SURYA AND SUN CULT: In Indian Art, Literature and Thought

Ever since the creation of the universe, the sun has been illumining it and has impressed not only the human race but also all other creatures. His name occurs in the records of the Kassites and Mitanni but in the Indian context, he enjoys an important position in the Vedic as well as the post-Vedic literature. In the epics some of the rulers like Dasaratha, Rama and others claimed their origin to the Sun. The Buddhist and Jain literature too provided him an important place in their respective religious treatises. In the Puranas however, he became a an important cult- god and not only regular system of his worship is found prescribed therein, but also his images were required to be lodged in exclusive shrines dedicated to the deity. The Epics and the Puranic texts present Surya in human form and also define the family of Surya as well his progeny. The wife of Surya is described as Sanjna (or awakening), daughter of Visvakarman, besides Chaya (shadowy; and Revanta and Sani as his sons. Surya is also conceived as a great healer and quite generous to his devotees. He is the prominent leader of the entire solar system and the Navagrahas, the panels of which are frequently found in the Brahmanical shrines. He is also believed to be the controller of time, and the maker of days and nights. The twelve Adityas are supposed to represent the twelve months of the year. The present work aims at providing glimpses of the various aspect of the Sun- god and the different angles from which he has been viewed by the ancient sages, the artists, the thinkers besides those involved in the study of the sciences of astrology, astronomy and the connected subjects.