Aditya Hrudayam Series Week 19
Shloka Taatparyam Shloka 14
आतपी मण्डली मृत्युः पिङ्गलः सर्वतापनः।
कविर्विश्वो महातेजाः रक्तः सर्वभवोद्भवः॥ 14 ॥
Atapī maṇḍalī mṛtyuḥ piṅgalaḥ sarvatāpanaḥ
kavirviśvo mahātejāḥ raktaḥ sarvabhavodbhavaḥ ॥ 14 ॥
Lord Surya encompasses a full spectrum of creative and destructive powers within himself. Just as how he can power life on this earth, he also has a fierce side that can scorch and burn everything down to ashes. In other words, this shloka hints at climate change – heat waves, wild fires, death and destruction. It reminds us of the aggressive side of his nature and cautions us to be fearful and respectful of his formidable power.
Meaning:
He radiates a lot of heat when he is shining
He is circular in shape. (combined together it can also be interpreted that his orbit is full of heat)
When he is aggressive he is devastating and can cause death.
This makes perfect sense. Every year we hear about people all over the world dying due to intense heat waves. For example, in India month of May is the peak summer time and referred to as ‘Agni Nakshatram’. This is the one-month period when the heat is intense. All schools and colleges are closed. Marriages and other functions are generally not performed during this time. Too much heat can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion and in extreme cases death.
(At such times) He is tawny (reddish brown) in color (see attach)
He can torment all creatures with his intense energy and burn everything to ashes.
(Note: This also makes perfect sense. Living here in CA, we need not look any farther for wild fires. Although some of them are due to human activities such as arson, here the reference is to sun related reasons such as heat waves, draught and dry vegetation leading to wild fires.)
He is gifted with insight (the poet) and reigns the entire universe
He has fierce temper when he is intense.
At such times he glows Red in color.
(Note:This is the part of the shloka I love the most. Can the sun glow Red? Yes it can. When ? During the wild fires early this year we saw sun glow in a orange/reddish orange color for several days. When particles, such as smoke or dust, fill the atmosphere, the longer wavelengths of light — which look red — scatter more effectively. Hence he appears Red. Check out this link https://earthsky.org/ear…/red-sun-uk-oct-2017-sahara-ophelia
His energy gives rise to the entire worldly existence.
आतपी – radiates heat
मण्डली – circle, orbit
मृत्युः – death
पिङ्गलः – reddish-brown (tawny)
सर्व – all
तापनः – burn , traumatise, miserable
कवि – poet gifted with insight
र्विश्वो – universe
महातेजाः – full of intense/fierce energy
रक्तः – Red (with anger)
सर्व – all
भवोद्भवः भव+उुद्भवः – generate worldly existence
