The 12 Adityas

Wisdom Teachings
Sublime Beings
Sun – That I Am

The Sun is the most radiant being we can see; everything that shines and glows is connected to the Sun. In all ancient theologies, the Sun God was worshipped, and people related to the Sun's energy with certain rhythms, especially the four corner points of the year (the solstices and equinoxes) or the corner points of the day (dawn, noon, dusk, and midnight). Rituals to align with these points existed in ancient-most times. The practices of aligning ourselves with the universal patterns have been revived by the knowers in recent times so that we can attune ourselves to the energies of the Sun.

The Sun is considered the true image of God, an image of God in the temple of the universe. We are also an image of God. We are beings of light because the 'ONE behind us' transmits the light through us. His light makes the souls shine. And the light of the soul shines through the eyes. The eyeball is associated with the Sun.

The light that we see shining through the Sun is not the light of the Sun, but it comes from the Central Sun. The Central Sun receives its light from the Cosmic Sun. The Cosmic Sun, in turn, receives it from the original Light, which we call 'Aditi'. Aditi is the Light behind the darkness that we cannot comprehend. It is the one universal consciousness that descends in three stages: The Cosmic Sun is called Aditya; Aditya means 'the Son of Aditi'. Aditya brings forth Savitru, the Central Sun, which is also called the Solar Sun or the Heart of the Sun. Savitru brings forth our Sun; it is Surya, the Planetary Sun with the visible light.

In the Puranas, it is very poetically described that the Cosmic Sun was too brilliant and radiant so that the Mother Earth could not receive the radiance of Aditya. So Aditya descended to be a solar centre - Savitru. And finally he descended further to be Surya, the Sun on the planetary plane. Savitru has one seventh of the luminosity of Aditya and Surya has still one seventh of the luminosity of Savitru. The brilliance and luminosity of the sunlight decrease sevenfold from plane to plane. Thus, the light we see is only 1/49th of the light of the total universal light.

In the Puranic story, the rays of the Sun God are described as the hair on his head. Aditya's wife could not stand her husband's radiance and therefore often ran away from him. Aditya's father-in-law then shaved his hair to reduce the luminosity. So now, his daughter can live with her husband.

What we see as light is a manifestation of the invisible light. Its essence also exists in us, in the head centre as Aditya, in the forehead centre as Savitru, and in the heart as Surya. Savitru is the heart of the higher Sun in the Ajna centre; it connects the Sun in the head centre with the Sun in the heart. Aditya is the heart of the Cosmic Sun, called Aditya Hridaya, and it is related to the sign Leo. Master Jupiter has given a little hymn about this heart of the Cosmic Sun, 'Aditya Hridayam'. It is regularly chanted by WTT members in India.

When we chant Gayatri, we chant about the three-fold aspect of the Sun as Surya, Savitru and Bhargo Deva or Aditya. Gayatri is the basis of the three Suns. The Gayatri mantra is therefore considered the most important mantra in the Vedas. The soul, which we call I AM, exists on all three planes - cosmic, solar, and planetary. That is why the knowers have recommended at all times that we should connect with the Sun, more than with the planets and planetary rulers. Aditya - Savitru - Surya is the Hierarchy of the Sun or Light. The Light of the very highest source flows through the Hierarchy and comes to us in this way. ADITYA SAVITRU SURYA is also a mantra with 8 syllables.

In Western theologies, there are also these three dimensions of the Sun. In Chaldean and Assyrian theology they are called OM, SOL and AN. These three names were later mixed up so that the word SOL OM AN was created, Solomon. This Solomon’s Temple of the Sun is to be built within us, not outside.

Aditya, the son of Aditi, is the light of the Sun as the principle of consciousness and life. He is the Cosmic Sun or the Cosmic energy that permeates the potential space globe with twelve types of energy. They are an invisible light of awareness that we can see only if we have occult perception. This light works through all 12 Sun signs. On the Cosmic plane, they are called the 12 Adityas, the Cosmic Devas of Radiation. They are cosmic centres or Suns.

