Invocation of Bhānudeva

Bhānudeva Āvāhana

The invocation of Bhānudeva is the prayer with which Bhagavān Sūrya is called to accept the arghya during the snāna (ritual bath) of his mūrti at its pratishṭhā. In the Brahma Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Nārada Muni teaches it to Sāmba in the rule of the snāna.

The setting

The snāpaka who bathes the mūrti is a learned brāhmaṇa, a master of the Vedas, a Bhojaka learned in the Sūrya śāstras, with other Bhojakas and brāhmaṇas. Sūryadeva is brought to the deva-gṛha with Vedic chant and set on a bhadrapīṭha. Eight Bhojaka brāhmaṇas with golden kalaśas bathe him with the waters of the ocean, the Gaṅgā, the Yamunā, the Sarasvatī, the Candrabhāgā, the Sindhu and Pushkara, and with gems, herbs, seeds and fragrant flowers. He is then bathed with fragrant water to the mantra vishṇor arāṭa, with river water, and with filtered water to the jātavedase mantra.

The invocation

Then, with red flowers and fragrant things, Sūryadeva is invoked: “O Bhagavān Bhānudeva, O Devadeva who show grace to the worlds, come, come here! Accept this arghya, a share of the yajña. Sūryadeva, namaskāra to you.”

So praying, the arghya is given with a golden kalaśa, with the mantra idaṃ vishṇur vicakrame, and Sūryadeva is bathed with clay vessels, copper kalaśas, silver pots, and golden kalaśas filled with the waters of all puṇya tīrthas and all kinds of herbs.

The phala

Nārada says that the fruit of the agnishṭoma, gomedha, jyotishṭoma, vājapeya, rājasūya and aśvamedha yāgas comes through these abhishekas. The one who has the bathing done, the one who sees it with bhakti and the one who performs it gain these fruits, and even the darśana of Sūrya‘s mūrti being bathed gives them.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 135

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 135