108 Names of the Sun: Surya Ashtottara Shatanamavali #6



Om adityaya namaha, Salutations to the Sun who is who is the son of Aditi.


 

glossary
aditi San. F. ‘boundless infinity’ – a vedic goddess, the wife of Sage Kashyapa and mother of the seven, eight or twelve Āditya, sun-gods renowned for their moral grandeur. Aditi is known as the mother of the gods and was the mother of Vishnu in his incarnation as the dwarf Vāmana.
adityā — by Aditi SB 8.16.18, SB 8.17.11
āditya — the sun SB 6.3.14-15
aditiḥ — Aditi SB 6.6.24-26, SB 8.16.1, SB 8.17.1, SB 8.17.7, SB 8.17.21
aditiḥ — mother Aditi SB 8.18.11

Aditi is the primal goddess of the Hindu pantheon. She is one of the few goddesses mentioned in the Vedas. Aditi means the one who is unbound, unlimited and unfettered.

She is the personification of the sky and space in which reside all gods, from where Indra sends down his thunder bolt or fights with Vrata to release the waters or where one can see Aditya, the sun god, riding in his golden chariot yoked by seven ruddy horses, illuminating the the sky and the earth with his effulgence as he rides from east to west.

According to some legends, she personifies time. The Vedic hymns mention her frequently as the mother of gods and all creatures.

Although no hymns are directly addressed to Aditi, her popularity as the universal mother is evident from the copious references to her name in the hymns of the Rigveda and Yajurveda addressed to other gods such as Indra, Varuna, Adityas and Soma

Legends

Aditi, one of the hundred daughters of Daksha, is the wife of the sage Kashyapa and the mother of the Devas. Hence, the Devas are also called Adithyas. Her name means ‘un-binding’ or ‘liberation’. She is said to possess ear-rings of unsurpassed splendor. She is always jealous of her sister (and co-wife) Diti, the mother of the Asuras.

Once she incited her son Indra to cause the fetus of Diti to be split into seven pieces [Devi:4.3.18]. Diti cursed her, saying, “May seven sons be born to you. May you also suffer the grief of loss of your seven sons.” Diti was born as Devaki, the sister of Kamsa as a result of this curse. Her first seven children were killed by her brother, for it had been foretold that her eighth child would be the his slayer.

Aditi also is the mother of the Vamana Avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu.

 

 


Om adityaya namaha, Salutations to the Sun who is who is the son of Aditi.

 

Download 108 Names of Surya, the Sun

 

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