Sāmba’s Sūrya Stotra
Sāmba Sūrya Stotra · sāmba sūrya stotra, “the stotra to Sūrya sung by Sāmba”
Sāmba’s Sūrya Stotra is the secret stotra of Bhagavān Sūrya, equal to the four Vedas, of which Sāmba did japa at Mitravana. Sumantu Muni tells the account to King Śatānīka in the Sāmbopākhyāna of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, in the Brahma Parva, Chapter 127.
Sāmba, afflicted by a disease no physician could heal, went to Mitravana and fasted until his veins dried up. In the stotra he praises Āditya as the Ādipurusha, the Paramātmā, the witness of the three lokas, who is Vishṇu, Brahmā, Rudra, Mahendra and all the elements, who alone nourishes all beings and lifts up those sunk in sorrow. Bhagavān Sūrya, gracious, gave him bhakti first, then a pure form, then a kshetra of his name and darśana every day in dream. The one who recites this stotra at the three times of day gains a kingdom, wealth or health, as each seeks.
The setting
Śatānīka asks how Bhagavān Sūrya was worshipped by Sāmba, and how Sāmba was freed from his diseases. Sumantu Muni says: “Rājendra, you have asked well.”
Sāmba had heard the māhātmya of Bhagavān Sūrya from Nārada. He went humbly to his father and said: “Father, I have fallen to a foul, unclean disease. It does not heal by medicines or by the treatments of physicians. I find no śānti (peace). So I wish to go to the forest to perform tapas. Grant me leave, and wish me well.”
Given leave, Sāmba went to the region on the north bank of the Sindhu river, crossed the great river Candrabhāgā, and reached the Sūrya-kshetra called Mitravana, famous in the three lokas. There, intent on fasting, his veins dried up, he set himself with resolve to tapas. To worship Sūrya Deva he did japa of a secret Sūrya stotra, equal to the four Vedas and spoken on the basis of the Purāṇas.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 127
The stotra
The gist of each part, in order:
- This Sūrya-maṇḍala, with its harita horses that run at the speed of the mind, is divine, ajara (ageless) and avyaya (undecaying).
- This Bhagavān Sūrya, named Āditya, is the Ādipurusha before all beings, the Paramātmā who is witness of the three lokas, Prajāpati.
- The Mahāpurusha shining in this maṇḍala is Vishṇu, Acintya (beyond thought), the Paramātmā.
- He is Brahmā the Pitāmaha, Rudra, Mahendra, Varuṇa, Pṛthivī, Ākāśa, water, Vāyu, Candra, Parjanya, Kubera the Dhanādhyaksha, and Vibhāvasu.
- The Mahāpurusha blazing in this maṇḍala is Kevala, the one alone, Mahādeva himself, shining while covering over the darkness.
- He is the very form of Kāla, long-armed, whose mark is the arising of jñāna.
- From this maṇḍala he fills the earth with his tejas (radiance).
- With the nature of amṛta he grants the prāṇa-vāyus to the host of beings and moves without pause. Apart from him nothing, by any means, in any measure, can shine.
- With his sudhā-amṛta he alone nourishes all beings: the people of the last birth, the mleccha peoples, those of animal birth, all alike, all breathing beings.
- “O Bhagavān Sūrya, you protect all beings with compassion. Those with white patches of the skin, those with kushṭha (a skin disease), the blind, the deaf, the lame: you guard them all with no distinction of who they are, Prabhu Sūrya.”
- “Devadeva, who rains vātsalya (tender love) on those who take refuge, it is you who grant health. It is you alone who lift up those sunk in the whirlpools of sorrow, the poor, the short-lived.”
- “Svāmī, you can see directly and lift up with ease. I am pained by disease and in distress. What power have I to praise you with stotras?”
- “You are ever praised by Brahmā, Vishṇu, Śiva and the other devas. Mahendra, the Siddhas, Gandharvas, Apsarās, Guhyakas and others ever extol you. What lack have you of beautiful, pure stotras? The three Vedas, Ṛg, Yajus and Sāma, are in your own maṇḍala.”
- “O Jagannātha, you are the object of dhyāna for those in dhyāna. For those who seek moksha you are the door of moksha. Shining with endless tejas you are unshaken, Acintya, of unmanifest form, Nishkala (without parts).”
- “Prabhu Sūrya, knowing the distress and the bhakti in this small stotra I have spoken, for you know everything, be gracious to me.”
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 127
The varas of Bhagavān Sūrya
Sūrya Deva, gracious, said with love: “Vatsa, I am pleased with your tapas. Ask for what you want.”
Sāmba, humble, prayed: “Bhagavān Sūrya, let boundless bhakti in you arise in me. If you are gracious, grant me this as the vara (boon).”
Sūrya Deva said: “Sāmba, I am still more pleased with your bhakti. May good come to you. Ask a vara.” Sāmba asked: “Sūrya Deva, by your grace let this uncleanness of disease in my body perish, and let me have a pure form as before.”
Bhagavān Sūrya said “Tathāstu”. At once, as a snake sheds its slough, Sāmba wholly shed his kushṭha. He shone with a divine form, handsome as before, bowed his head, and stood humbly before Sūrya Deva.
Sūrya Deva said: “Sāmba, hear further; I speak being pleased. From today my sthānas will become famous by your name. Whoever on earth builds my kshetras attains the highest lokas. On this auspicious bank of the Candrabhāgā river install my mūrti and shape this place as a kshetra. This puṇya-kshetra will be greatly famed by your own name. Your fame will be unfailing. I shall grant you one more vara: every day I shall give you darśana in dream.”
Bhagavān Sūrya, having given this further vara to Sāmba, the lion of the Vṛshṇi kula, and having given direct darśana in that moment, withdrew there and then.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 127
The phalaśruti
The human being who with bhakti recites this stotra at the three times of day:
- one who desires a kingdom gets a kingdom;
- one who needs wealth gets wealth;
- one suffering from disease gains health.
As Sāmba was freed from his terrible disease, so one who completes the pārāyaṇa (full recitation) and the havanas (fire offerings) is freed from disease. Further, one who worships Divākara with bhakti goes to Sūryaloka and rejoices there long with the devas.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 127
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 127