Chanted daily in pious Hindu homes, आदित्य ह्रिदयम् is stated as powerful to enable the chanter to achieve benefits. While आदित्य means the Sun and we will see various names of the Sun described here, a closer look makes it obvious that this Stotram is actually directed to Narayana who powers the physical Sun. The Sun worshippers in India were never praying to the physical Sun only (as dumb nature worshippers) but took Sun as symbolic of a higher power operating through the Sun. I am neither a Samskrita student nor an Adhyatma expert. My source for translation is primarily a lecture on the subject by Sri Shanmukha Sarma in Telugu together with some translations sourced from the internet. Even in an incomplete form, the limited meaning given below has huge value and therefore I have decided to post this on the blog. Any mistakes in the translation below are fully mine and mine only. I hope the readers are similarly inspired by this Stotra as I have myself been inspired.

१. ततो युद्धपरिश्रान्तं समरे चिन्तया स्थितम्। रावणं चाग्रतो दृष्ट्वा युद्धाय समुपस्थितम्॥
२. दैवतैश्च समागम्य द्रष्टुमभ्यागतो रणम्। उपागम्याब्रवीद्राममगस्त्यो भगवान् ऋषिः॥

1& 2 Beholding श्रीराम, standing absorbed in deep thought on the battle-field, exhausted by the fight and facing रावण who was duly prepared for the war, the glorious ऋषि अगस्त्य, who had come in the company of Devas to witness the battle now spoke to श्रीराम as follows:

(While आदित्य ह्रिदयम् comes in महाभारत, भविष्यपुराण & many other places, this one is taken out of युद्धकांड of the वाल्मीकि रामयण at a time when श्रीराम becomes exhausted doing war with Ravana for a long time).

३. राम राम महाबाहो शृणु गुह्यं सनातनम्। येन सर्वानरीन् वत्स समरे विजयिष्यसि॥

3 ‘O राम’, ‘O Mighty armed elegant राम’, listen carefully to the eternal secret by which, ‘O my child’, you shall conquer all your enemies on the battle field and win against your adversaries.

४. आदित्यहृदयं पुण्यं सर्वशत्रुविनाशनम्। जयावहं जपेन्नित्यम् अक्षय्यं परमं शिवम्॥

4 By Chanting the आदित्य ह्रिदयम् which is very auspicious and highly beneficial, you will be victorious in battle. This holy hymn dedicated to the सूर्यदेव will result in destroying all enemies and bring you victory and permanent happiness.

५. सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् चिन्ताशोकप्रशमनम् आयुर्वर्धनमुत्तमम्॥

5 This supreme prayer is the best amongst auspicious verses, it will destroy all sins, dispel all doubts, alleviate worry and sorrow, anxiety and anguish, and increase the longevity of life. It is a guarantee of complete prosperity.

६. रश्मिमंतं समुद्यन्तं देवासुरनमस्कृतम्। पूजयस्व विवस्वन्तं भास्करं भुवनेश्वरम्॥

6. The Sun is possessed of (golden coloured) rays when it rises in the morning, the Sun eclipses all other luminous bodies by His appearance and He is revered by devas & asuras alike (means all living beings). That Sun must be worshipped whose nature is highest brightness and who shines as the Ishwara of the Earth.

(आदित्य ह्रिदयम् is meant for उपासना or ध्यान and therefore begins first by stating how the word Sun is experienced by all of us in our normal cognition. Progressively, one will see other ideas being expressed to describe it taking us higher and higher in our उपासना journey).

७. सर्व देवात्मको ह्येष तेजस्वी रश्मिभावन:। एष देवासुरगणां लोकान् पाति गभस्तिभि:।।

7. The Sun is the very embodiment of all Devas. He is self-luminous and sustains all with his rays. He nourishes and energizes the inhabitants of all the worlds as well as the host of देव & असुर by his Rays.

(Devas literally means one who shines and the light behind the light of the देव is the Sun itself. The light of the Sun looks at all with equal eye and shines equally on and within all. Elsewhere in वेद, there is a clear statement that our physical Sun has limited life-span and since the word “self-luminous” is used, there is already a hint that this स्तोत्र is not referring only to our physical Sun but the परमात्मा तत्व which is self-born and eternal which itself is the cause of our Sun also).

