Aditya

Aditya

आदित्य, āditya

Adityas (plural) are Vedic deities mentioned in "Rigveda", descendants of the goddess Aditi, who personifies infinity. The "Mahabharata" and Puranas state that the father of the Adityas was the sage Kashyapa.

There are several versions of the appearance of the Adityas in the Vedas, but common features can be identified. Having wished to have sons, goddess Aditi began to offer food to the Sadhyas, “who are gods before gods,” and eat the leftovers. After each such offering and consumption of the remainder, a son was born – this is how the Adityas appeared. In the "Rigveda", Adityas are mentioned in the number of 6-8. This number increases to twelve in the Brahmanas.

Apparently, over time, the idea of the group was transformed, and they all began to be correlated with the Sun God, with his various aspects. Aditya in the singular began to be used to refer to the sun god Surya.

In the "Surya Upanishad" the sun is called Aditya and is identified with Brahman, and the Surya Gayatri Mantra is given:

From Aditya the air was born. From Aditya the earth was born. Water was born from Aditya. Light was born from Aditya. From Aditya the ether and cardinal directions were born. Gods were born from Aditya. From Aditya the Vedas were born. Aditya warms this sphere. This Aditya is Brahman. (6)

[Surya-gayatri:]
[oṃ] ādityāya vidmahe sahasrakiraṇāya dhīmahi tannaḥ sūryaḥ pracodayāt

Om, we cognize Aditya, meditate on [surrounded by] thousands of rays.
May That Sun inspire and guide us! (17)

The "Brihadaranyaka Upanishad" (9.5) indicates the connection of the Adityas with the 12 months:

“What are Adityas?” – “Truly, the twelve months of the year are Adityas. After all, they pass, taking it all away; because they pass through, carrying all this away, [they are called] adityas.”

Each Aditya represents a solar month and a different aspect of the Sun. Together they are called Dvadasha-aditya.

Thus, the Adityas, due to their connection with the solar cycle, also personify the passage of time, and their mother Aditi – the limitlessness and prime from which everything comes from and which absorbs everything. In "Rigveda", Aditi is identified with the God of death, Mrityu.

Each Aditya has qualities that he bestows upon his admirers. Worship of Adityas also gives people vitality and increases life expectancy.

The lists of Adityas in the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Brahmanas and different Puranas vary:

In the list of "Rigveda", the eighth Aditya, Martanda, was rejected by Aditi and subsequently Vivasvat took his place. According to another version, Martanda was stillborn (mārtāṇḍa, "dead egg"), but other Adityas revived him at the request of his mother. The rescued Martanda was named Vivasvat and is considered to be the progenitor of humans.

In "Vishnu Purana", the list is similar to the Mahabharata, but instead of Vamana (Vishnu’s avatar), Vishnu himself is present. In "Bhagavata Purana", in a similar list, Parjanya (पर्जन्य parjánya) appears instead of Savitara. In "Linga Purana", Brahma is present instead of Aryaman.

Adityas are beneficent gods, protectors of the world and all living beings. All of them represent a class of “solar” deities, very significant in the Vedic period. In "Rigveda", many hymns are dedicated to Mitra, Varuna, Savitar, etc. One of the most revered Vedic mantras, the Gayatri Mantra, is dedicated to Savitar, one of the Adityas.

Adityas are responsible for maintaining proper world order in the Universe. In Jyotish, they rule the shakti of the nakshatras (constellations of the lunar zodiac). For example, Bhaga rules the Purva Phalguni nakshatra, Savitar rules the Hasta nakshatra, etc.