3(B). YUDHISHTHIRA’S SURYA STUTI

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > AARANYA PARVA > AARANYAKA PARVA > CHAPTER 3(B) - YUDHISHTHIRA’S SURYA STUTI

“Yudhishthira said, ‘You are, O sun, the eye of the universe. You are the soul of all living existences. You are the origin of all things. You are the embodiment of the acts of all men of Dharma. You are the refuge of those versed in the Saankhya philosophy (the mysteries of the soul), and you are the support of the Yogins. You are a door opened with bolts. You are the refuge of those wishing for Moksha. You sustain and discover the world, purify and support it from pure compassion. Brahmanas versed in the Vedas appearing before you, adore you in due time, reciting the hymns from the respective branches (of the Vedas) they refer. You are adored by Rishis. Siddhaas, Charanaas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Guhyakaas, Naagaas, desirous of obtaining boons follow your chariot travelling through the skies. The thirty-three Devas with Upendra (Lord Vishnu), Mahendra (Lord Indra), and the order of Vaimaanikaas have attained success by worshipping you. By offering you garlands of the divine Mandaras, the best of the Vidyaadharaas have obtained all their desires. The Guhyaas and the seven orders of Pitris – both divine and human – have attained superiority by adoring you alone. Vasus, Manilas, Rudras, Sadhyaas, Marichipas, Vaalakhilyaas and Siddhas, have attained pre-eminence by bowing down to you. There is nothing that I know in the entire seven worlds, including that of (Lord) Brahma which is beyond you. There are other beings both great and filled with energy; but none of them has your lustre and energy. All light is in you, indeed, you are the lord of all light. In you are the (five) elements and all intelligence, knowledge, Tapas and the properties of Tapas. The (Sudarshana) chakra by which the wielder of the Saaranga (bow) humbles the pride of Asuras and which is furnished with a beautiful centre, was forged by Vishwakarma with your energy. In summer, you draw, by your rays, moisture from all living existences, plants and liquid substances, and pour it down in the rainy season. Your rays warm and scorch, becomes as clouds roar and flash with lightning and pour down showers when the season cometh. Neither fire, nor shelter, nor woolen cloths give greater comfort to one suffering from chilling blasts than your rays. You brighten by your rays the whole Earth with her thirteen islands. You alone are engaged in the welfare of the three worlds. If you do not rise, the universe becomes blind and the learned cannot employ themselves in the attainment of Dharma and Arthaa. It is through your grace that the (three) varnas of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaishyaas are able to perform their various duties and yagnas. Those versed in chronology say that you are the beginning and you the end of a day of (Lord) Brahma, which consists of a full thousand Yugas. You are the lord of Manus and of the sons of the Manus, of the universe, of man, of the Manvantaraas, and their lords. When the time of universal dissolution comes, the fire Samvartaka born of your wrath consumes the three worlds and exists alone. Clouds of various colours produced of your rays, accompanied by the elephant Airaavata and the Vajra, bring about the appointed deluges. Dividing yourself into twelve parts and becoming as many suns, you drink up the ocean once more with your rays. You are called Indra, you are Vishnu, you are Brahma, you are Prajaapati. You are fire and you are the subtle mind. You are lord and the eternal Brahma. You are Hamsa, you are Savita, you are Bhaanu, Amshumaali, and Vrishakapi. You are Vivaswan, Mihira, Pusha, Mitra, and Dharma. You are thousand-rayed, you are Aaditya, Tapana, and the lord of rays. You are Maartaanda, Arka, Ravi, Surya, Saranya and maker of day, Divakara, Suptasaspti, Dhoomakeshi and Virochana. You are spoken of as swift of speed, the destroyer of darkness, and the possessor of yellow horses. He that respectfully adores you on the sixth or the seventh lunar day with humility and calmness of mind, obtains the grace of Lakshmi. They that with undivided attention adore and worship you, are delivered from all dangers, agonies, and pain. They that hold that you are everywhere (being the soul of all things) living long, freed from sin and enjoying an immunity from all diseases. O lord of all food, it is your duty to grant food in abundance to me who am desirous of food for entertaining all my guests with respect. I also bow to all those followers of yours that have taken refuge at your feet – Mathara, Aruna, Danda and others, including Asani and Kshuva and the others. I also bow to the divine mothers of all creatures, viz., Kshuva and Maitri and the others of the class. O, let them deliver me their supplient.’

