107 - Hymn to the Sun. 

Vishva-karman praises the Sun, while he is reducing the Sun’s splendour.

Markandeya spoke:

1 While the Sun was being pared down, the Praja-pati Vishva karman then uttered this hymn wherewith his hair stood erect with joy,† to the Sun. 

† Udhhuta-pulakah stotram; both editions read the same, but udhuta- pulakah stotram would seem preferable. 

2 “To the Sun, who is compassionate for the welfare of those who fall prostrate before him, who is great of soul, who has seven equally swift horses, who has great glory, who awakens the beds of lotuses, who splits asunder†† the covering of the 

†† Ava-patine; a word not in the dictionary. 

3 veil of darkness, be reverence! To him who works merit through the superabundance of fire, who gives many objects of desire, who reclines amid beams of radiant fire, who brings 

4 welfare to all the world, be reverence! To the Sun, who is without birth§, the cause of the three worlds, the soul of created beings, the lord of the heavenly cattle, the bull, highest among those who are greatly compassionate, the home 

§ Ajaya; or “who is the driver, the instigator.”

5 whence the eye originated,|| be reverence! To the Sun, who is maintained by knowledge, who is the inmost soul,* the foundation of the world, desirer of the world’s welfare, the self-existent, the eye of all the worlds, highest among the 

|| Ch’akshuh-’prabhavalayaya; or “the pre-eminent abode of the eye.”

* For jnama-bhutantaratmane (the third syllable of which violates the metre, the Vamsha-sthavila) the Bornbay edition reads jnana-bhrite ‘ntaratmane, which I haye adopted. 

6 gods, boundless in glory, be reverence! Thou, for a monent the crest jewel of the day-spring mountain†, the honoured messenger†† of the hosts of gods to the world, thou, whose body consists of a thousand wide-spreading rays of light, 

† For udayach’ala-mauli-maline (the last word of which violates the metre, the Swmukhi) the Bornbay edition reads udayach’ala-mauli-manih, which I have adopted. 

†† Sura-gana-mahita-hito; both editions read the same, but the word mahita violates the metre; it should consist of a long and a short syllable. Perhaps the word should be manya. 

7 shinest on the world, driving away the darknesses. By reason of thy intoxication from drinking up like spirituous liquor the darkness of the world, thy body has acquired a deep red hue,§ O Sun, so that thou shinest exceedingly with 

§ For vilohita-vigrahat (which violates the metre in the last word) the Bornbay edition reads vilohita-vigrahata, which is correct. 

8 masses of light that calls the three worlds into life. Mounting thy equally proportioned chariot that sways about gracefully and is widely pleasing||, with horses that are ever unweariedl¶, O adorable god, thou coursest the broad world 

¶ For akhila-hayair, which violates the metre, read akhinna-hayair with the Bornbay edition. 

|| Ch’aru-vikampitam uru-ruch’iram; both editions read the same, but it violates the metre, the Sumukhi. I would suggest as an amendment Ruchira-vikampitam urdhva-ch’aram, “that sways about pleasingly, moving on high.”

9 for our good.** O Sun, thou purifier of the three worlds, protect me, who am devoted to thy parrot-hued steeds, and who am most puref†† through the dust of thy feet, and who am prostrate before thee, O thou who art kind to folk that bow

** Ch’arasi jagad-dhitaya vitatam; both editions read the same, but it violates the metre, the Sumukhi. The metre is satisfied by altering the words, charasi hitaya jagad vitatam. 

†† Instead of Pavitra-talam I take the Bornbay reading -pavitra-tamam.

10 to thee! Thus to the Sun, who exists as the procreator of all the worlds, who is the sole cause of the glory that calls the three worlds into life,* who exists as the lamp of all the worlds—to thee, choicest of the thirty gods, I ever prostrate myself!”† 

*Instead of Tri-bhuvana-pavana-dhama-bhutam, which violates the metre, the Pushpitdgra, I have taken the Bornbay reading Tri-bhuvana- bhavana-dhama-hetum ekam,

† The Calcutta reading Devam pranato’ smi Vishva-karmanam violates the metre, and is incorrect because it is Vishva-karman who is speaking. I have followed the Bornbay reading TridaSa-vara ‘pranato ‘smi’ sarvada, tvam. Instead of these last two words vishva-krma might well be read.