The Threefold Vedic Power Within the Sun

Verse 1 (vishnu.2.11.1)

मैत्रेय उवाच । यद् एतद् भगवान् आह गणः सप्तविधो रवेः । मण्डले हिमतापादेः कारणं तन् मया श्रुतम्

maitreya uvāca yad etad bhagavān āha gaṇaḥ saptavidho raveḥ maṇḍale himatāpādeḥ kāraṇaṁ tan mayā śrutam

Maitreya said: What you, the venerable one, have told — that this sevenfold company in the sun's orb is the cause of cold, heat, and the rest — this I have heard.

Verse 2 (vishnu.2.11.2)

व्यापाराश् चापि कथिता गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम् । ऋषीणां वालखिल्यानां तथैवाप्सरसां गुरो

vyāpārāś cāpi kathitā gandharvoragarakṣasām ṛṣīṇāṁ vālakhilyānāṁ tathaivāpsarasāṁ guro

You have told me the functions of the gandharvas, the uragas, and the rakshasas, of the sages, of the Valakhilyas, and likewise of the apsarases, O guru,

Verse 3 (vishnu.2.11.3)

यक्षाणां च रथे भानोर् विष्णुशक्तिधृतात्मनाम् । किं त्वादित्यस्य यत् कर्म तन् नात्रोक्तं त्वया मुने

yakṣāṇāṁ ca rathe bhānor viṣṇuśaktidhṛtātmanām kiṁ tvādityasya yat karma tan nātroktaṁ tvayā mune

and of the yakshas too, whose very selves are held by Vishnu's power, in the sun's chariot — but the function of Aditya, the sun himself, you have not told here, O sage.

Verse 4 (vishnu.2.11.4)

यदि सप्तगणो वारि हिमम् उष्णं च वर्षति । तत् किम् अत्र रवेर् येन वृष्टिः सूर्याद् इतीर्यते

yadi saptagaṇo vāri himam uṣṇaṁ ca varṣati tat kim atra raver yena vṛṣṭiḥ sūryād itīryate

If it is that sevenfold company which rains water, cold, and heat, then what part does the sun himself play in it, that it is said that rain comes from the sun?

Verse 5 (vishnu.2.11.5)

विवस्वान् उदितो मध्ये यात्य् अस्तम् इति किं जनः । ब्रवीत्य् एतत् समं कर्म यदि सप्तगणस्य तत्

vivasvān udito madhye yāty astam iti kiṁ janaḥ bravīty etat samaṁ karma yadi saptagaṇasya tat

When people say 'Vivasvat has risen,' 'he goes to the midpoint,' 'he sets' — is this action too equally that of the sevenfold company?

Verse 6 (vishnu.2.11.6)

पराशर उवाच । मैत्रेय श्रूयताम् एतद् यद् भवान् परिपृच्छति । यथा सप्तगणेऽप्य् एकः प्राधान्येनाधिको रविः

parāśara uvāca maitreya śrūyatām etad yad bhavān paripṛcchati yathā saptagaṇe'py ekaḥ prādhānyenādhiko raviḥ

Parashara said: Maitreya, hear this, what you ask; just as, even among that sevenfold company, the sun alone is preeminent, superior in importance,

Verse 7 (vishnu.2.11.7)

या तु शक्तिः परा विष्णोर् ऋग्यजुःसामसंज्ञिता । सैषा त्रयी तपत्य् अंहो जगतश् च हिनस्ति यत्

yā tu śaktiḥ parā viṣṇor ṛgyajuḥsāmasaṁjñitā saiṣā trayī tapaty aṁho jagataś ca hinasti yat

so too that supreme power of Vishnu, known by the names Rig, Yajus, and Sama — that Trayi (triple Veda) burns away and destroys the world's sin.

Verse 8 (vishnu.2.11.8)

सैष विष्णुः स्थितः स्थित्यां जगतः पालनोद्यतः । ऋग्यजुःसामभूतोऽन्तः सवितुर् द्विज तिष्ठति

saiṣa viṣṇuḥ sthitaḥ sthityāṁ jagataḥ pālanodyataḥ ṛgyajuḥsāmabhūto'ntaḥ savitur dvija tiṣṭhati

This same Vishnu, established in the state of preservation, intent upon protecting the world, O twice-born, abides within the sun in the form of Rig, Yajus, and Sama.

Verse 9 (vishnu.2.11.9)

मासि मासि रविर् यो यस् तत्र तत्र हि सा परा । त्रयीमयी विष्णुशक्तिर् अवस्थानं करोति वै

māsi māsi ravir yo yas tatra tatra hi sā parā trayīmayī viṣṇuśaktir avasthānaṁ karoti vai

In every month, in whichever sun presides there, that very supreme power of Vishnu, consisting of the triple Veda, takes up its abode.

