God himself appearing in the sky and asking Sri Rama to "hurry up" and kill Ravana.

This stotra consists of some beautiful explanations of various attributes of Sun God such as तप्तचामीकराभ: ('Taptachamikarabha - one who has the luster of purified gold), सहस्रार्चिः (Sahasrarchi - having thousand cosmic rays), रश्मिभावनः (Rashmibhavana - who lightens up all the sentient and insentient beings through his rays of knowledge), गभस्तिमान् (Gabhastiman - who gives light to the entire earth) and also mentions his capacity as ऋतुकर्ता (Rtukarta - the creator of the seasons), दिवाकरः (Divakara - creator of day and night), पद्मप्रबोध: (Padmaprabodha - makes lotus flowers blossom in the early morning) and ब्रह्म (Brahma - maker of the universe).

The names explained in this stotra can also be seen as belonging to all the three Adhibhoutic, Adhidaivic and Adhyatmic natures of the Sun God.

Adhibhoutic :

For the modern, scientific mind, the names such as

खगः = the traverser in the heavens
गभस्तिमान् = illuminator of the entire earth and all directions
दिवाकरः = the maker of the day
तिमिरोन्मथनः = the dispeller of darkness
व्योमनाथः = the Lord of the firmament
तमोभेदी = dispeller of darkness.
आतपी = intensely absorbed
पूर्वाय गिरये = One who rises in the east
पश्चिमायाद्रये = sets in the west
तमोघ्नाय = One who dispels darkness
हिमघ्नाय = who triggers the melting of snow explain the physical form of the Sun and its activities.

Adhidaivic :

The Sun God, being one of the most ancient deities since the Vedic age is prayed and praised in many ways which are called as Savitr Sooktas and Soura Sooktas in Rig Veda. Some of the qualities mentioned there can also be seen in Aaditya Hridayam in the following words. Here the Sun God is said to be:

ब्रह्मा = The creator
विष्णुः = God of permeater
शिवः = The destroyer
स्कन्दः = God of secretion
प्रजापतिः = The lord of creation
महेन्द्रः = Devendra, lord of Devas
धनदः = Kubera (the lord of wealth)
कालः = In charge of time (Kala purusa)
यमः = Yama (God of death)
सोमः = Candra (Moon)
अपांपतिः = Varuna (Rain God)
पितरः = Lord of Reproduction (pitru Devas)
वसवः = The eight Vasus
साध्या = The twelve Sadhyas (In charge of manifestation)
अश्विनी = Two Asvini Kumars
मरुतः = Groups of Maruts (who vibrates)
मनुः = Vaivaswata manu
वायुः = Air
वह्निः = Fire

Adhyatmic :

From the Adhyatmic viewpoint, the simplest form of the Parabrahma Tattwa one can easily cognize in the name and form is the Sun God. Except that the Sun has a circular form (Mandala), all other qualities of him such as Self-luminous (Swatejas like Atman), all pervading (through his rays, Sarvavyapi like Brahman) and as witness for all that happens under his light but doesn't get involved himself (the Sakshi swarupa of Atman) help the Saadhaka (seeker) in realising the true nature of the ultimate reality with much less confusion. Such qualities of Sun or Aaditya are mentioned in few words in Aaditya Hridayam as shown below:

सर्वदेवात्मको ह्येष तेजस्वी रश्मिभावनः ।
एष देवासुरगणान् लोकान् पाति गभस्तिभिः ॥

He indeed represents the totality of all celestial beings. He is self-luminous and sustains all with his rays. He nourishes and energizes the inhabitants of all the worlds and the race of Devas and Asuras.

ब्रह्मेशानाच्युतेशः = The ultimate reality (Brahman or Atman) which governs even the trinities, Brahma, Shiva and Achyuta (Vishnu).
सूर्यायादित्यवर्चसे = powerful and to the effulgent Sun
भास्वते = the illuminator
सर्वभक्षाय = devourer of all
देवाय ज्योतिषांपतिः = Self effulgent, God for the lights
ऋग्यजुस्सामपारगः = One who has visualised the three Vedas Rig, Yaju and Sama or one who is the purport of all the three Vedas.

