Worship of Sun God has a very important place in spiritual and religious tradition and the example of this tradition is Aditya Hridaya Stotra. This is such a powerful stotra which was chanted by Lord Rama himself before his toughest battle. This stotra, mentioned in the battle sequence of ancient Valmiki Ramayana, is still considered the main means of achieving victory, mental balance and self-confidence in situations of crisis, stress and fear.
This hymn of glory to the Sun God, a symbol of new energy, hope and positivity, is not only said to give victory over enemies, but is also believed to provide freedom from worry and grief, health and longevity. Experts say that when adversity comes in life, be it the hardships of the battlefield or our everyday personal challenges, regular recitation of Aditya Hridaya Stotra can provide a man with inner strength, confidence and clear direction.
Verse 1
Then, tired of the battle, he stood in anxiety in battle.
Seeing Ravana in front of him approached him for battle
Meaning
During the Lanka war, Lord Shri Ram was very tired of continuously fighting. Seeing Ravana standing in front of him fully prepared for war, Lord Rama became momentarily worried. This shows that God incarnated in human form also understands the seriousness of the situation.
Verse 2
The gods came together and came to see the battle.
Then Lord Agastya approached Rama and addressed him as follows
Meaning:
Maharishi Agastya along with the gods came to the battlefield and went to Lord Rama and communicated with him. This is an indication that the gods were also looking towards this decisive war.
Verse 3
O Rama, O mighty-armed one, O mighty-armed one, please hear this eternal secret.
My dear son, you will win all the enemies of the enemy in battle.
Meaning:
Agastya Muni said – O mighty-armed Ram! I am telling you an eternal and mysterious mantra, with the effect of which you will definitely win over all the enemies in the war.
Verse 4
The heart of the sun is pious and destroys all enemies.
I am the one who brings victory and chants daily, inexhaustible and supremely auspicious.
Meaning:
This Aditya Hridaya Stotra is extremely sacred, destroys all enemies, brings victory and its chanting never goes in vain. It is beneficial and gives auspicious results.
Verse 5
It is auspicious for all auspiciousness and destroys all sins.
It relieves anxiety and sorrow and enhances the lifespan of life.
Meaning:
This stotra is an excellent means of increasing all kinds of auspiciousness, destroying sins, removing worries and sorrows and increasing lifespan and health.
Verse 6
The rays of the gods and demons were rising from the rays of the sun.
Worship Vivasvanta, the sun-god, the lord of the universe.
Meaning:
Hey Ram! Worship the Sun, the rising one, full of light, worshiped by gods and demons, the lord of the entire universe.
Verse 7
He is the most brilliant of all the gods and begetting rays.
He protects the worlds of the demigods and demons with his rays.
Meaning:
Surya is the form of all the gods. He is extremely bright and protects the gods, demons and all the worlds with his rays.
Verse 8
This is Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Skanda and Prajapati.
Mahendra is the giver of wealth, Kala is Yama, the moon is the lord of the waters.
Meaning:
Surya is the form of Brahma (creation), Vishnu (nurturing), Shiva (destruction), Skanda, Prajapati, Indra, Kuber, Kaal, Yama and Moon.
Verse 9
The forefathers, Vasus, Sādhyas, Aśvinī-kumāras, Maruts and Manus.
The wind, the fire, the creatures, the life-force, the seasons, and the light.
Meaning:
Surya is the controller of Pitras, Vasus, Sadhyas, Ashwinikumars, Maruts, Manu, Vayu, Agni, Prana and seasons.
Verse 10
The sun, the sun, the sun, the bird, the sun, the sun-god.
The sun is like gold and the sun is like gold.
Meaning:
Surya is called Aditya, Savita, Bhanu, Diwakar. His form is as bright as gold and full of energy.
Verse 11
Haridaśva, Sahasrarchi, Sapta, Saptir and Marīci were the sons of the Lord.
Lord Śambhu, the destroyer of darkness, Tvashta, Martandaka and Ashuman.
Meaning
The sun with seven horses destroys darkness and gives light to the entire world.
Verse 12
The sun is the golden embryo, the winter, the heat, the sun.
The son of Aditi was Agnigarbha and Shankha was the destroyer of winter.
Meaning
Surya himself is Hiranyagarbha, the destroyer of cold, the form of fire and the son of Aditi.
Verse 13
Vyomanatha is the source of darkness and the Ṛg, Yajur and Sāma is the source of all knowledge.
The rain of clouds is the friend of the waters and the streets of the Vindhyas float.
Meaning
He is the lord of the sky, the remover of ignorance and the knower of the Vedas.
Verse 14
The heat is the circle, the death is the pigon, the whole heat.
The learned world is the mighty and the reddish-brown of all beings.