युधिष्ठिर उवाच -

त्वं भानो जगतश्चक्षुस्त्वमात्मा सर्वदेहिनाम् |

त्वं योनिः सर्वभूतानां त्वमाचारः क्रियावताम् ||

त्वं गतिः सर्वसांख्यानां योगिनां त्वं परायणम् |

अनावृतार्गलद्वारं त्वं गतिस्त्वं मुमुक्षताम् ||

त्वया संधार्यते लोकस्त्वया लोकः प्रकाश्यते |

त्वया पवित्रिक्रियते निर्व्याजं पाल्यते त्वया ||

त्वामुपस्थाय काले तु ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः |

स्वशाखा विहितैर्मन्त्रैरर्चन्त्य्रुषिगणार्चितम् ||

तव दिव्यं रथं यान्तमनुयान्ति वरार्थिनः |

सिद्धचारणगन्धर्वा यक्षगुह्यकपन्नगाः ||

त्रयस्त्रिंशच्च वै देवास्तथा वैमानिका गणाः |

सोपेन्द्राः समहेन्द्राश्च त्वामिष्ट्वा सिद्धिमागताः ||

उपयान्त्यर्चयित्वा तु त्वां वै प्राप्तमनोरथाः |

दिव्यमन्दारमालाभिस्तूर्णं विद्याधरोत्तमाः ||

गुह्याः पितृगणाः सप्त ये दिव्या ये च मानुषाः |

ते पूजयित्वा त्वामेव गच्छन्त्याशु प्रधानताम् ||

वसवो मरुतो रुद्रा ये च साध्या मरीचिपाः |

वालखिल्यादयः सिद्धाः श्रेष्ठत्वं प्राणिनां गताः ||

सब्रह्मकेषु लोकेषु सप्तस्वप्यखिलेषु च |

न तद् भूतमहं मन्ये यदर्कादतिरिच्यते ||

सन्ति चान्यानि सत्त्वानि वीर्यवन्ति महान्ति च |

न तु तेषां तथा दीप्तिः प्रभावो वा यथा तव ||

ज्योतींषि त्वयि सर्वाणि त्वं सर्वज्योतिषां पतिः |

त्वयि सत्यं च सत्त्वं च सर्वे भावाश्च सात्त्विकाः ||

त्वतेजसा कृतं चक्रं सुनाभं विश्वकर्मणा |

देवारीणां मदो येन नाशितः शार्ङ्गधन्वना ||

त्वमादायांशुभिस्तेजो निदाघे सर्वदेहिनाम् |

सर्वौषधिरसानां च पुनर्वर्षासु मुञ्चसि ||

तपन्त्यन्ये दहन्त्यन्ये गर्जन्त्यन्ये तथा घनाः |

विद्योतन्ते प्रवर्षन्ति तव प्रावृषि रश्मयः ||

न तथा सुखयत्यग्निर्नं प्रावारा न कम्बलाः |

शीतवातार्दितं लोकं यथा तव मरीचयः ||

त्रयोदशद्वीपतीं गोभिभार्सयसे महीम् |

त्रयाणामपि लोकानां हितायैकः प्रवर्तसे ||

तव यद् उदयो न स्यादन्धं जगदिदं भवेत् |

न च धर्मार्थकामेषु प्रवर्तेरन् मनीषिणः ||

आधानपशुबन्धेष्टिमन्त्रयज्ञतपःक्रिया |

तवत्प्रसादादवाप्यन्ते ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशां गणैः ||

यदहर्ब्रह्मणः प्रोक्तं सहस्रयुगसम्मितम् |

तस्य त्वमादिरन्तश्च कालज्ञैः परिकीर्तितः ||

मनूनां मनुपुत्राणां जगतो अमानवस्य च |

मन्वन्तराणां सर्वेषामीश्वरानां त्वमीश्वरः ||

संहारकाले संप्राप्ते तव क्रोधविनिःसृतः |

संवर्तकाग्निस्त्रैलोक्यं भस्मीकृत्यावतिष्ठते ||

त्वद्दीधितिसमुत्पन्ना नानावर्णा महाघनाः |

सैरावताः साशनयः कुर्वन्त्याभूतसम्प्लवम् ||

कृत्वा द्वादशधा आत्मानं द्वादशादित्यतां गतः |

संहत्यैकार्णवं सर्वे त्वं शोषयसि रश्मिभिः ||

त्वामिन्द्रमाहुस्त्वं रुद्रस्त्वं विष्णुस्त्वं प्रजापतिः |

तवमग्निस्त्वं मनः सूक्ष्मं प्रभुस्त्वं ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् ||