Verse 10 (vishnu.2.11.10)

ऋचस् तपन्ति पूर्वाह्णे मध्याह्ने च यजूंष्य् अथ । बृहद्रथन्तरादीनि सामान्य् अह्नः क्षये रवौ

ṛcas tapanti pūrvāhṇe madhyāhne ca yajūṁṣy atha bṛhadrathantarādīni sāmāny ahnaḥ kṣaye ravau

In the forenoon the Rig verses burn, at midday the Yajus, and at the close of the day the Sama chants, beginning with Brihat and Rathantara, burn in the sun.

Verse 11 (vishnu.2.11.11)

अंश एषा त्रयी विष्णोर् ऋग्यजुःसामसंज्ञिता । विष्णुशक्तिर् अवस्थानं सदादित्ये करोति सा

aṁśa eṣā trayī viṣṇor ṛgyajuḥsāmasaṁjñitā viṣṇuśaktir avasthānaṁ sadāditye karoti sā

This Trayi called Rig, Yajus, and Sama is itself a portion of Vishnu; that power of Vishnu ever takes up its abode in the sun alone.

Verse 12 (vishnu.2.11.12)

न केवलं रवेः शक्तिर् वैष्णवी सा त्रयीमयी । ब्रह्माथ पुरुषो रुद्रस् त्रयम् एतत् त्रयीमयम्

na kevalaṁ raveḥ śaktir vaiṣṇavī sā trayīmayī brahmātha puruṣo rudras trayam etat trayīmayam

This triple-Veda power of the sun is not the only Vaishnava power — Brahma, Purusha, and Rudra, this triad too is of the nature of the triple Veda.

Verse 13 (vishnu.2.11.13)

सर्गादौ ऋङ्मयो ब्रह्मा स्थितौ विष्णुर् यजुर्मयः । रुद्रः साममयोऽन्ताय तस्मात् तस्याशुचिर् ध्वनिः

sargādau ṛṅmayo brahmā sthitau viṣṇur yajurmayaḥ rudraḥ sāmamayo'ntāya tasmāt tasyāśucir dhvaniḥ

At the beginning of creation, Brahma consists of the Rig; in preservation, Vishnu consists of the Yajus; and at the end, Rudra consists of the Sama — therefore his sound is inauspicious.

Verse 14 (vishnu.2.11.14)

एवं सा सात्त्विकी शक्तिर् वैष्णवी या त्रयीमयी । आत्मसप्तगणस्थं तं भास्वन्तम् अधितिष्ठति

evaṁ sā sāttvikī śaktir vaiṣṇavī yā trayīmayī ātmasaptagaṇasthaṁ taṁ bhāsvantam adhitiṣṭhati

Thus that sattvika Vaishnava power, consisting of the triple Veda, presides over that radiant sun, who himself is situated within the sevenfold company.

Verse 15 (vishnu.2.11.15)

तया चाधिष्ठितः सोऽपि जाज्वलीति स्वरश्मिभिः । तमः समस्तजगतां नाशं नयति चाखिलम्

tayā cādhiṣṭhitaḥ so'pi jājvalīti svaraśmibhiḥ tamaḥ samastajagatāṁ nāśaṁ nayati cākhilam

Presided over by that power, he too blazes forth with his own rays, and brings about the destruction of all the darkness of all the worlds.

Verse 16 (vishnu.2.11.16)

स्तुवन्ति तं वै मुनयो गन्धर्वैर् गीयते पुरः । नृत्यन्त्य् अप्सरसो यान्ति तस्य चानु निशाचराः

stuvanti taṁ vai munayo gandharvair gīyate puraḥ nṛtyanty apsaraso yānti tasya cānu niśācarāḥ

The sages praise him; the gandharvas sing before him; the apsarases dance; and the night-wanderers go along behind him;

Verse 17 (vishnu.2.11.17)

वहन्ति पन्नगा यक्षैः क्रियतेऽभीषुसंग्रहः । वालखिल्यास् तथैवैनं परिवार्य समासते

vahanti pannagā yakṣaiḥ kriyate'bhīṣusaṁgrahaḥ vālakhilyās tathaivainaṁ parivārya samāsate

the serpents draw the chariot together with the yakshas, the gathering of the reins is performed, and the Valakhilya sages likewise surround him and sit close about.

