How to visualize the Sun

No one will have a different opinion or objection to the fact that Sun, a deity manifested with all his effulgence, is a living deity/god for all humanity. Nature’s cycle depends on his radiance. Moreover, he is giving all these FREE OF COST. If we want to take refuge in Him, we should only salute and bow to him with unwavering, unalloyed devotion during the twilight (saṃdhyā) hours. Technically, this salutation is called as ‘Saṃdhyāvaṃdanaṃ’ or ‘Saṃdhyopāsana’.

Everyone wants to live comfortably and enjoy all kinds of wealth and happiness. Surya Bhagavan is the visible, livid God who gives us such a beautiful life, absorbs us in him even at the time of death, and gives everlasting salvation (sāyujja mukti). He is the ocean of compassion that preserves all living beings by continuously imparting light, consciousness, inspiration, health, and happiness to everyone, regardless of whether or not one pays obeisance to him!

He (Sun) rises daily and appears as Bālabhānu radiating golden rays in the morning, as Pracaṃḍa mārtāṃḍuḍu (प्रचंड मार्तांडुडु) in the afternoon, and sets with golden rays again in the evening. Thus, as long as we are awake to carry out our daily activities, it is Lord Āditya (Sun) who protects us like a trust-worthy friend. That’s why the first of his 12 names with which we glorify him is ‘Mitra’ (friend). Śṛuti (शृति), the sacred text Vedaṃ, euologises, glorifies Sun as ‘Sūrya ātmā jagata:’ (सूर्य आत्मा जगत:) – the Ātmasvarūpa who rules both the outer and inner worlds, the macrocosm and the microcosm.

Surya Darshanam & Saṃdarśanaṃ (How to understand Sun)

The way Sun wanders in the vast universe, if we define the word ‘sandhya’ (twilight) as a suitable time for dhyānaṃ (meditation), then in the inner world of thought (bhāvanā prapaṃcamu) in Daharākāśamu (the ethereal space in the heart), Sun would give darshan as ‘Cidbhānu (चिद्भानु) ’ and Jñāna Bhāskara (ज्ञान भास्कर), and bestows wisdom, knowledge and salvation along with heath, wealth and good life. One should strive to get this kind of Surya darshan since it is the ultimate highest truth (paramārthaṃ) a person has to attain through upasana in order to realise the value of getting human life, which is a rare fortune for a soul. This is Surya Saṃdarśanaṃ!! This is termed as ‘Saṃdhyāvaṃdanaṃ’ or ‘Saṃdhyopāsana’! That is why our sages have ordered that one should do Saṃdhyāvaṃdanaṃ daily throughout his life without fail - ahāraha saṃdhyāmupāsīta (अहारह संध्यामुपासीत).