Aditi, the Mother of the World, is said to have 12 children, the 12 Adityas. The Adityas work out the planes of pure light, which is beyond mind and the senses. Since our eye cannot see them, it sees only the deep blue of the sky. The original Sun is the true Spiritual Sun of our existence and belongs to the plane of the 12 Adityas. The Sun we see is his image. We cannot see the Adityas, but we can recognize them. They are the regents who rule over the Suns and solar groups. They are, so to speak, Suns for the Suns. Master CVV refers to the Sun as the medium through which the Adityas express themselves.

Throughout the year, 12 different qualities pour in through the Sun. They are units of awareness of the 12 Adityas. The ray of the Sun is always the same, but what it brings us differs from month to month. The Sun functions differently depending on which sign of the zodiac he travels through. The Cancer Sun is different from the Aries Sun. We know that in the sign of Leo, the Sun is the ruler. But the Sun is not just the Sun; many other factors work through it. When the Sun is in Gemini, we cannot say that this is now a Gemini light. Through the subtle light, which becomes visible only to those whose Ajna centre is open, the awareness of an Aditya touches us. The 12 different qualities of the Sun signs transmit to the soul the energies of the 12 Adityas. That is why it is said that the soul has 12 qualities or characteristics. The Adityas represent the 12 hidden qualities of the Cosmic Person and they are embodied by the symbol of the dodecahedron.

Different Adityas are assigned to all 12 Sun signs, but the Aditya dimension brings us complementary information to work with. The Adityas live in the Akasha and appear through the four elements of air, fire, water, and matter. It is said that the 12 Adityas exist because of the interaction of the triple Sun with the 4 elements. They sustain and support the universe. They are the protectors, life-givers and nurturers of living beings. Law and righteousness come forth from them.

The 12 Adityas are the regents of the 12 Sun signs. They were given 12 names in the Vedic system, which were emulated in other systems.

• Aries has the energy of Dhata Aditya. He has boundless creative energy and can use it. He sets the tone for the coming year in Aries.
• Taurus is the energy of Aryaman Aditya. Aryaman means 'the noble one'. He channels the creative energy of Dhata to generate a stream of ideas and abstract conceptions that can potentially be turned into reality.
• Gemini is linked to Mitra Aditya. Outwardly he appears quite easy-going and friendly, but inwardly he is persistent. With his practical knowledge, he translates the ideas of Aryaman into reality.
• Cancer is the energy of Varuna Aditya. He takes moral behaviour and the laws of the universe very seriously. He is tireless when the work pleases him and he does not tolerate dissent.
• Leo carries the energy of the Aditya named Indra, who is linked to the Ultimate Reality. He likes showing-off, is skilful and holds power to control both himself and the environment.
• Virgo is associated with the energy of Vivasvan Aditya - bright and radiant, full of energy and fire. He strives for perfection and purity, is willing to serve and can sacrifice his personal comforts for others.
• Libra is associated with the energy of Tvashta Aditya. He acts in the material realm and brings out the various planes of matter and the gradations of the radiance of light. Viswakarma, the divine architect, and Viswarupa, the formative principle, are aspects of him that regarded as his sons.
• Scorpio is associated with the energy of the Aditya called Vishnu. He has infinite resources in his depths, and he has the skills and will to change himself, the situation, and the people around him.
• Sagittarius has the energy of Anshuman Aditya. Anshuman is radiant, learned, religious, respected, spiritual, and he has the capacity to remove doubts and bring clarity.
• Capricorn is associated with Bhaga Aditya. Bhaga means 'good fortune', 'wealth', 'prosperity'. He is very hard working, reliable, strict and does not give up.
• Aquarius is Pushya Aditya, the 'nurturer'. He nourishes and increases everything. He may appear to be quite simple, but has the drive and hidden ambitions.
• Pisces has the energy of Parjanya Aditya. He is the 'other created' and not of this universe. He is the force that drives us to seek for the Ultimate Reality. He allows the consciousness to enter the 'other' places only when the time is right.

Sources used: K.P. Kumar: Sun – That I Am. div. seminar notes. Dhanishta; Visakhapatnam, India (www.aquariusbookhouse.com).