Verse 18 (vishnu.2.11.18)

नोदेता नास्तमेता च कदाचिच् छक्तिरूपधृक् । विष्णुर् विष्णोः पृथक् तस्य गणः सप्तविधोऽप्य् अयम्

nodetā nāstametā ca kadācic chaktirūpadhṛk viṣṇur viṣṇoḥ pṛthak tasya gaṇaḥ saptavidho'py ayam

In his true power-form, he never rises nor ever sets — he is Vishnu himself, distinct from other manifest forms of Vishnu; this sevenfold company too is but his own form.

Verse 19 (vishnu.2.11.19)

स्तम्भस्थदर्पणस्यैति योऽयम् आसन्नतां नरः । छायादर्शनसंयोगं स संप्राप्नोत्य् अथात्मनः

stambhasthadarpaṇasyaiti yo'yam āsannatāṁ naraḥ chāyādarśanasaṁyogaṁ sa saṁprāpnoty athātmanaḥ

As a man who approaches a mirror fixed upon a pillar attains only the sight of his own reflection there, without the mirror itself moving —

Verse 20 (vishnu.2.11.20)

एवं सा वैष्णवी शक्तिर् नैवापैति ततो द्विज । मासानुमासं भास्वन्तम् अध्यास्ते तत्र संस्थितम्

evaṁ sā vaiṣṇavī śaktir naivāpaiti tato dvija māsānumāsaṁ bhāsvantam adhyāste tatra saṁsthitam

so too, O twice-born, that power of Vishnu never departs from its place; month after month, remaining fixed there, it presides over the radiant sun.

Verse 21 (vishnu.2.11.21)

पितृदेवमनुष्यादीन् स सदाप्याययन् प्रभुः । परिवर्तत्य् अहोरात्रकारणं सविता द्विज

pitṛdevamanuṣyādīn sa sadāpyāyayan prabhuḥ parivartaty ahorātrakāraṇaṁ savitā dvija

That Lord, ever nourishing the ancestors, gods, men, and the rest, O twice-born, revolves, being the cause of day and night.

Verse 22 (vishnu.2.11.22)

सूर्यरश्मिः सुषुम्णो यस् तर्पितस् तेन चन्द्रमाः । कृष्णपक्षेऽमरैः शश्वत् पीयते वै सुधामयः

sūryaraśmiḥ suṣumṇo yas tarpitas tena candramāḥ kṛṣṇapakṣe'maraiḥ śaśvat pīyate vai sudhāmayaḥ

The sun's ray named Sushumna, being satiated, nourishes the moon; in the dark fortnight, that nectar-filled moon is continually drunk by the gods.

Verse 23 (vishnu.2.11.23)

पीतं तं द्विकलं सोमं कृष्णपक्षक्षये द्विज । पिबन्ति पितरस् तेषां भास्करात् तर्पणं तथा

pītaṁ taṁ dvikalaṁ somaṁ kṛṣṇapakṣakṣaye dvija pibanti pitaras teṣāṁ bhāskarāt tarpaṇaṁ tathā

O twice-born, at the waning of the dark fortnight, when only two digits remain, the ancestors drink that Soma, and thus receive their satisfaction from the sun.

Verse 24 (vishnu.2.11.24)

आदत्ते रश्मिभिर् यं तु क्षितिसंस्थं रसं रविः । तम् उत्सृजति भूतानां पुष्ट्यर्थं सस्यवृद्धये

ādatte raśmibhir yaṁ tu kṣitisaṁsthaṁ rasaṁ raviḥ tam utsṛjati bhūtānāṁ puṣṭyarthaṁ sasyavṛddhaye

That essence residing in the earth which the sun draws up with his rays, he releases again for the nourishment of beings and the growth of crops.

Verse 25 (vishnu.2.11.25)

तेन प्रीणात्य् अशेषाणि भूतानि भगवान् रविः । पितृदेवमनुष्यादीन् एवम् आप्याययत्य् असौ

tena prīṇāty aśeṣāṇi bhūtāni bhagavān raviḥ pitṛdevamanuṣyādīn evam āpyāyayaty asau

Thus Lord Sun gratifies all beings without exception; in this way he nourishes the ancestors, gods, men, and all the rest.

Verse 26 (vishnu.2.11.26)

पक्षतृप्तिं तु देवानां पितॄणां चैव मासिकीम् । शश्वत् तृप्तिं च मर्त्यानां मैत्रेयार्कः प्रयच्छति

pakṣatṛptiṁ tu devānāṁ pitṝṇāṁ caiva māsikīm śaśvat tṛptiṁ ca martyānāṁ maitreyārkaḥ prayacchati

O Maitreya, the sun grants fortnightly satisfaction to the gods, monthly satisfaction to the ancestors, and continual satisfaction to mortals.