Aditya Hrudayam Series – Week 33 (Shloka 28)

Aditya Hrudayam Series Week 33
Shloka Taatparyam Shloka 28

एतच्छ्रुत्वा महातेजा नष्टशोकोऽभवत्तदा। 
धारयामास सुप्रीतो राघवः प्रयतात्मवान्॥ 28॥

Etacchrutvā mahātejā naṣṭaśoko’bhavattadā। 
dhārayāmāsa suprīto rāghavaḥ prayatātmavān॥ 28 ॥

Meaning:

Having listened to this (Aditya Hrudayam), the brilliant Rama was freed of all worries. He was very pleased and took a delightful appearance and piously set out (to recite Agastya’s advise)

The remaining few verses (I think) are Valmiki’s narration of what happened after Sage Agastya left. In my opinion, he wrote these few verses to describe the scene after the prayer so that it appears complete to the readers. Here Valmiki is absolutely flawless and shows his versatility as a poet. He concludes the chapter on Aditya Hrudayam in itself but maintains the thrill of the story by saving the climax (outcome of the war) for the next chapter.

एत Etat – this
च्छ्रुत्वा chrutvā – after listening
महातेजा mahātejā – brilliant, splendid
नष्ट naṣṭa – lost
शोको śoko – worries, sorrows
भवत्तदा bhavattadā – became
धारयामास dhārayāmāsa – wore
सुप्रीतो suprīto – pleased
राघवः rāghavaḥ – Raaghava (refers to Rama)
प्रयतात्मवान् prayatātmavān – intended, piously disposed

Aditya Hrudayam Series – Week 32 (Shloka 27)

Aditya Hrudayam Series Week 32
Shloka Taatparyam Shloka 27

फलश्रुतिः/ Phalashruti:

अस्मिन् क्षणे महाबाहो रावणं त्वं वधिष्यसि।
एवमुक्त्वा ततोगस्त्यो जगाम च यथागतम्॥ 27 ॥

Asmin kṣaṇe mahābāho rāvaṇaṃ tvaṃ vadhiṣyasi।
evamuktvā tatogastyo jagāma ca yathāgatam॥ 27 ॥

Meaning:

O mighty armed (Rama), at this very moment in time you will slay Ravana (also the Ravanas in our minds). After speaking thus (predicting Rama’s victory over Ravana), sage Agastya left tracing his steps back in the same manner as he arrived.

Summing up all the phala shruthis, chanting Aditya Hrudayam destroys enemies, ensures victory, invites success, keeps us in bliss, gives prosperity, auspiciousness, destroys all sins, sorrows, worries, confers longevity and good health, will help overcome threats and dangers to mind and body.

Scientifically, sun boosts mood and metabolism. It helps keep a positive attitude. It is true that attitude is every thing in life. We are what our minds think. If what we think is positive, it will reflect in our thoughts, intentions, words, actions and hence the results will also be positive and life will be successful.

Spiritually, according to Hindu philosophy all things in this world, living and non-living, have three basic attributes.

1.Sattva (state of contentment)
intelligence/constructive/balance/clarity/inspiration/bliss

2. Rajas (state of ebb and flow)
materiality/chaos/change/agitation/attachment/anxiety

3.Tamas (state of hollowness)
ignorance/destructive/inertia/lethargy/obstruction/depression

Of the three attributes, the one that brings sustained success is Sattva. Success is primarily an outcome of state of harmony and balance. The resources and circumstances (whether favorable or unfavorable) are tangential and immaterial.

It is my opinion that controlling the mind by keeping a state of balance and harmony is key to success in life. Aditya Hrudayam and sun worship help us precisely with that. It is the absolute truth and no maya or mantra.

अस्मिन् Asmin – at this very
क्षणे kṣaṇe – moment in time
महाबाहो mahābāho – strong arms (addressing Rama)
रावणं rāvaṇaṃ – Ravana
त्वं tvaṃ – you
वधिष्यसि vadhiṣyasi – will kill, slay
एवम् evam – thus
उक्त्वा uktvā – speaking
ततो tadā – then
अगस्त्यो āgastyo – sage Agastya
जगाम jagāma – left, returned
ca – and, also 
यथागतम् yathāgatam – retraced in the same manner

Aditya Hrudayam Series – Week 31 (Shloka 26)

Aditya Hrudayam Series Week 31
Shloka Taatparyam Shloka 26

फलश्रुतिः/ Phalashruti:

पूजयस्वैनमेकाग्रो देवदेवं जगत्पतिम्। 
एतत् त्रिगुणितं जप्त्वा युद्धेषु विजयिष्यसि॥ 26 ॥

Pūjayasvainamekāgro devadevaṃ jagatpatim । 
etat triguṇitaṃ japtvā yuddheṣu vijayiṣyasi ॥ 26 ॥

Meaning: (as addressed by Agastya to Rama)

“If you worship this lord of all other Gods, the master of this universe with a concentrated mind and recite this hymn three times you will emerge victorious in this battle”.

