Episode 01 - SuryOpanishad.

SURYOPANISHAD

The sUrya upaniShad, a small piece of work, but still quite brilliant, like the Sun God himself, goes as follows:

(Surya Upanishad (Rig Veda) says "sUrya AthmA Jagatastas thushashcha" meaning the Sun God is the Soul of all beings, moving and non-moving.)

aum bhadram karnebhih shrunuyaama devaah

bhadram pashyemaakshabhiryajatraah

sthirairang  aistushhtuvaansastanuubhirvyashema devahitam yadaayuh

svasti na indro vriddhashravaah   svasti nah puushhaa vishvavedaah

svasti nastaarkshyo arishhtanemih  svasti no brihaspatirdadhaatu

OMshaantih shaantih shaantih

Om! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious; May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship! May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas, Praising them with our body and limbs steady! May the glorious Indra bless us! May the all-knowing Sun bless us! May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us! May Brihaspati grant us well-being! Om! SAnthih. SAnthih. SAnthih.

aum bhuurbhuvahsuvah  aum tatsaviturvarenyam bhargo devasya

dhiimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayaath

Om, Earth, middle region and sky; we meditate on the adorable splendor of Savitara (Sun) who may inspire our thoughts.

suurya aAthmAa jagatastasthushhashcha  suuryaadvai khalvimaani

bhuutaani jaayante suuryaadyagyah parjanyoannamaAthmAa namasta aaditya 

The Sun is the Self of the world, moving as well as un-moving. From Soorya indeed are these creatures born, so also the Yajna (Sacrifice), Parjanya (Rains), food and spirit.

tvameva pratyaksham karmakartaasi  tvameva pratyaksham brahmaasi

tvameva pratyaksham vishhnurasi

tvameva pratyaksham rudroasi  tvameva pratyakshamrigasi

tvameva pratyaksham yajurasi

tvameva pratyaksham saamaasi  tvameva pratyakshamatharvaasi

tvameva sarvam chhandoasi

I bow to you Aditya; you are the agent himself of work, the manifest Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra,  Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva Vedas, as well as all the chandas (Metres).

aadityaadvaayurjaayate  aadityaadbhuumirjaayate

aadityaadaapojaayante aadityaajjyotirjaayate

aadityaadvyoma disho jaayante  aadityaaddevaa jaayante

aadityaadvedaa jaayante

aadityo vaa eshha etanmandalan tapati  asaavaadityo brahma

From Aditya are born air, earth, water, fire, sky, directions, Devas, Vedas; indeed the Sun gives warmth to this sphere (Planet) ; that Sun God is Brahman,

aadityoantahkaranamanobuddhichittaahankaaraah  aadityo vai

vyaanah samaanodaanoapaanah praanah

aadityo vai shrotratvakchakshuurasanaghraanaah  aadityo vai

vaakpaanipaadapaayuupasthaah

aadityo vai shabdasparsharuuparasagandhaah  aadityo vai

vachanaadaanaagamanavisargaanandaah

I bow to Aditya who is the form of antahkaraNa or inner organs of mind, intellect, mind-stuff and Ego. He is praNa, apAna, samAna, vyAna and udhAna. He is  the five sense organs viz. ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose whose modifications are sound, touch, form, taste and smell.  He is the five motor organs of mouth, hands, legs, anus and generative organ whose modifications are speech, movement of things through hands, movement of the body from place to place through legs, evacuation and procreation. 

You will find that the Gaayathri mantra is the very first verse in this Upanishad.  The Gaayathri occurs many times amongst the four Vedas and several Upanishads. The basic and first record of this famous verse is in Rgvedic stanza 3.62.10  but is found a number of times in the Brahmanas and the Srauta-sutras. The stanza is the subject of extensive treatment and explanation in mAndUkya upaniShad, brihadAraNyaka upaniShad, svetASvatara upaniShad and mitrayaNIya upaniShad.

We are aware that derivatives of Gaayathri are dedicated to other deities as well - patterned on the formula .....vidmahe ..dhimahee.. prachOdayaat.