Sri Surya Ashtakam

Overview

The Surya Ashtakam ("Adidev Namastubhyam...") is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn in praise of Surya, the Sun God, traditionally said to have been spoken by Shiva (śrī-śiva-proktam) and recited by Samba, Krishna's son and a celebrated devotee of Surya. Each verse highlights a different aspect of Surya's form and power — his chariot, his radiance, his identification with the Trimurti, his role as creator and remover of sin — and every verse from the second onward closes with the same refrain: taṃ sūryaṃ praṇamāmyaham, "I bow to that Surya." The hymn is followed by a phalashruti (verses 9–11) describing the benefits of its recitation and traditional conduct on Sundays, the day sacred to Surya.

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Verse 1

आदिदेव नमस्तुभ्यं प्रसीद मम भास्कर। दिवाकर नमस्तुभ्यं प्रभाकर नमोऽस्तुते ॥ १ ॥

ādideva namastubhyaṃ prasīda mama bhāskara | divākara namastubhyaṃ prabhākara namo'stu te || 1 ||

Meaning: Salutations to you, O primal god, O Bhaskara (illuminator) — be gracious to me. Salutations to you, O Divakara (maker of the day); salutations to you, O Prabhakara (bringer of light).

Verse 2

सप्ताश्वरथमारूढं प्रचण्डं कश्यपात्मजम्। श्वेतपद्मधरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥ २ ॥

saptāśvarathamārūḍhaṃ pracaṇḍaṃ kaśyapātmajam | śvetapadmadharaṃ devaṃ taṃ sūryaṃ praṇamāmyaham || 2 ||

Meaning: Mounted on a chariot of seven horses, fierce and blazing, son of sage Kashyapa, holding a white lotus — I bow to that Surya.

Verse 3

लोहितं रथमारूढं सर्वलोकपितामहम्। महापापहरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥ ३ ॥

lohitaṃ rathamārūḍhaṃ sarvalokapitāmaham | mahāpāpaharaṃ devaṃ taṃ sūryaṃ praṇamāmyaham || 3 ||

Meaning: Red-hued, mounted on his chariot, the grandfather of all worlds, the great remover of sin — I bow to that Surya.

Verse 4

त्रैगुण्यं च महाशूरं ब्रह्माविष्णुमहेश्वरम्। महापापहरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥ ४ ॥

traiguṇyaṃ ca mahāśūraṃ brahmā-viṣṇu-maheśvaram | mahāpāpaharaṃ devaṃ taṃ sūryaṃ praṇamāmyaham || 4 ||

Meaning: Embodiment of the three gunas, greatly valorous, identified with Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara (Shiva) — I bow to that Surya.

Verse 5

बृंहितं तेजःपुञ्ज च वायुमाकाशमेव च। प्रभुं च सर्वलोकानां तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥ ५ ॥

bṛṃhitaṃ tejaḥpuñjaṃ ca vāyum ākāśam eva ca | prabhuṃ ca sarvalokānāṃ taṃ sūryaṃ praṇamāmyaham || 5 ||

Meaning: A vast mass of radiance, one with the wind and with space itself, lord of all the worlds — I bow to that Surya.

Verse 6

बन्धूकपुष्पसङ्काशं हारकुण्डलभूषितम्। एकचक्रधरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥ ६ ॥

bandhūkapuṣpasaṅkāśaṃ hārakuṇḍalabhūṣitam | ekacakradharaṃ devaṃ taṃ sūryaṃ praṇamāmyaham || 6 ||

Meaning: Resembling the red bandhuka flower in hue, adorned with a necklace and earrings, bearer of a single chariot-wheel — I bow to that Surya.

Verse 7

तं सूर्यं जगत्कर्तारं महातेजः प्रदीपनम्। महापापहरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥ ७ ॥

taṃ sūryaṃ jagatkartāraṃ mahātejaḥ pradīpanam | mahāpāpaharaṃ devaṃ taṃ sūryaṃ praṇamāmyaham || 7 ||

Meaning: That Surya, creator of the universe, kindler of great radiance, remover of great sin — I bow to that Surya.

Verse 8

तं सूर्यं जगतां नाथं ज्ञानविज्ञानमोक्षदम्। महापापहरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥ ८ ॥

taṃ sūryaṃ jagatāṃ nāthaṃ jñānavijñānamokṣadam | mahāpāpaharaṃ devaṃ taṃ sūryaṃ praṇamāmyaham || 8 ||

Meaning: That Surya, lord of all worlds, giver of knowledge, wisdom, and liberation, the great remover of sin — I bow to that Surya.

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Phalashruti (Verses 9–11)

Verse 9

सूर्याष्टकं पठेन्नित्यं ग्रहपीडाप्रणाशनम्। अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रं दरिद्रो धनवान् भवेत् ॥ ९ ॥

sūryāṣṭakaṃ paṭhennityaṃ grahapīḍāpraṇāśanam | aputro labhate putraṃ daridro dhanavān bhavet || 9 ||

Meaning: One who recites this Surya Ashtakam daily is freed from afflictions caused by malefic planets. A childless person obtains a child; a poor person becomes wealthy.

Verse 10

आमिषं मधुपानं च यः करोति रवेर्दिने। सप्तजन्म भवेद्रोगी जन्मजन्म दरिद्रता ॥ १० ॥

āmiṣaṃ madhupānaṃ ca yaḥ karoti raverdine | saptajanma bhaved rogī janmajanma daridratā || 10 ||

Meaning: One who consumes meat and alcohol on Sunday (the Sun's day) becomes diseased for seven lifetimes, and remains poor birth after birth.

Verse 11

स्त्रीतैलमधुमांसानि ये त्यजन्ति रवेर्दिने। न व्याधिः शोकदारिद्र्यं सूर्यलोकं स गच्छति ॥ ११ ॥

strītailamadhumāṃsāni ye tyajanti raverdine | na vyādhiḥ śokadāridryaṃ sūryalokaṃ sa gacchati || 11 ||

Meaning: Those who abstain from women, oil, sweets/honey, and meat on Sunday are free from disease, sorrow, and poverty, and attain the world of Surya (Suryaloka).

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इति श्रीशिवप्रोक्तं सूर्याष्टकं सम्पूर्णम्। iti śrī-śiva-proktaṃ sūryāṣṭakaṃ sampūrṇam. "Thus ends the Surya Ashtakam spoken by Shiva."

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Structure at a glance: verse 1 is an invocatory salutation using Surya's names; verses 2–8 each describe a different aspect of his form and power, closing with the shared refrain "I bow to that Surya"; verses 9–11 form the phalashruti, describing the fruits of daily recitation and traditional conduct on Sundays.