८. एष ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च शिवः स्कन्दः प्रजापतिः। महेन्द्रो धनदः कालो यमः सोमो ह्यपां पतिः॥

8 He is ब्रह्म (means Big), विष्णु (means one who is everywhere), शिव (means auspicious), स्कन्द (means one who pours down viz the Sunrays), प्रजापति (master of all of life), the mighty इंद्र (the brightest & glorious), कुबेर (one who gives prosperity to all viz by making food & water available), काल (means time that moves on a/c of Sunrise & sunset), यम (one who regulates our life), सोम (the one who provides humidity or moisture), and अपां पति (Lord of water)

(Each देवता has an inner meaning and further there is ONLY ONE परमात्मा that discharges the role of multiple देवता to run the Universe. Another interesting point is that in Hindu traditions, a specific देवता is the अधिपति of each direction – इंद्र – East, कुबेर – North, काल/ यम – South and सोमो ह्यपां – South which is the order followed in this श्लोक).

९. पितरो वसवः साध्या ह्यश्विनौ मरुतो मनुः। वायुर्वह्निः प्रजाप्राण ऋतुकर्ता प्रभाकरः॥

9 Indeed, he is पितृ (ancestors, manes), the eight वसु, the साध्य, the twin अश्विन (physicians), the मरुत, the मनु, वायु (the wind देव), अग्नि (the fire देव), प्राण (the Life force within all beings viz प्राण, व्यान, समान, अपान & उदान), the maker of seasons ग्रीष्म. हेमन्त, शिशीर, शरद, वसन्त & वर्षा) and the giver of light (or fame).

(Once again, various classes of देव and other beings who run the Universe as well as determine the course of our individual lives is elaborated. From मनु has come the word मनुष्य and Man in English).

१०. आदित्यः सविता सूर्यः खगः पूषा गभस्तिमान्। सुवर्णसदृशो भानुर्हिरण्यरेता दिवाकरः॥

10 आदित्यः =son of Aditi (one that cannot be split or broken down viz प्रकाश or परमात्मा) or one who is the first in creation (आदि means first viz again परमात्मा)
सविता =Early morning Sun from pre-Sunrise till about 40 mins is called as सविता and it also means controller of the world
सूर्यः =one who encourages all since it encourages all living beings to start their work. It also means one who travels across the sky (meaning the light rays which travel)
खगः =one who moves in space (also used for a bird)
पूषा = this means one who protects since His rays drive away disease as well as make plants grow
गभस्तिमान् = ग is the root word signifying गमन meaning travel and भ is the root word for brightness and thus means bright moving light source
सुवर्णसदृशो =golden colored (early morning Sun)
भानु =pervaded in all
हिरण्यरेता = रेत means seeds and हिरण्य means golden and the word means the golden light that acts as a seed for all of life around us
दिवाकरः =one who is reason for bright day and this word is used for naming the Sun during day time

११. हरिदश्वः सहस्रार्चिः सप्तसप्तिर्मरीचिमान्।
तिमिरोन्मथनः शम्भुस्त्वष्टा मार्ताण्ड अंशुमान्॥

11 हरिदश्वः = अश्व means one who travels fast viz Sunrays & हरिदश्व is green horses meaning plants which acquire green colour on a/c of Sunrays
सहस्रार्चिः =one who has a 1000 rays (शास्त्र have identified these 1000 rays with distinct names & their related properties)
सप्तसप्ति: =one whose horses are seven (represents VIBGYOR, 7 days of week, 7 Dhatus in the body, 7 Vedic metres, 7 Chakras in the body, 7 gyan organs – 2 eyes, 2 nostrils, 2 ears and one mind, 7 sky objects which influence our life – Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter)
मरीचिमान् =whose rays burn up the negative aspects
तिमिरोन्मथनः =dispeller of darkness
शम्भु: =one who gives contentment (सुख, शांति & शुभ)
त्वष्टा =one who reconstructs and gives form and shape (all different life forms on earth)
मार्ताण्ड =one who injects life within the dead – earth would not have had life without the Sun OR our body is dead matter without the परमात्मा तत्व within us
अंशुमान् = pervades everywhere both within and without

