The solar principle can be contemplated as the energy of creation, sustenance, and dissolution. Without the energy of the Sun, nothing can be created. It is also considered as the prana force flowing through all the living beings, sustaining life. Sun is also the fire of dissolution, dissolving all darkness through its light of inspiration, destroying ignorance through its light of wisdom. The Shanti Mantra prayer­—tamso-ma-jyotirgamaya—is a prayer to the Divine to lead us from the darkness of ignorance towards the light of wisdom. The Sun is also the fire of purification. We may contemplate upon what is it in our lives that we want to create, sustain, and what is it that we want to remove or dissolve from our lives?

When we behold the Sun within, like fire, it burns away all the impurities that are held within us. We will be purified only after we pass through this fire. This path of purification could be an uncomfortable and unpleasant process. When we thus allow ourselves to be burned in the womb of fire, that nurtures, sustains, and destroys, we can then experience the immaculate presence of the True Self within.

Fire element defies gravity. When we watch fire, it always has an upward rising vertical movement. In every religion, fire is worshipped as it always is uplifting, and it propels us forward and upward. Without having enough fire, a rocket cannot be launched into space. To be launched to the Divinity, we also need the energy of fire.

Fire is considered as a messenger of Divinity. Fire is a messenger to the Divinity. To connect with fire, we offer ourselves completely and surrender to its power. Through this offering, we pray to the fire for cleansing and purification, so that the doors to ascension are opened.

The Guru also represents the solar principle in our lives, selflessly guiding us, always nurturing us, directing us toward the path of self-purification and self-transformation. The Guru leads us to our inner sun—the divine light within. So, the Sun is also the Guru Force. In the mythology, the Sun taught the Vedas to Lord Hanuman. We are all aware that the solar principle is invoked through the practice of Gayatri mantra, that helps purify the buddhi (intellect) and direct it towards the Highest. The Sun’s feminine (nurturance) as well as masculine (transformation) qualities are both found in all the great Masters of the world.

The Sun, like the Guru is a tough taskmaster, inspiring us to get out of our comfort zone. Even if a disciple doesn’t like it, the gurus put one through the fire of purification. Once purified, only then can we become a fit vessel to receive the grace of the Guru and the Divine that allows to be established in our True nature. We need to expose ourselves to that fire of the Sun so that it may destroy our narrow thinking, unhealthy emotional bondages, habit patterns, etc. that limit our being.

The Sun is the source of inspiration within us. Every sunrise, marking the beginning of a new day, brings with itself an opportunity and motivation to get up and to act. When we use terms like “full of enthusiasm or fire” within an individual, we are recognising the presence of the solar principle in their life.

People often complain about lack of inspiration or an inability to get out of bed. Where is that physical and mental lethargy coming from? If I was going on a holiday, I will get up early to catch my flight. But I will not be able to get up every day to go to work? Is there a dynamism or some inspiration in my everyday life? When I cook, is there an inspiration behind my cooking? When I clean, is there any inspiration behind my cleaning? When we invoke the solar principles within us, its transformative quality is extended to our everyday activities, thus little challenges that come up along the way will no longer have the power to affect us or disturb us. We would remain enthusiastic about contributing towards something beautiful and higher. When we connect with something higher in our life, then our actions become a worship. And we are able to approach life with a sense of sacredness and purity.

The Sun is one of the greatest of Karma yogis, who burns itself, selflessly serving the entire universe since the time of creation, bringing its light and warmth to all of us. It is always on time and is never late; neither it ever takes a holiday. If we truly feel connected with the solar energy, how can there be a space for lethargy and laziness within us?

In Indian mythology, Sun is also known as Lord of Dharma. Dharma can be understood as rightful living, so that our way of living is not a burden to the world as well as upon ourselves. The Sun never wavers from its own duty of bringing light and warmth to the world. It also never demands anything of us, never discriminates against anyone, and never complains. Thereby the Sun serves as a daily reminder for us to perform our duties and responsibilities in the world, lovingly and selflessly. It reminds us of our duties and responsibilities in terms of what is right versus what I like. It illuminates our path, encouraging us to live purposefully, with a higher vision.

We may begin to honour the Sun as a part of our daily rituals, dinacharya. This may include getting up early in the morning before sunrise, taking a bath, and offering our salutations to the rising Sun to express our gratitude. There are various prayers with mantras and stotras dedicated to the Sun in the Vedas.

Similarly, we see that the Sun is also worshipped in all the religions of the world. The Sun is a symbol of Jesus Christ in Christianity. In Sufism, this light is called Nur, the divine light, which also symbolizes understanding of our inner self. When we worship the sun, we attune ourselves to the highest life affirming energy and express gratitude for this perennial light of nurturance in our lives. 

“When you stand before the Sun, you should not stand just before an ordinary natural phenomenon. The whole process of yoga depends on the philosophical realization of one fact that we have spoken of repeatedly: the correspondence between the microcosm (the small world of the personality) and the macrocosm (the universe). What is in this egg, the roughly oval outline of the body in a meditative posture, is in the cosmic egg. Whatever is in the cosmic egg is in this egg also. The idea in Yoga (yoga = yoke, join) is to establish the connection between the two, to unite the two.”

– Swami Veda Bharati

Editor’s Note:

[Rabindra Sahu, Acharya of Swami Rama Dhyana Gurukulam, taught a class on ‘Attitude of Worship and Surrender in the Practice of Sun Salutation’ at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama on 21 November 2023. You may watch a glimpse of the session by clicking on the video below.]