Rishi, Devata, Chandas :
``अस्य स्तोत्रस्य अगस्त्य ऋषिः अनुष्टुप्छ्न्दः, आदित्यहृदयभूतो भगवान् ब्रह्मा देवता''

Tradition insists that all the Upasana Stotras should be recited with due teachings from a Sadguru (Spiritual Master). Each such Stotra will have a Rishi (the original teacher), Devata (the intended deity of the Stotra) and Chandas (meter of the Stotra). According to the Tilaka Vyakhyana, the Rishi for this Stotra is Agastya, the deity being the Brahman who resides in the heart of Aditya Devata (Sun God) and enables him to provide light to the world, the Chandas or meter is Anushtup.

Relevance of Aaditya Hridayam :

The introduction of Aaditya Hridayam by the poet Valmiki assumes great significance in Ramayana in that it is the only such Stotra (spiritual recital) available in the entire Ramayana. And we may see reasoning in Valmiki introducing Agastya as the teacher of this stotra with the following story:

The Sage Agastya is said to have saved the world from the competition between the Sun God and Vindhya Mountain that wanted to grow above the height of the Sun and prevent him from providing light to the world. Hence we may deduce that it is he who knows the way of Aadityopasana, pleasing Sun God and also, if Rama recited this stotra taught by Agastya, the Sun God who has been favoured by Agastya once, is certain to bless Rama with mighty power to end Ravana !

The relevance of the Stotra can also be seen in the light of Ramayana representing the 24 letters of the famous Gayatri Mantra (hymn). The deity behind the Gayathri Mantra is none other than the Sun God himself. Sri Rama, the hero of the story also belongs to Surya Vamsha (Dynasty which worships Sun as their principal deity) and thus it can be concluded that the Aaditya Hridaya Stotra has all the reasons to be a part of the Ramayana.

Dharmaraja in the Mahabharata obtains Akshaya Patra by praying to the Sun God. Sage Yajnavalkya is said to have obtained Shukla Yajurveda after worshipping Sun God. Adityopasana is also included in the form of Arghyapradanam, Gayatri Japa, and Upasthana - the three main stages of Sandhyavandanam, one of the prominent Vedokta Nitya Karmas (daily ritual as prescribed by the Vedas).

Aaditya Hridayam has thus become one of the widely appreciated verses of the Sun God. Although this is widely used as a Upasana Stotra, it can be recited just as the Aruna Mantras chanted during Surya Namaskara that help in maintaining a healthy body. Traditionally, only men are supposed to chant the Veda Mantras. But women and all others irrespective of caste, creed can recite this Stotra to obtain the blessings of the Sun God.

References :

1. Aaditya Hridaya Stotra – by Aasthana Vidwan Sri Motaganahalli Subramanya Shastri – published by Sri Vidyanaganapathi Prakashana, Bangalore, 2nd Edition, 1991.

2. Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam – original sanskrit work with Commentaries by Tilaka, Maheshwara, Govidaraja.

3. Sri Valmiki Ramayana – Kannada translation by Vidwan N. Ranganatha Sharma, published by Ramayana Prakashana Samiti, N.R. Colony, Bangalore, 1st Edition, 1970.

4. Aruna Prashna – Kannada translation by Sri H.C. Ramaswamy, published by Sri Vidyanaganapathi Prakashana, Bangalore, 1st Edition, 2002.

5. Chaandogyopanishad – Kannada translation by Sri Sri Satchidanandendra Saraswati, Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya, Holenarsipur, 1st Edition, 1956.

6. Srimadbhagavadgita Bhashya - Kannada translation by Sri Sri Satchidanandendra Saraswati, Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya, Holenarsipur, 6th Edition, 1997.

7. Mahabharatam – Kannada traslation by Sri Sri Rangapriya Sricharana, published by Bharata Darshana, Bangalore, 1st Edition 1985.

8. Various English interpretations of Aaditya Hridayam from Internet.