Lord Surya (sun)
Surya Is The Chief, The Solar Deity, One Of The Adityas, Son Of Kasyapa. He Has Hair And Arms Of Gold. He Is Often Depicted Riding A Chariot Harnessed By Seven Horses Or One Horse With Seven Head Which Represent The Seven Colours Of The Rainbow Or The Seven Chakras. He Presides As 'ravi' Over 'ravi-var' Or Sunday.
in Hindu Religious Literature, Surya Is Notably Mentioned As The Visible Form Of God That One Can See Every Day. Furthermore, Shaivites And Vaishnavas Often Regard Surya As An Aspect Of Shiva And Vishnu, Respectively. For Example, The Sun Is Called Surya Narayana By Vaishnavas. In Shaivite Theology, Surya Is Said To Be One Of Eight Forms Of Shiva, Named The Astamurti.
vivasvata (surya) Had Three Queens; Saranyu (also Called Saraniya, Saranya, Sanjna, Or Sangya), Ragyi, And Prabha. Saranyu Was The Mother Of Vaivasvata Manu Or Sraddhadeva Manu (the Seventh, I.e. Present Manu) And The Twins Yama (the Lord Of Death) And His Sister Yami. She Also Bore Him The Twins Known As The Ashvins, Divine Horsemen And Physicians To The Devas. Saranyu, Being Unable To Bear The Extreme Radiance Of Surya, Created A Superficial Entity From Her Shadow Called Chhaya And Instructed Her To Act As Surya's Wife In Her Absence. Chhaya Mothered Two Sons - Savarni Manu (the Eighth, I.e. Next Manu) And Shani (the Planet Saturn), And Two Daughters - Tapti And Vishti. He Also Has A Son, Revanta, Or Raivata, By Ragyi. Interestingly, Surya's Two Sons Shani And Yama Are Responsible For The Judgment Of Human Life. Shani Gives Us The Results Of One's Deeds Through One's Life Through Appropriate Punishments And Rewards While Yama Grants The Results Of One's Deeds After Death.
surya Represents Sattva Guna, Soul, Will-power, Fame, The Eyes, General Vitality, Courage, Kingship, Father, Highly Placed Persons And Authority. He Is Exalted In The Sign Mesha (aries) And Is In Decline In The Sign Tula (libra). The Strongest Placement For Surya Is Directly Overhead In The 10th House, And On The Angles (the 1st, 5th And 9th Houses). Surya Is Lord Of Three Nakshatras Or Lunar Mansions: Krittika, Uttara Phalguni And Uttara Ashadha.
invoking Gayatri Mantra Or Aditya Hrudaya Mantra (aditya Hridayam) Is Known To Please The Sun God.
the Grain Associated With The Sun Is Whole Wheat And The Number Associated To The Surya Is 1. He Is Especially Worshipped In The Hindu Festivals Of Ratha Saptami, Makar Sankranti, Chhath And Samba Dashami.
some Prominent Temples Are Konarka In Orissa, Uttararka And Lolarka In Uttar Pradesh, Balarka In Rajasthan.
characteristics Of Surya Are : Wives - Suvarna And Chaya ; Colour - Yellow ; Gender - Male ; Element - Fire ; God - Agni; Pratyadi Devata - Rudra; Metal - Copper; Gemstone - Ruby ; Body Part - Bone; Taste - Pungent ; Food - Wheat; Season - Summer ; Direction - East ; Day - Sunday ; Tone - Ga.