I am a Saura Hindu

[mangalavara]

After a powerful spiritual experience tonight, I know that I am now a Saura Hindu.

What does that mean? The Sanskrit adjective saura means 'solar,' and it is the name of an almost forgotten branch of Hinduism that recognizes Sūrya as the Supreme Being. Sūrya is commonly called 'sun god.' One might ask, 'How can this sun god be the Supreme Being if the sun is merely one part of this vast universe?' The answer is that the sun we see is a mūrti or physical form that the deity is personally present in. Sūrya is personally present in the closest star to our planet. Through that particular star, he gives life, light, and other gifts to us and all creatures here. Every star is his mūrti, but the sun in particular is the object of worship when it comes to stars.

Sūrya is Īśvara ('Ruler'), Bhagavān ('Illustrious One'), Deva ('Deity'), Paramātman ('Supreme Self'), Brahman. As Brahmā, he creates the universe. As Viṣṇu, he preserves it. As Śiva, he dissolves it. The whole universe is contained in the boundless Sūrya, and he gives it light. Although the universe comes from him, it is not him, just as the web is not the spider. On the other hand, the jīva or 'soul' is one in essence with Sūrya. We are thereby related to him. He is bliss.

Oṃ Sūryāya Namaḥ.

 

[Spirit of Light]

After a powerful spiritual experience tonight, I know that I am now a Saura Hindu.

What does that mean? The Sanskrit adjective saura means 'solar,' and it is the name of an almost forgotten branch of Hinduism that recognizes Sūrya as the Supreme Being. Sūrya is commonly called 'sun god.' One might ask, 'How can this sun god be the Supreme Being if the sun is merely one part of this vast universe?' The answer is that the sun we see is a mūrti or physical form that the deity is personally present in. Sūrya is personally present in the closest star to our planet. Through that particular star, he gives life, light, and other gifts to us and all creatures here. Every star is his mūrti, but the sun in particular is the object of worship when it comes to stars.

Sūrya is Īśvara ('Ruler'), Bhagavān ('Illustrious One'), Deva ('Deity'), Paramātman ('Supreme Self'), Brahman. As Brahmā, he creates the universe. As Viṣṇu, he preserves it. As Śiva, he dissolves it. The whole universe is contained in the boundless Sūrya, and he gives it light. Although the universe comes from him, it is not him, just as the web is not the spider. On the other hand, the jīva or 'soul' is one in essence with Sūrya. We are thereby related to him. He is bliss.

Oṃ Sūryāya Namaḥ.

Happy to hear you finding the path that is with you

 

[mangalavara]

Happy to hear you finding the path that is with you

Thank you, friend.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Thank you, friend.

Very welcome

 

[SomeRandom]

Cool. I was always curious about the sect which venerated the Sun God. Because it always seemed like a vital step in the daily pujas for us. But no one seemed to give me clear answers whenever I asked
Hope this path brings you spiritual fulfilment and happiness

 

[shunyadragon]

Curious, many of diverse and conflicting beliefs claim to have such 'powerful spiritual experiences to justify their choice of belief. Is this a valid reason to justify one believe over any other?

 

[mangalavara]

Is this a valid reason to justify one believe over any other?

Is this in the context of why I personally choose Saura over another religion, or is it in the context of why any person would choose one religion over another?

 

[Valjean]

Now you must face the sunrise each morning and greet the sun thus:

 

[mangalavara]

Now you must face the sunrise each morning and greet the sun thus:

That's pretty optimistic, as some of us have shown with the frubes.

 

[JustGeorge]

What lead you to this path? What practices does this entail?

(If you don't mind me asking, of course. )

 

[shunyadragon]

Is this in the context of why I personally choose Saura over another religion, or is it in the context of why any person would choose one religion over another?

Both taking into consideration of the fallible human nature, and the reasons humans make choices without the context of the universal.

 

[mangalavara]

Both taking into consideration of the fallible human nature, and the reasons humans make choices without the context of the universal.

Human beings are fallible, yes, but my choice to be a Saura is not based on reason whereas Deism and philosophical theism are based on reason. In my case, feeling solar energy entering my body in the middle of the night, my eyes rolling back, feeling bliss all over, experiencing someone whispering divine knowledge through my lips as heat radiates from my chest, and feeling the utter peace and serenity of the divine consciousness is what did it for me. That whole experience for me is more credible than Western ideas about epistemology.

 

[Ashoka]

Thank you for sharing. <3

 

[mangalavara]

What lead you to this path? What practices does this entail?

(If you don't mind me asking, of course. )

In my seven months so far as a Hindu, I have often wondered what branch I should follow. Should I be a Vaiṣṇava or a Śaiva or a Śākta? Something else? Nothing in particular? The Saura branch was the least interesting to me because, as we know, it recognizes Sūrya as the Supreme Being, and I have had an aversion to the sun. Nonetheless, I have been open to the idea of Sūrya as Paramātman.

The past Friday night, I sat down in a comfortable posture, and I uttered 'Oṃ Sūryāya Namaḥ' a few times. Then, I asked Sūrya if he is Paramātman. The next thing I knew was I could feel solar energy entering my body. Limbs were twitching almost violently and my eyes were rolling back a few times. I felt a sphere of heat in my chest and it was radiating. There was a lot of ecstasy all over. At one moment, my body was rigid, and the deity started speaking to me through my lips in whispers. He disapproved of my aversion to the sun, by the way. I cannot remember what all was said, but he answered several theological questions and had me experience the divine consciousness. In the experience of divine consciousness, my own consciousness was so merged with it that there was only divine consciousness. The divine consciousness is perfectly peaceful and serene. The deity benefits the whole universe and his light pervades it, effortlessly. He is not bothered by anything here. That whole experience is what led me to Saura.

