Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purana - Gaṇeśa Khaṇḍa

19 -

Narada said - О lord in the earlier times Brahma who happens to be the witness of universe imparted to the demons the knowledge of the adoration of Surya and his stotra besides kavacha. You kindly give us the details of the same. 

Narayana said - О Narada, I am going to tell you the method of adoration of Surya and his stotra which relieves one of all the sins, besides the kavacha. You listen to it. 

When Mali and Sumali were suffering from an ailment, they adored Brahma to receive the Shiva mantra from him. 

Thereafter Brahma went to Vaikuntha. On finding Shiva present there with Vishnu, he asked Vishnu the husband of Lakshmi. 

Brahma said - О Shiva, the demons named Mali and Sumall are suffering from some ailment. You kindly tell me some way out to relieve them of the ailment. 

Vishnu said - Surya is born out of my rays and whosever adores him in the sacred land of Pushkara for one year, he gets relieved of all the ailment. 

Shiva said - О lord of the universe, you kindly enlighten me on the stotra, kavacha and mantra of Surya which are like kalpataru and removes all the ailments. О Brahma, both of us only bestow the riches but though everything is bestowed by Hari yet Surya alone can remove ailment. Because the one who is concerned with the particular subject, the relevant task is accomplished by him. 

Thereafter, getting permission from both of them Brahma went to the house of the demons who bowed in reverence to the god of creation offering him a seat. 

Brahma the ocean of mercy himself went to them surprising them at the same time and found the demons suffering from some ailment with pus oozing out of their wounds creating a bad smell. And they were without food also. 

Brahma said - О sons, you accept this kavacha, stotra, mantra and the method of adoration of Surya. Thereafter you go to Pushkara-kshetra and adore the sun-god there offering salutations to him. 

Both of them said, "You kindly let us know the method by which we should adore him and recite his stotra. What is the stotra and kavacha? You kindly tell us." 

Brahma said - "Proceeding to Pushkara-kshetra, you take a bath thrice a day and by reciting this mantra with devotion you will be freed from the ailments." this mantra should be recited carefully with devotion and by giving away sixteen types of offerings you should adore the sun god. This adoration should continue for a year. You will surely be relieved of your ailment. 

I am bestowing on you the knowledge of this kavacha the knowledge of which was lovingly imparted to Indra in earlier times. 

At the time Indra developed in his body a thousand vaginas and Indra was infatuated with the curse of the abduction of Ahalya. At that time Bruhaspati had imparted the knowledge of him. Bruhaspati said - О Indra I am going to enlighten you about the astonishing kavacha by bearing which the ascetics are freed from the cycle of birth and death. 

As the serpent flees away at the sight of Garuda similarly, all the ailments disappear from the body of the person who recites the kavacha. 

Therefore, the knowledge of the same should be imparted to a pure hearted pupil, devoted to the teacher, because if the knowledge of the same is imparted to a wicked person or an unintelligent pupil, one surely meets with his end. Prajapati happens to be Rushi of this astonishing kavacha, Gayatri is the metre, Surya is the god and achieving beauty. 

It relieves immediately of the ailments and also the sins, this mantra should protect my head, this eighteen letter mantra should protect my forehead, this mantra should protect my nose. 

Surya should protect my eyes. Vikarttana should protect my lips. Dinakara should always protect my teeth. Prachanda should always protect my cheeks. Maruttanda should protect my ears. Mihira should protect both my shoulders and Pusa should protect both my thighs. Ravi should protect my chest, Surya himself should protect my navel, the god Surya should protect my chin. Brahma should protect my ears, Prabhakara should protect my feet and Ishvara-Vibhakara should protect all my limbs always. 

О son, thus I have narrated to you the details about the kavacha which is quite astonishing in the universe, quite pleasant and difficult to get in the three worlds. In the earlier times Pulastya had given this kavacha to Manu and I have given the same to you; but don’t part with its knowledge to everyone. By the grace of this kavacha, you will be relieved of the ailment and get back all the fortune. There is no doubt about it. The merit one achieves by consuming Havisya (the left on the sacrifice), for a lakh of years, the same merit is achieved by one, by holding on to this kavacha. 

If a foolish fellow worships Bhaskara without fully knowing about the kavacha, he cannot meet with success even after reciting the same for lakhs of times. 

Brahma said - О son, by holding on this kavacha and by offering prayers to the sun, you will surely be relieved of your ailment, this is the stotra which removes all the ailments and has been prescribed in the Samaveda. It relieves one of all the sins, is the essence of all and bestows riches by removing all the ailments. 

Brahma said - I intend to adore the eternal Brahmana who is full of lustre, is everlasting and always is merciful towards his devotees. 

He happens to be the eye of the three worlds, lord of the lokas, one who relieved one of all the sins, provides fruit of the tapas and is always troublesome for the sinners. He provides the reward according to one’s own deeds, is all merciful, is the form of deeds, the form of actions, formless, Brahmana, the seed of all the actions, the rays of Vishnu and Shiva, the form of trigunas, bestower of ailments and the remover of the ailments as well, the grief and the illusion 

besides the remover of the fear, bestower of pleasure and moksha, essence of all, the bestower of devotion, the one who fulfils all the desires, the lord of all, the form of everything, the witness of all the deeds, visible to all the people and invisible also, quite pleasant, the one who always extracts the essence, bestower of the essence, bestower of all success, the form of success, the lord of success and the teacher of all siddhas. 

I have imparted the knowledge of this stotra which is quite secretive in nature; whosoever recites the same thrice a day, will be relieved all the ailments, grief, fear and ill-effect of Kali. All these disappear with the grace of the sun-god. 

A person suffering from the terrific leprosy, septic ailments, blindness, wounds, consumption, stomach-ache and various other ailments can be relieved of the same if he consumes the left-over of the sacrificial food and listens to this stotra. He will also earn the merit of taking a bath in all the sacred places. There is no doubt about it. 

Therefore, О sons, both of you should immediately proceed to Pushkara and adore the sun-god." Thus speaking Brahma left for his abode with a mind full of delight. О son, thus both of them by adoring the sun-god were relieved of the ailment. I have narrated the story to you, what more do you want to listen to from me? Surya happens to be the remover of all the obstructions, the essence of all and remover of all the ailments and obstructions. Whosoever adores him with this stotra is surely relieved of all the ailments.