108 Names of the Sun: Surya Ashtottara Shatanamavali #14



Om Ijyaya Namaha, Salutations to the One who is the object of all worship; who is revered, honoured and the receiver of all sacrifices and offerings.


 

ijyā—worship San. m.
ijyā—of worshiping San. m.
ijyā—worshiping ; one who is worthy of honour;
ijya to be revered or honoured; a teacher, a deity, a god

Ijyaya means the instrumental form of Ijya – receiver of sacrifices, religious rites, object or deity of religious ceremony. In the 1008 Names of Vishnu, this title translates as “He who is the only object of all worship”, meaning all forms are forms of Vishnu, whatever the name, form, function, etc. Adi Sankara told, “Holy sacrifices to divinities or pitrs (ancestors, parents) are verily adoration of Vishnu himself.” So we understand that worship of the Sun is worship of the Divine, and all worship proceeds to Vishnu.

Om Ijyaya Namaha is understood as the Sun is the only object worthy of worship. This may be important where the Sun as a malefic is afflicting a sign, a house or another planet by drishti, sight (7th aspect). However, there is more: the Sun is a graha, a planet as well as deity at the same time, Surya, suryanarayana, inner form of divinity within all. Mindful that the planets exist within the human form (sareera) we know that planets affect the mind and body but not the soul. So the impressions, the carry-forward of the mind which accompanies the Soul is shaped and formed by the vasanas (mental impressions) of the new body.

The Sun governs copper, gold, brass, valuables, father, heart (the organ), vitality, anything auspicious, the soul, fame, glory, courage, victory, government and quasi-government service, the season by name Summer, Lord Siva, forests, mountaineering, participation in Homas and Yagnas, temples, physician, king, officiating priest at a sacrifice, minister, tiger, deer and goose, royal patronage, half-a-year, eyes, roaming, timber, head ailments, stones, public activity, river banks, ruby, capturing the enemy, thick cord, saffron, hostility, anger that does not cool down easily, palatial buildings and apartments.

We see that the Sun governs various metals, organs in the body, the soul itself, and the strongest aspects of human charager, courage, glory and victory. The Sun also governs different forms of worship as well as the officiating priest at worship or a sacrifice. In this light we understand that the significations and characteristics of the Sun are what renders it worthy of being the object of all worship. Like Lord Vishnu, the Sun is the sacrifice, the sacrificer and the receiver of the act of sacrifice.

The people of Bharath (India) are intimately associated with the Sun-god. The heroes of Bharath, the Kshathriyas (warriors), are from the beginning attached to Surya; even for ordinary men and women, Surya is so highly sacred that He has been raised to the status of the great Guru. The sacred scriptures and legends of India have not assigned a status of similar glory to any one else. It is a unique position that Surya occupies. Why, for the whole world, the sun is the visible manifestation of the Lord. And the sun is the source of time. Surya is the father of time (Kala) as the Sastras declare. The sun limits and regulates the number of years each one lives; the sun diminishes every day a fraction of the allotted span. So the sun is the supreme arbiter, the maker of man’s destiny. Whether one wills or not, every deed of his is performed under His auspices and dedicated to Him. (GV)

 


Om Ijyaya Namaha – salutations to the One who is the object, the receiver of all worship

 

Download 108 Names of Surya, the Sun

 

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