Surya Siddhanta with the Exposition of the Hidden Meaning (1859) - Page 8

Accompanied by the Gudharthaprakashaka The "Exposition of the Hidden Meaning," a famous 17th-century commentary by Ranganatha.

To prevent any doubts and intending to describe the beginning of the dialogue, the author first states in two verses that the demon Maya performed penance.

When but a small part of the Krita Age The first and most virtuous of the four world ages (Yugas) in Hindu cosmology. remained, a Great Demon named Maya,

desiring to know the supreme, holy, and secret primeval knowledge, the highest wisdom,—

the foremost of the limbs of the Veda, in its entirety, which is the cause of the motion of the stars—

performed most difficult penance, while worshiping the Sun.

"Maya" is the name of a certain great Daitya A race of giants or titans in Vedic mythology, often translated as "demons" or "asuras.". He performed Tapas Ascetic penance involving self-discipline, meditation, and physical austerity to gain spiritual power or knowledge., which consists of rules for the mortification of one's own body through recitation of mantras, fire offerings, and meditation to please a chosen deity. The performance of penance by the Daityas is well-known at every step in the Puranas Ancient Indian texts containing mythology, history, and cosmology..

Now, since their performance of penance is usually famous for being directed toward a specific chosen deity, one might ask: "Toward which god did he direct his penance?" To this, the author says: "While worshiping." He was serving Vivasvan, who is Narayana A name for the Supreme Being, here identified with the Sun God. presiding over the solar orb.

One might then ask: "Knowing this deity to be the enemy of the Daityas, how could he worship him to achieve his own desires? Surely one's own benefit cannot be achieved from an enemy; otherwise, the very nature of enmity would be contradicted." To this, the author provides an adjective for the penance: "Most difficult." This means it was possible to perform only through extreme suffering and intense hardship. And so, it is famous in hundreds of instances in the Puranas that the Lord, being uniquely affectionate toward his devotees, is well-pleased by such penance and fulfills the desires even of the Daityas. This is the sense of "worshiping in that manner."

Now, since the mention of this particular demon's penance is not found anywhere in the usual accounts of Daitya penances in the Puranas, how can his penance be known as authoritative? To this, the author says: "When but a small part remained..." Referring to the end of the Golden Age, implying this is a specific historical tradition within the astronomical lineage.

* An alternative reading is "named Mayo."