We are in the peak of summer in the Indian sub-continent and it seems to just get hotter and hotter with every passing day! Memes on India being closer to the Sun than rest of the world are doing rounds!
Well, think before you curse the Sun, because “He” (in Hinduism, the Sun is a “Person”) is our main source of energy, and without Him, no life can remain alive on the Earth.
For our ancestors, the Sun was perhaps the only permanent feature in their ever-changing surroundings. Trees & Shrubs, Mountains, Rivers & Seas, Animals & Birds, Clouds & Rains and even their companions were undergoing some change or the other – growing and dying, coming and going, ebbing and flowing, and so on. But the Sun was always up there in the Sky every day– no matter what.
Hence, it is no wonder that the Sun occupies a very important position in the Vedic Scriptures.
He is one of the off-springs of the Primeval Mother Goddess Aditi.
He is a स्थितप्रज्ञः / Sthitapradnya – firm, steady, unwavering and wise.
He is a कर्मयोगी / KarmaYogi – He keeps on doing his duty relentlessly without expecting anything in return.
He is a द्रष्टा (Drashta / Observer) and a साक्षी (Sakshi / Witness) – from his position, he only observes and witnesses what goes on in the Universe; does not participate in it.
He is known and worshipped by many names – रविः, भास्करः, आदित्यः, अर्कः, सूर्यः – to name a few.
One of the Solar Deities in the Vedic Scriptures is the सवितृ / Savitr – meaning “the Vivifier” - One who invigorates, rouses, strengthens, and refreshes.
There is a मन्त्रः / Mantra in the ऋग्वेदः / Rigveda dedicated to this Solar Deity सवितृ / Savitr that is popularly known as the गायत्री मन्त्रः / Gayatri Mantra.
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्।
It means -
ॐ भूः भुवः स्वः Salutations to the Earth, the Sky and the Heaven
तत् सवितुः वरेण्यम् The Savitr (Solar deity) is worthy of being the greatest.
भर्गः देवस्य धीमहि May we meditate upon the splendour of (this) God
धियः यः नः प्रचोदयात् who shall rouse our intellect.
This mantra is considered to be very potent for,
A, the combination of sounds and syllables are very powerful and
B, it’s chanting awakens our body, mind and soul.
Hence it is generally chanted multiple times (11, 21, …) in prayer to the Sun.
The mantra acknowledges the three levels of existence in Hinduism – the Earth (भूः), the atmosphere (भुवः) and the heavens beyond (स्वः). It urges the reciter to focus on the magnificence and the grandeur of the Sun and seek this energy for oneself.
I can now get into an intense spiritual or scientific discussion on the benefits of the Gayatri mantra. But, being a mother to two teenaged daughters, I know better!
Instead, I will take a different approach. Why chant the Gayatri mantra at sun-rise?
Well,
One, it makes you wake up before sun-rise (we all know early to bed and early to rise…)
Two, you are out in the open, probably engaged in some activity (Walking, cycling, swimming, skipping, surya namaskaras, etc) and get to benefit from the best energy source in the Cosmos (available freely, no recharge needed, no cost to be incurred…)
Three, you benefit from the chanting, from the purification (of the body, mind and soul), and from having started the day with positivity, humility and strength.
धियः यः नः प्रचोदयात् - May the Sun stimulate our intellect everyday!
Nice. Indeed all life originates n draws upon the Sun. Its importance can never be gainsaid