In Hindu religion, gods, demi-gods and asparas all represent an aspect of Universal nature which includes human consciousness. In the case of the Hindu Sun God, Surya we find the force of vital Universal energy that passes through the chakra system and results in karma.
Hindus say pranic energy is the subtle life giving force which allows us to flourish – or suffer. In yogic teaching, breathing through the right nostril is known as Surya Bhedan which increases physical energy and revitalizes the body.
As the Sun God, Surya also revitalizes the body. He is the combination of the 12 Adityas mentioned in the Rig Veda, all of whom have life giving and destructive qualities.
Surya is said to have 108 names which pins him as an Absolute God of existence, although he is only referred to by 23 names in the entire collection of Hindu myths. His other names are merely descriptive taglines for Hindus to relate to in affirmations.
In Hindu art, Surya is typically pictured driving a chariot with 12-wheeled spokes – representing the aspects of our personality in accordance with Vedic astrology – and driven by seven horses, representing the chakras.
If we look more closely and break down the symbolism associated with Surya in Hindu mythology, we can determine that he represents the pingala, the vital energy that presides over our male attributes.
The Sun God in Hindu Mythology
As the ultimate Sun God, Surya represents the vitality and life giving energy that we receive from the sun. This is a common trait of Sun Gods throughout all ancient cultures the world over.
The reason for this is because the symbolic principles of the sun reflect personality traits of man. These are broken down into the 12 prominent character traits we find in astrology.
In Hindu mythology, Surya is associated with the 12 Adityas. There are 12 Gods in the Greek pantheon, Jesus is followed by twelve disciples all of which represent an aspect of mankind that has to be mastered in order to become divine. Not all Christians know this, but Jesus is a Sun God, hence the bright yellow halo.
In Vedic astrology, Surya is given 12 attributes, all of which can be found in the Adityas, but also in the one God – because Hindus believe we are all essentially one consciousness.
This may explain why Surya is represented in Hindu art holding a lotus flower – a symbol of enlightenment and reference to the flower’s ability to blossom above the surface of the water despite the roots bogged in the mud below. At night the lotus closes into a bud and opens into a flower when it feels the light of the sun shining on it.
In ancient myth, Surya is depicted as volatile creature and is worshipped by devas and asuras which reflect his dual nature, positive energy and negative energy.
As the Universal vital energy pingala, Surya is seen as the dynamic force emitted by the flow of pranic energy that passes up the sushumna which wraps around the spine and passes through the chakras.
The female aspect of vital energy is the Ida, and in order to bring these energies into balance through right action, exercise, and correct breathing. Pingala is the right nostril and Ida is the left.
In Hindu myth, Surya’s wife Sanjina cannot come close to her husband because his rays are too bright. In one myth she transforms into a horse and hides in the forest, but Surya finds her and incarnates as a stallion.
Once Surya is reunited with his wife they mate and have a child – the creation of male and female energies. We see this concept of balance and creation highlighted regularly in ancient mythology and pictured by the sun and the moon.
Sun and moon symbolism in ancient myth
Ancient sages used the idea of celestial objects to reflect the inner workings of mankind – hence the hermetic principle “As above so below.” Essentially the macrocosm of the Universe is reflected in the microcosm of man – Mount Meru where the Gods reside.
Together with the 12 sun gods of the Adityas, Surya is also associated with the Navagrahas, the nine cosmic orbs the ancients were aware of; the sun, moon and seven planets.
But essentially the seven planets are the chakras and the sun and moon are the vital Universal energies known as pingala and ida, further known as nadis, which pass through the seven tier chakra system.
In another myth, Sanjana turns herself into a shadow called Chhaya. This legend makes sense when we consider the ancients believed the light of the moon was a reflection of the sun shining through it.
Given the ancient scribes chose Sanjana to become a shadow, we can determine that she represents the moon, thus is the vital female energy ida.
Modern science also gives us an example of light, and energy, passing through objects. When you shine light into a prism, or when reflecting off water, the seven colors of the rainbow appear.
Surya is also pictured with a rainbow over his head in Hindu art. The seven chakras have been given the same colors as the rainbow. Thus we see the idea of sunlight illuminating the planets, and the pranic energy passing through the chakras and leading to conscious awakening.
Chakras are energy centers where vital energy of the subtle body meet with consciousness – the higher Gods of the Hindu Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. In early Hindu myths, Surya was held in the same esteem as the Trimurti, but was given lesser important by the time of the Ramayana.
Hindu yogis continue to practice the ancient custom of practicing yoga and observing the passage of energy through the chakras to ensure they are in balance. Chakras that are closed or out of balance result in physical illness.
Modern science confirms this principle. The second law of dynamics observes that when an isolated system – the human body – is not in balance, the disorder results in disruption – illness, bad luck, struggle. Energy can manifest in many forms.
Hence we see the offspring of Surya, the Ashwin twins, Shani, who judges human behavior and Yama, the God of Death that decides the results of the judgement. This is the principle Hindus recognize as karma.