१२. हिरण्यगर्भः शिशिरस्तपनो भास्करो रविः। अग्निगर्भोऽदितेः पुत्रः शङ्खः शिशिरनाशनः॥

12. हिरण्यगर्भः = very important name – combination of हितम् (favourable) & रंयम् (joyful) is referring to परमात्मा within us and also refers to Brahman who actually created the Universe.
शिशिर: =one who makes cold by rain produced by him
तपनो =one who generates heat
भास्करो =one who gives light (Jnana)
रविः =one who is praised by everyone
अग्निगर्भ: = Agni actually means leader and he leads the world with his actions
अदितेपुत्र: =son of Aditi
शङ्खः = शं means शुभ & खं refers to deep space and शंख means one who fills up deep space by his sheer presence which leads to bliss for the whole universe
शिशिरनाशनः =one who melts snow, fog and cold

३. व्योमनाथस्तमोभेदी ऋग्यजुःसामपारगः।
घनवृष्टिरपां मित्रो विन्ध्यवीथीप्लवङ्गमः॥

व्योमनाथ: = The overlord of sky. Sky is the source of divine sound which in turn…
तमोभेदी = is the dispeller of darkness meaning the divine sound dispels the darkness of अज्ञान and ….
ऋग्यजुःसामपारगः = the Divine sages through their तपस्या expressed the divine sound in the form of ऋग, यजु & साम Mantras (Neural WiFi )
घनवृष्टि: =one who is the cause for rains to happen (basics of science were known to them also)
अपां मित्रो =one who is friend of Water (which are also caused on account of Him only)
विन्ध्यवीथीप्लवङ्गमः =like a monkey, He quickly courses the skies from one end to another

(The above is also to be taken as the Sun in the time of दक्षिनायण period viz the rainy & post rains time)

१४. आतपी मण्डली मृत्युः पिङ्गलः सर्वतापनः। कविर्विश्वो महातेजाः रक्तः सर्वभवोद्भवः॥

14. 1st 5 names are states of Sun in उत्तरायण phase:
आतपी =one who is creator for heat (during intense meditation, we get closer to Him which also generates heat)
मण्डली =round shaped (signifying completeness or pregnant with ज्ञान)
मृत्युः =death (he is responsible for birth & sustenance as well as death or creative transformation. Equally, in intense summer heat, many harmful substances are eliminated)
पिङ्गलः =yellow colored
सर्वतापनः =one who gives heat to all
कवि = Kavi is actually someone who can see things which normal people cannot. Sun is also called as वेद स्वरूप. Krishna in the Gita says that He 1st taught Vedas to the Sun who is this also referred to as a Kavi.
विश्व =pervades in whole universe (Vedic meaning of Vishwa refers to man in waking state and word thus means that the Sun is a friend of man in their waking state)
महातेजाः =Shining with great radiance
रक्तः =one who is dear to all and who sheds his original white colour (शुद्ध सत्व) to Red out of करुणा for all of life. One wonders why Red rose signifies love on Valentine’s Day even today
सर्वभवोद्भवः = whatever is taken as the source of life, he is the creator of that source itself.

१५. नक्षत्रग्रहताराणामधिपो विश्वभावनः।
तेजसामपि तेजस्वी द्वादशात्मन् नमोऽस्तु ते॥

नक्षत्रग्रहताराणामधिपो – Sun (not our physical Sun but the परमात्मा) is the one who powers all constellations, planets & stars.
विश्वभावनः – One who powers the entire Universe
तेजसामपि तेजस्वी – He is the real energy beyond all aspects that provides energy to all
द्वादशात्मन् – 12 Adityas means Sun coming to us as 12 months of the year each with a distinct name & the related month is provided here: इंद्र – ज्येष्ठ, धात – वैशाखम्, भग – चैत्र, पूष – फाल्गुन, मित्र – मार्गशिर, वरुण – माघ, अर्यमान् – भाद्रपद, अर्चि – अाश्विन, विवास्वान् – श्रावण, त्वष्टा – कार्तिक, सविता – आशाड & विष्णु – पुष्य – EXTERNAL ASPECT
द्वादशात्मन् – One who powers the ५ कर्मेन्द्रियाँ, ५ ज्ञानेन्द्रिय, मन and जीव (meaning physical body) – INTERNAL ASPECT
नमोऽस्तु ते – Such a Sun is offered prostrations

