The Sun: The Radiant Soul Of The Cosmos

The king of all planets, known as Surya in Vedic terminology, has its roots in the existence of the cosmos. All manifestation that you see around you is because of the Sun. It is the primeval source of energy through which every other celestial body is able to manifest its own result.

In our life, it represents the soul, clarity, our vision, and spirituality. It is the guiding light providing optimism and travels through 12 zodiac signs in 12 months. It has lordship over the sign Leo, which represents noble and royal energy. In terms of relation, it represents our father, spiritual force, and divinity that come from the contact with humans we build in our life. It exalts in the sign of Aries, debilitates in Libra, and its nakshatras—Krittika, Uttara Phalguni, and Uttara Aashaadha—span over different zodiacs to manifest various aspects of life in their own way.

The Sun is also called Aditya, the son of Aditi, who are a group of 12 solar deities, and drives a chariot with 7 horses. These numbers have symbolic meaning, where 7 is considered the mystical number of manifestation and perfection. Its element is Agni, the spiritual fire through which all dharmic activities are done.

One who has a strong Sun has strong immunity and health and rarely gets ill, where the healing power of Surya, through its exaltation in Ashwini nakshatra of healers, provides the power to self-heal.

In ancient Egypt, the most prominent Sun god, Ra, was the king of the gods and the creator. He journeyed across the sky in a solar barque during the day and through the underworld at night, battling the serpent Apophis. He was often depicted as a falcon-headed man with a sun disk on his head. In Greek mythology, the original personification of the Sun, Helios, drove a golden chariot pulled by fiery horses across the sky each day. Later associated with the Sun and light, often called "Phoebus Apollo" (radiant Apollo), he was also the god of music, poetry, and healing. To strengthen the power of the Sun, one should chant Shri Aditya Hridaya Stotram.