The second deity that we worship is Surya Narayan.
Surya Narayan Swami is the bright and shining Sun God, often referred to as Suruj Narayan, Surya, Aditya or Adi Dev. Adi Dev controls the Navagraha Devatas (9 celestial entities). After Ammaa had exhausted all her powers fighting demons She went into deep meditation. Surya Narayan swami gave her the third eye so that She may be able to burn any demon that attempted to obstruct her concentration.
Without the light energy from Surya Narayan Swami, survival on Earth would be impossible. Before performing puja to the Divine Mother, we pay respects to Surya Narayan Swami because without his light, life as we know it is impossible.
About Lord Surya
The Sun is an important celestial object and an inexhaustible powerhouse, from which all the living beings draw their energy. It is the main reason for the existence of all living beings and is necessary for the sustenance of all life. Surya is also referred to as the Sun God. His other names are Aditya, Pushan and Ravi. Surya (Sun god) is depicted with a crown and he rides a chariot fitted with seven horses, where each horse represents a day in a week. Not only in Hinduism, but his presence is also there in Buddhism and Jainism. He is also worshipped as Helios in Greece, Mitra in Rome and Ra in Egypt. Surya (Sun god) is one of the nine celestial planets or the Navagraha, according to the Hindu pantheon.
Legends of Surya (Sun god):
Surya (Sun god) is the son of Sage Kasyapa and Aditi. There are references which say that he is the son of Lord brahma . Surya has three wives, namely, Sanjna, Ragyi, and Prabha. Goddess Sanjna was the mother of Vaivasvata Manu, the seventh of the Manus, and the twins, Lord Yama , who is the Lord of Death and his sister, Yami. Sanjna also has a twin, Ashwini Kumaras, who are depicted as horsemen and physicians to the Devas. As Goddess Sanjna was unable to bear the heat of Lord Surya, she created her identical shadow called Chaya. Goddess Chaya has two sons named Savarni Manu, who is the eighth among the Manus and Shani, the planet Saturn. She also has two daughters, named Tapti and Vishti. Surya (Sun god) has two more sons named Revanta (through Goddess Ragy), and Prabhata (through Goddess Prabha).
Surya (Sun god) is also the father of Karna who was the stepbrother of the Pandavas. He is depicted in the Mahabharata as a son born to princess Kunthi who later marries King Pandu. There are various reference to Surya in the ancient Puranas and Vedas. In the Ramayana, Sage Agastya asks Lord Rama to meditate on Lord Surya, and chant the powerful mantra “Aditya Hridayam”.
Benefits of Worshipping Surya (Sun god):
Sunday is regarded as the important day to worship Surya (Sun god). People with malefic Sun’s position in their natal charts are advised to wear rubies. Since Surya is the god of inexhaustible power, people worship him for his grace to grant them guidance in their life. Many farmers also worship him to gain his grace for good harvests.