Meaning
He is the one who warms everyone, the controller of death, the one of great splendor and the origin of the entire creation.
Verse 15
He is the lord of the stars, planets and stars, the creator of the universe.
O most effulgent one of the effulgence, O twelve souls, I offer my obeisances unto You.
Meaning:
Oh Sun God! You are the lord of the constellations, planets and stars. You are the nurturer of the entire world. You are the most brilliant among the bright ones and you have twelve forms. I salute you.
Verse 16
Obeisance to the eastern mountain, the mountain of the west.
O lord of the lights, I offer my obeisances to you.
Meaning:
Salutations to the mountains of the east, to the mountains of the west and to the Sun God, the lord of all groups of light. Oh lord of the day! Salute to you.
Verse 17
Obeisances to the victory, Jayabhadra, Haryaśva.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are the sun-god.
Meaning:
I salute him again and again to the one who brings victory, brings auspiciousness and whose chariot is harnessed by green horses. I salute Aditya with thousands of rays.
Verse 18
Obeisances to the fierce, brave, sārga, and to the sāṅgāya.
Obeisances to You, who are awakened by the lotus, who are tremendous.
Meaning:
O fierce, mighty and archer Sun God! Greetings to you. I pay my respects to the Sun who nourishes the lotus and is extremely fierce.
Verse 19
O Lord of the Brahmeshā, Lord of the infallible Lord, Suraya, the effulgence of the sun.
O shining one, all-eating, terrible body, I offer my respectful obeisances unto you.
Meaning:
You are also the bright form of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Even the gods have gods. Salutations to the Sun God who burns everything and assumes the fierce form.
Verse 20
The darkness-killer, the snow-killer, the enemy-killer, the immeasurable soul.
O Lord, You destroy the ungrateful, Lord of the lights.
Meaning:
Salutations to the Sun God who destroys darkness, vanquishes cold, destroys enemies, punishes the ungrateful and is the master of lights.
Verse 21
O Lord Viśvakarmā, You are the Lord of the universe.
Obeisances to You, who are the source of all darkness, who are the witness of the world.
Meaning:
Salutations to the Sun God, who shines like heated gold, the creator of the world, the destroyer of darkness and the witness of all the worlds.
Verse 22
This Lord destroys the past and creates Him.
He drinks it, and he is burning with the rays of the sun.
Meaning:
Only Sun God destroys darkness and creates light. He protects, He provides warmth and He causes rain with His rays.
Verse 23
This is the one who awakens when he is asleep.
This is also the Agnihotra and the fruits of the Agnihotri.
Meaning:
Suryadev maintains consciousness even in sleeping creatures and is present in all living beings. He also provides the Yagya and the results of the Yagya.
Verse 24
The demigods and sacrifices and the fruits of the sacrifices
The Supreme Lord is the Supreme Lord in all the worlds.
Meaning:
Suryadev is the supreme lord of all the gods, yagyas, results of yagyas and all the deeds done in the world.
Verse 25
They were in distress, difficulty, deserts and fears.
O descendant of the Raghus no one is depressed while chanting the mantra
Meaning:
Hey Raghav! A person who remembers Suryadev in a situation of crisis, difficulties, forest or fear, never becomes sad or defeated.
Verse 26
Worship him alone, the Lord of the universe, the Lord of the universe.
By chanting this threefold mantra you will be victorious in battles
Meaning:
Concentrate your mind and worship the Sun God, the Lord of Gods and Lord of the Universe. By chanting this stotra thrice you will surely win the battle.
Verse 27
At this moment, O mighty-armed one, you will give Ravana to Ravana.
Having said this Agastya then departed as he had come
Meaning:
O mighty-armed Ram! This very moment you will kill Ravana. Saying this, Maharishi Agastya left from there.
Verse 28
Hearing this, the mighty man was then lost in grief.
Rama the self-controlled Rama was very pleased and held it
Meaning:
Hearing this, Tejasvi Shri Ram’s grief ended and he became happy and recited this stotra with a pure heart.
Verse 29
He looked at the sun and chanted the mantra and attained supreme joy.
After performing three rituals, he was cleansed, and the mighty Lord took up his bow.
Meaning:
Shri Ram became extremely happy by chanting this stotra while looking towards the sun. He performed Achaman three times, became pure and picked up the bow.
Verse 30
Seeing Ravana delighted he came to victory
With great efforts he was surrounded by his killing.
Meaning:
Seeing Ravana in front of him, Shri Ram was filled with the feeling of victory and started killing him with full bravery.
Verse 31
Then the sun-god looked at Rama and spoke to him.
Knowing the destruction of the lord of the nights… ॥
Meaning:
Suryadev was pleased to see Ram and announced among the gods that Ravana’s end was certain.
