Siddhanta Shiromani (Crown of Treatises)

The Primordial Manifestation of the Sun

The God who originates from Space Vyoma and exists within primordial nature, known by the name Saṅkarṣaṇa original: "संकर्षणाख्यः" (saṅkarṣaṇākhyaḥ); a form of the supreme deity associated with the withdrawal of the universe, but here linked to the initial creative impulse., emitted his seed into the waters at the very beginning of creation. That seed became a Golden Egg Hiraṇyamaya-aṇḍa, which was entirely surrounded by thick darkness.

Within that egg, the eternal Lord Aniruddha A manifestation of Vishnu representing the mind or the unstoppable force of life. first became manifest as the all-pervading one. This Lord is known as Hiraṇyagarbha The Golden Womb. Because he is the source of all that is born, and because he is the primary being who exists in truth, he is called Sūrya The Sun; derived here from the roots for "giving birth" or "impelling.".

The Sun as the Essence of Knowledge and Time

The Sun is the light beyond the darkness, the impeller of all, known as Savitṛ The Stimulator. He fosters all beings within the various worlds, being the very source of their existence. With a gracious soul, he is famously known as the "Great Destroyer of Darkness."

His physical form is composed of the three Vedas:

• The Ṛg Veda The oldest Veda, consisting of hymns of praise. constitutes his shining orb maṇḍala.
• The Sāma Veda The Veda of melodies and chants. is his form or image.
• The Yajur Veda The Veda of sacrificial formulas. is his very essence.

This Lord is the Soul of Time Kālātman and the Maker of Time. He is the all-powerful, all-pervading soul of everything, in whom everything is established.

The Grantor of Desires and the Awakener of Lotuses

Through him, the light of dharma (righteousness), knowledge, and infinity is revealed. He is the ordainer of religious law, and by him—the creator—the minds of all are directed. He has been worshipped repeatedly and excessively by gods such as Indra The OCR reads "विनेत्रादिभि" which is likely a corruption for "त्रिनेत्रादिभि" (Three-eyed Shiva and others) or "महेन्द्रादिभि" (Great Indra and others). for the total destruction of all faults.

If the gods worship him, how much more will he grant the desires of mere humans? To illustrate this, the text mentions the lotus pond jalajinī. A "lotus" is that which is born in the water; a "lotus pond" refers to a collection of these flowers, including both the day-blooming Kamalinī and the night-blooming Kumudinī.

The Sun is seen as the beautiful awakener and friend of the lotus. Just as he causes the lotus to bloom, he awakens the heart. Even in the case of the Moon, the Sun is the illuminator; for it is the rays of the Sun, transferred onto the lunar disc, that cause the Moon to shine... This refers to the ancient Indian astronomical understanding that the Moon's light is reflected sunlight.