As for practices, I perceive that Sūrya has guided me to chant 'Oṃ Ādityāya Namaḥ' every day beginning yesterday. There are Saura festivals throughout the year, and I feel that I should observe them. We'll see where this takes me.

 

[JustGeorge]

In my seven months so far as a Hindu, I have often wondered what branch I should follow. Should I be a Vaiṣṇava or a Śaiva or a Śākta? Something else? Nothing in particular? The Saura branch was the least interesting to me because, as we know, it recognizes Sūrya as the Supreme Being, and I have had an aversion to the sun. Nonetheless, I have been open to the idea of Sūrya as Paramātman.

The past Friday night, I sat down in a comfortable posture, and I uttered 'Oṃ Sūryāya Namaḥ' a few times. Then, I asked Sūrya if he is Paramātman. The next thing I knew was I could feel solar energy entering my body. Limbs were twitching almost violently and my eyes were rolling back a few times. I felt a sphere of heat in my chest and it was radiating. There was a lot of ecstasy all over. At one moment, my body was rigid, and the deity started speaking to me through my lips in whispers. He disapproved of my aversion to the sun, by the way. I cannot remember what all was said, but he answered several theological questions and had me experience the divine consciousness. In the experience of divine consciousness, my own consciousness was so merged with it that there was only divine consciousness. The divine consciousness is perfectly peaceful and serene. The deity benefits the whole universe and his light pervades it, effortlessly. He is not bothered by anything here. That whole experience is what led me to Saura.

As for practices, I perceive that Sūrya has guided me to chant 'Oṃ Ādityāya Namaḥ' every day beginning yesterday. There are Saura festivals throughout the year, and I feel that I should observe them. We'll see where this takes me.

This is awesome.

What do you mean, by aversion to the sun? Does it bother your eyes/skin, or is it just a mental thing? I can see why he wouldn't approve of it!

I'm interested to hear about the festivals as you observe them!

 

[mangalavara]

This is awesome.

Yeah, it was awesome. However, I am stuck with what I know now, and there is responsibility that comes with it.

What do you mean, by aversion to the sun? Does it bother your eyes/skin, or is it just a mental thing? I can see why he wouldn't approve of it!

It definitely bothers my eyes and skin. I also have a mental aversion to it. Well, to sunshine, at least. I absolutely love it when the sky is nice and grim with thick grey clouds.

I'm interested to hear about the festivals as you observe them!

I will try to remember to update this thread as I observe them.

 

[JustGeorge]

Yeah, it was awesome. However, I am stuck with what I know now, and there is responsibility that comes with it.



It definitely bothers my eyes and skin. I also have a mental aversion to it. Well, to sunshine, at least. I absolutely love it when the sky is nice and grim with thick grey clouds.



I will try to remember to update this thread as I observe them.

I guess its always cautioned that one should question carefully... however, I suspect if you didn't want to know, you wouldn't have asked.

Do you think your preference for gray days came from the sun bothering your physical being? I suppose one can take measures to protect themselves from Surya's rays...

 

[mangalavara]

I guess its always cautioned that one should question carefully... however, I suspect if you didn't want to know, you wouldn't have asked.

Questioning carefully is good advice. Sometimes, one gets an answer, and answers are not always satisfying. In some cases, the answer will become satisfying. If I had never received an answer from Sūrya, I probably would have continued in my curiosity and uncertainty and not really getting anywhere spiritually. I really desire liberation from the cycle of transmigration, so I have to accept what is shown to me throughout the journey to liberation.

Do you think your preference for gray days came from the sun bothering your physical being?

It does. It also comes from how it makes me feel. One time when I was 19 or 20, I was at a Starbucks on an overcast day and I noticed that I felt altogether good in a way that I normally didn't. It was the weather. So, when the nice barista asked me how I was doing, I mentioned feeling really good because of the weather. He smiled, nodded, and told me that he liked overcast too and that it made him feel the same way. Sunshine just doesn't do it for me.

I suppose one can take measures to protect themselves from Surya's rays...

I do. I just wish Indra would be more active lately.

 

[JustGeorge]

It does. It also comes from how it makes me feel. One time when I was 19 or 20, I was at a Starbucks on an overcast day and I noticed that I felt altogether good in a way that I normally didn't. It was the weather. So, when the nice barista asked me how I was doing, I mentioned feeling really good because of the weather. He smiled, nodded, and told me that he liked overcast too and that it made him feel the same way. Sunshine just doesn't do it for me.

I understand. Thunderstorms make me feel alive in a way I don't otherwise. Unfortunately, for the last decade, the storms will build off in the west, making it look like they're coming, but most of the storms tend to go a little north or a little south, skipping us entirely. It makes me feel like a lover spurned.

 

[mangalavara]

I understand. Thunderstorms make me feel alive in a way I don't otherwise. Unfortunately, for the last decade, the storms will build off in the west, making it look like they're coming, but most of the storms tend to go a little north or a little south, skipping us entirely. It makes me feel like a lover spurned.

Thunderstorms are amazing. I'm sorry that most of them skip you and your location. The weather seems to have a mind of its own. Sometimes it even seems to downright obey the wishes of one insignificant human being. My mother is a good example. Lol.