Rahasya Stotras to Sūrya

Rahasya Stotra · rahasya stotra, “the secret hymns of praise”

The rahasya stotras to Sūrya are the secret stotras with which Brahmā, the devatās and the maharshis delighted Bhagavān Sūrya while Viśvakarmā pared his tejas to make his form full of beauty. Sumantu Muni tells it to King Śatānīka in the Brahma Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa.

The setting

Śatānīka asked to hear in detail of the paring of the body of Sūrya Bhagavān. Sumantu said that Sūryadeva, his mind fixed on Saṃjñā Devī, who had gone to her father’s house, was thinking that Saṃjñā would set his form right. Brahmā came and said to Bhagavān Sūrya: “You are the Ādideva of all the devatās; all this world is pervaded by you. Your father-in-law Viśvakarmā can set your form right.” By Brahmā’s command Viśvakarmā mounted the grindstone and little by little carved the body of Bhāskara into a beautiful form.

The praises

While he was carved, Brahmā, with all the devatās and the maharshis who had mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, delighted Sūryadeva with many kinds of secret stotras.

  • Brahmā: “O Jagannātha, you who are like the cool moon to the lands of puṇya, Devādhideva of all the worlds, svasti to you; may there be śānti.”
  • Rudra, Vishṇu and the devatās: “Deva, Divaspati, by this carving may your tejas increase.”
  • Indra: “O Jagatpati, victory to you; you are the giver of tattva.”
  • The Saptarshis with Viśvāmitra at their head: “Deva, svasti to you, svasti”, with various stotras.
  • The Vālakhilyas, with Vedic mantras: “O Lokanātha, for those who attain mukti you are mukti; for those who meditate you are the one to be meditated on; you are the goal of all beings; all is established in you. Jagatpati, may all our people have happiness. All this world comes forth from you and dissolves in you. You alone became two and became many. This world was created by you alone and is awakened by you.”
  • The vidyādharas, yakshas, rākshasas and pannagas, with folded hands: “O Bhūtabhāvana, may your tejas become bearable to all beings.”

The gandharvas Hāhā and Hūhū, Tumburu and Nārada sang, the apsarās Viśvācī, Ghṛtācī, Urvaśī, Tilottamā, Menakā and Rambhā danced, and vīṇās, veṇus, mṛdaṅgas, dundubhis and śaṅkhas sounded in thousands. All the devatās bowed with folded hands, and Viśvakarmā little by little gave polish to the tejas of Sūrya.

The phalaśruti

Bhānudeva, praised by Brahmā, Vishṇu and Maheśvara, is the cause of snow, of water, of dharma and of time. The one who hears this account of the paring of Bhānudeva’s tejas goes, after his life ends, to Sūryaloka.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 121

Sources

  • Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 121