(MANY ARE NOT AWARE OF MONTH NAMES AS PER INDIAN TRADITIONS)

१६. नमः पूर्वाय गिरये पश्चिमायाद्रये नमः।
ज्योतिर्गणानां पतये दिनाधिपतये नमः॥

16 नमः नमस्कार
पूर्वाय गिरये – EXT meaning is the Lord of sunrise who rises at the eastern mountains. INT meaning is the Sun refers to यज्ञ or कर्मकांड of वेद
पश्चिमायाद्रये – EXT meaning is the Lord of Sunset who sets in the western mountains. INT meaning is the Sun also represents the ज्ञानकांड of वेद
ज्योतिर्गणानां पतये – EXT meaning is that Salutations to the Lord of all the Stellar bodies while INT meaning is where ज्योतिर्गणानां refers to collection of all शास्त्र
दिनाधिपतये नमः – EXT meaning is that the Sun is the Lord of daylight while INT meaning is that Sun represents the highest ज्ञान one achieves post mastery of all वेद & शास्त्र.

१७. जयाय जयभद्राय हर्यश्वाय नमो नमः। नमो नमः सहस्रांशो आदित्याय नमो नमः॥

(This part is like a mini-Rudram where all Shlokas are uttered in the form of Namakam. Only with a भावना of नमस्कार that the श्लोक acquire the status of a मंत्र)

17 जयाय =one who brings victory to a person who connects with it. Victory/ success means सिद्धि in the four goals of human life – धर्म, अर्थ. काम & मोक्ष
जयभद्राय =one who gives victory which is auspicious
हर्यश्वाय = Rays that make the plants green which in turn benefits whole of life on Earth
सहस्रांशो =one who has infinite rays and thereby showers grace on us with all his rays
आदित्याय =son of Aditi; Aditi means one that cannot be broken into parts and thus represents a complete whole or पूर्णम् (परमात्मा)

१८. नम उग्राय वीराय सारङ्गाय नमो नमः।
नमः पद्मप्रबोधाय प्रचंडाय नमो नमः॥

उग्राय = EXT meaning is terrible for enemies. INT meaning is that the Sun is one who puts his hands down in the form of Rays to lift us up from our miseries and अज्ञान
वीराय =brave (powerful)/ One who pleases his भक्त in various forms as per differing needs of each भक्त
सारङ्गाय =EXT meaning of Sun has rays that run swiftly like a deer; INT meaning is that Sun represents the सार (residual balance) of bliss that is left after we have shed our attachment to body and अज्ञान
पद्मप्रबोधाय = EXT meaning is one who makes the lotus blossom while INT meaning is that all people in search of ज्ञान will open up to Him and glow thanks to his compassion. 7 chakras in our body also referred to as Lotuses which open up during meditation to the ultimate.
प्रचंडाय = EXT meaning is that the Sun is the hottest/ largest in our living experience; INT meaning is that He as परमात्मा is the highest source that we need to approach to fulfill our wishes/ needs.

१९. ब्रह्मेशानाच्युतेशाय सूर्यायादित्यवर्चसे। भास्वते सर्वभक्षाय रौद्राय वपुषे नमः॥

19 He is the power behind the trio – ब्रह्म, ईशान (शिव) & अच्युत (विष्णु) as well as the bright effulgence of the Sun. He does both illumination (or gives birth) to ALL beings as well as consumes or devours ALL of them taking the form of रुद्र (Shiva) at the end of the Kalpa. I offer my salutations to such a Lord.