Even though sage Agastya addresses this to lord Rama, the real audience for this critical take home message, in my opinion, is us.

The underlying metaphorical meaning (as addressed to us)

If we chant this shloka with a concentrated mind and pure body and worship sun regularly, we will also defeat the ten headed demon (all the negativities in our mind) and emerge victorious in the battle (of life), every single time.

The above narrative in Ramayana shows how Aditya Hrudayam and sun worship manifests with enormous potency instantaneously in Rama. Similarly, regular sun worship over time will manifest as power and attitude in our mind and body to trounce any physical or emotional adversity.

It is repeatedly reiterated throughout this shloka that lord Surya drives away the darkness from the Cosmos. Similarly, He is the most powerful force who can drive out the darkness residing in our minds. There is no doubt that Aditya Hrudayam will synchronize the mind, body and intellect to achieve the benefits listed in phala shruthi.

पूजयस्व Pūjayasva – worship
एनम् enam – Him
एकाग्रो ekāgro – with unified or concentrated mind
देवदेवं devadevaṃ – God of all other Gods
जगत्पतिम् jagatpatim – master of this universe
एतत् etat – this
त्रिगुणितं triguṇitaṃ – times three (gunitam is to multiply)
जप्त्वा japtvā – repeating the chant (japa is to repeat)
युद्धेषु yuddheṣu – in the battle
विजयिष्यसि vijayiṣyasi – you will emerge victoriou

Aditya Hrudayam Series – Week 30 (Shloka 25)

Aditya Hrudayam Series Week 30
Shloka Taatparyam Shloka 25

फलश्रुतिः/ Phalashruti:

एनमापत्सु कृच्छ्रेषु कान्तारेषु भयेषु च। 
कीर्तयन् पुरुषः कश्चिन्नावसीदति राघव॥ 25 ॥

Enamāpatsu kṛcchreṣu kāntāreṣu bhayeṣu ca ।
kīrtayan puruṣaḥ kaścinnāvasīdati rāghava ॥ 25 ॥

Meaning:

O Raaghava, however hopeless the situation may be, however huge the calamity or hardship may be, even if left lonely in a dangerous forest or when scared or nervous, any man who sings (His glories in) this prayer is not let down (to sink).

The essence of this shloka is that anyone who chants this prayer will overcome any kind of physical or emotional threat or danger. It can be interpreted both scientifically and spiritually. And, it makes sense both ways. To explain this further, I will have to circle back to the very beginning.

We all know Aditya Hrudayam is a prayer hymn addressed by the Sage Agastya to Lord Rama who was over-whelmed in the battle against demon king Ravana. Interpreted figuratively, Rama represents our soul and the ten-headed Ravana represents the ego and all the negativities that reside in minds. Many times in life there is a constant battle in our minds to overcome these negative forces. When facing such battles the soul loses hope, is very scared and fears defeat. The mind is depressed and turns negative. Sun god is Pratyaksha devata (one who we can see with our eyes) and the one who watches over us at all times. He is full of positive energy and praying to Him will help us overcome all the worries and anxieties in the mind and regain the lost confidence and strength required to trounce the situation.

Scientifically the link lies in the ‘third eye’ the pineal gland. Pineal gland is the gateway to higher consciousness. It is very critical to physical and mental health. When activated, it causes an inner awakening and provides the clarity of thoughts and vision beyond ordinary. And, the way to awaken the pineal gland is to do sun gazing and worship at dawn. Dawn is the time when there is a shift in energy, when earth’s magnetic field is charged. Gazing the sun and chanting the shloka activates the mind. Doing sun salutations (yoga inversions) increases the blood flow to the head. Therefore starting the day with that routine provides us the mental and physical energy to overcome any adversity.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness. We need light to drive out darkness. Lord Surya is luminous and dispels darkness from the cosmos. His (intellectually) positive energy drives out the darkness from our minds.

एनम Enam – (by praising) Him
आपत्सु āpatsu – in distress
कृच्छ्रेषु kṛcchreṣu – in hardship
कान्तारेषु kāntāreṣu – in wilderness, Forest
भयेषु bhayeṣu – in fear, anxiety
ca – and
कीर्तयन् kīrtayan – sing, chant prayer or glories
पुरुषः puruṣaḥ – man
कश्चिन् kaścin – any
na – not
अवसीदति avasīdati – let down, sink 
राघव rāghava – Raaghava