Aditya Hrudayam occurs as 107th Sarga in the Yuddha Kanda of Srimad Ramayana. This is a very potent slokam and widely chanted by many. Great commentaries are available on this hymn. Popular among them are Govindarajeeyam and Tilaka’s commentary. Govindaraja’s commentary for the Ramayana is known as Govindarajeeyam, and Aditya Hrudayam is a part of it. Tilaka, in his commentary, provides specific direction as to how to do Parayanam of this Sloka.
We here analyze the structure of this hymn:
It occurs as 107th Sarga in the Yuddha Kanda of The Ramayana of Valmiki. It has 31 verses.
- First 5 Verses are Introductory.
- From Verse 6 to 24 – (total 19 verses) is the CORE Aditya Hrudayam, i.e. the verse starting from Rashmimantham Samudhyantham ……..to Sarva Esha Ravi Prabhu:
- Verse 25 to 26 (2 verses) are the Phalasruti: [Enamaapatsu Kruchreshu…Yuddheshu Vijayishyati]
- Last 5 verses: Conclusion
Everyone is an equal Adhikari for chanting this hymn. The Phalashruti says – एनं(whoever is in) – आपत्सु (great danger) – कृच्छ्रेषु कान्तारेषु (in great suffering, as if trapped in a jungle) – भयेषु (in great fear), do parayanam of this hymn THREE TIMES (त्रिगुणितं जप्त्वा).
Suffice to say, 3-repetitions of this hymn is taken as 1 Avirthi.
Further Reading:
- Adityahrudayam – Tamil Commentary by Shastra Ratnagara Brahmasri Thethiyur Subramanya Sastrigal [Sri Sankara Gurukulam publication, Abhiramapuram]
- Adityahrudayam – Tamil commentary by Ko. Pattabirama Mudaliar
- Adityahrudaya Stotram – published by S.Kalyanasundaram [1966]
- Original Sanskrit Commentary by Sri Govindaraja and Sri Tilaka.