20. तमोघ्नाय हिमघ्नाय शत्रुघ्नायामितात्मने। कृतघ्नघ्नाय देवाय ज्योतिषां पतये नम:।।

तमोघ्नाय =dispeller of the darkness as well as dispeller of laziness within us
हिमघ्नाय =one who is the reason for melting snow as well as dispeller of rigidity in our orientation towards life
शत्रुघ्नाय =one who punishes ungrateful people as well as dispeller of internal enemies (fear, anger, lust, greed, jealousy, pride, etc)
अमितात्मने =one who has enormous will power
कृतघ्नघ्नाय =annihilator of the ungrateful people
ज्योतिषां पतये = he is the first among all aspects and being that are self-illuminating (in fact, he is the light behind all lights)

(कृतघ्नता is a big -ve trait – being grateful to the Sun, the source of Earth life, to fellow citizens, animals, birds & plants is critical; gratitude भावना is a first step in आध्यात्म journey).

२१. तप्तचामीकराभाय वह्नये विश्वकर्मणे।

नमस्तमोभिनिघ्नाय रुचये लोकसाक्षिणे।। 

तप्तचामीकराभाय = Having the colour of the burning gold (this colour has a special significance and saffron thus became popular for all Gurus)

वह्नये = This world

विश्वकर्मणे = In charge of the world and the conceptual Creator – all कर्म in this world are His only since it is only He that operates the hands of all of life in this world as the परमात्मा तत्व within all

रुचये = रुचि means taste but actually refers to cognition of anything and thus signifies ज्ञान or awareness. He is the consciousness of all of life in this world as the परमात्मा तत्व within all

नमस्तमोभिनिघ्नाय = Destroyer of darkness or destroyer of अज्ञान within us

लोकसाक्षिणे = Spectator of the universe – He is the only one who really sees since He is the only one who sees with all of the eyes of this world as per परमात्मा तत्व within all

२२. नाशत्येष वै भूतम् तदेव सृजति प्रभु:।

पायत्येश तपत्येश वर्षत्येष गभस्तिभि:।।

प्रभु = Lord or the leader of all

नाशत्येष वै भूतम् = Destroys all living beings

तदेव सृजति – the same living beings are recreated

The above two together mean that as a leader changes positions suited to an individual, Surya also destroys our weaknesses and creates us again to fulfill our individual purpose of life. He is thus both destroyer and creator.

गभस्तिभि =By his brilliant rays;

पायत्येश = he protects life by giving Rays that protect and within us, he takes care of our health and intellect

तपत्येश = Causes heat on the earth thus enabling evaporation and within us generates heat by making us strive

वर्षत्येष = Gives rain to earth and internally grants us boons depending on the extent of yearning present with us or actions undertaken by us

२३. एष सुप्तेषु जागर्ति भूतेषु परिनिष्ठित:।

एष एवाग्निहोत्रं च फलं चैवाग्नहोत्रिणाम्।।

एष सुप्तेषु जागर्ति  भूतेषु परिनिष्ठित – He is the one who is present within all forms of life both at the time when they are asleep as well as when they are awake.

एवाग्निहोत्रं – He alone is the personification of fire present in all human beings as the परमात्मा तत्व within

फलं चैवाग्नहोत्रिणाम् – He is also the fruit of यज्ञ done by an individual

(परमात्मा is both the doer who is present within us as well as the benefit or outcome of all work done by an individual – this aspect makes Hindu thought fascinating as well as intense in its world view).

२४. वेदाश्च क्रतवश्चैव क्रतूनाम् फलमेव च।

यानि कृत्यानि लेकेषु सर्व एष रवि प्रभु:।।

Vedic यज्ञ symbology is used here and also alludes to the fact that all human actions are actually यज्ञ only.

वेदाश्च =  Sun is Vedas themselves; Sun is regarded as ज्ञान itself.

क्रतवश्चैव = the physical act performed during a यज्ञ are known as rituals. Our daily actions are also called as यज्ञ

क्रतूनाम् = Doer of the यज्ञ is also the Sun only as the परमात्मा तत्व within

फलमेव च = Benefits also obtained as result of undertaking the यज्ञ is the Sun only

यानि कृत्यानि लेकेषु = Whatever actions undertaken by all beings in the world;

सर्व एष रवि प्रभु: – the doer behind all actions is actually the Sun only. There is no other doer.’