त्वं हंस सविता भानुरंशुमाली वृषाकपिः |

विवस्वान् मिहिरः पूषा मित्रो धर्मस्तथैव च ||

सहस्ररशिमरादित्यस्तपनस्त्वम् गवाम्पतिः |

मार्तण्डो अर्को रविः सूर्यः शरण्यो दिनकृत् तथा ||

दिवाकरः सप्तसप्ति र्धामकेशी विरोचनः |

आशुगामी तमोघ्नश्च हरिताश्वश्च कीर्त्यसे ||

सप्तम्यामथवा षष्ठ्यां भक्त्या पूजां करोति यः |

अनिर्विण्णो अनहंकारी तं लक्ष्मीर्भजते नरम् ||

न तेषामापदः सन्ति नाधयो व्याधयस्तथा |

ये तवानन्यमनसः कुर्वन्त्यर्चनवन्दनम् ||

सर्वरोगैर्विरहिताः सर्वपापविवर्जिताः |

तवद्भावभक्ताः सुखिनो भवन्ति चिरजीविनः ||

त्वं ममापन्नकामस्य सर्वातिथ्यं चिकीर्षतः |

अन्नमन्नपते दातुमभितः श्रद्धयार्हसि ||

ये च ते अनुचराः सर्वे पादोपान्तं समाश्रिताः |

माठरारुणदण्डाद्यास्तांस्तान् वन्दे अशनिक्षुभान् ||

क्षुभया सहिता मैत्री याश्चान्या भूतमातरः |

ताश्च सर्वा नमस्यामि पान्तु मां शरणागतम् ||

“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Thus, O great king (Janamejaya), was the Sun – that purifier of the world was adored (by Yudhishthira). Pleased with the hymn, the maker of day, self-luminous, and blazing like fire showed himself to the Paandavaa. Vivaswaan said, ‘You shall obtain all that you desire. I shall provide you with food for five and seven (twelve) years together. O king, accept this copper-vessel which I give to you. O thou of excellent vows (Vrata in Sanskrit), as long as Paanchaali will hold this vessel, without consuming of its contents fruits, roots, meat and vegetables cooked in your kitchen, these four kinds of food shall from this day be inexhaustible. On the fourteenth year from this, you shall regain your kingdom.’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Having said this, the Deva (Sun) vanished away. He that, with the desire of obtaining a boon, recites this hymn concentrating his mind with severe abstraction, obtains it from the Sun, however difficult of acquisition it may be that he asks for. The person, male or female, that recites or hears this hymn day after day, if he or she desires for a son, obtains one, and if riches, obtains them, and if learning acquires that too. The person male or female, that recites this hymn every day in the two twilights, if overtaken by danger, is relieved from it, and if bound, is freed from the bonds. (Lord) Brahma Himself had communicated this hymn to Shakra (Lord Indra), and from Shakra was it obtained by Naarada and from Naarada, by Dhaumya. Yudhishthira, obtaining it from Dhaumya, attained all his wishes. It is by virtue of this hymn that one may always obtain victory in war and acquire immense wealth also. It leads the reciter from all sins, to the solar region.’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Having obtained the boon, the Dharmic son of Kunti (Yudhishthira), rising from the water, took hold of Dhaumya’s feet and then embraced his brothers. O noble one (Janamejaya), walking then with Draupadi to the kitchen, and adored by her duly, the Paandavaa (Yudhishthira) set himself to cook (their day’s) food. The clean food, however little, that was dressed, furnished with the four tastes, increased and became inexhaustible. With it Yudhishthira began to feed the Dwijas. After the Brahmanas had been fed, and his younger brothers also, Yudhishthira himself ate of the food that remained, and which is called Vighasa. After Yudhishthira had eaten, the daughter of Prishata (Draupadi) took what remained. After she had taken her meal, the day’s food became exhausted.

“Having thus obtained the boon from the maker of day, the Paandavaa (Yudhishthira), himself as magnificient as that Deva, began to entertain the Brahmanas agreeably to their wishes. Obedient to their Purohita (Dhaumya), Paarthaas, on auspicious lunar days (Tithi in Sanskrit) and constellations and conjunctions, performed yagnas according to the ordinance, the scriptures (Vidhi in Sanskrit), and the Mantras. After the yagnas, the Paandavaas, blessed by the auspicious rites performed by Dhaumya and accompanied by him, and surrounded also by the Brahmanas set out for Kaamyaka forest.’”