Surya (Sun) in Vedic Astrology — Meaning & Mantra

Significations (karakatva)

In Jyotisha the Sun (Surya or Ravi) is the atmakaraka by nature, the significator of the soul, vitality and the sense of self. Classical texts such as Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra make it the karaka of the father, the king and government, authority, fame, health and the eyes (especially the right eye), the heart and bones. It is a sattvic, fiery and masculine graha, and among the planets it is considered a mild malefic (krura) because of its heat. The Sun gains directional strength (dig bala) in the tenth house, the house of career and public standing, and it signifies leadership, administration, medicine, politics and service to the state. Gold, copper, wheat and the colour red are linked with it. A strong Sun is traditionally read as confidence, integrity and recognition; an afflicted Sun as ego conflicts, weak health or difficulties with authority.

Astronomy of Sun

Astronomically the Sun is a G-type main-sequence star about 1.39 million km across, roughly 109 times the diameter of the Earth, at an average distance of about 149.6 million km. Seen from the Earth it appears to move eastward along the ecliptic by roughly one degree a day, completing a circuit of the zodiac in one sidereal year of about 365.256 days. Its entry into each sidereal sign is a sankranti; Makara Sankranti in mid-January marks its entry into sidereal Capricorn. Because of the precession of the equinoxes, the sidereal (nirayana) and tropical (sayana) positions now differ by about 24°, the ayanamsa, which is why Indian sankrantis fall some three weeks after the corresponding tropical ingresses. The Sun's daily rising and setting define the Hindu day, which runs from sunrise to sunrise.

Mythology

Surya is one of the oldest Vedic deities; the Gayatri mantra is addressed to him as Savitar. He rides a chariot drawn by seven horses, driven by the charioteer Aruna. He is the son of the sage Kashyapa and Aditi, hence called Aditya. His consort Sanjna, unable to bear his brilliance, left her shadow Chhaya in her place; from Chhaya was born Shani, which explains the traditional enmity between the Sun and Saturn. Yama and Yamuna are also his children, and he is the father of Karna in the Mahabharata. Festivals such as Ratha Saptami, Makara Sankranti, Pongal and Chhath honour the Sun, and the Aditya Hridayam hymn taught to Rama by Agastya is one of the most widely recited Sun prayers.