Original text
आदिदेव नमस्तुभ्यं प्रसीद मम भास्कर । दिवाकर नमस्तुभ्यं प्रभाकर नमोऽस्तु ते ॥1॥ सप्ताश्वरथमारूढं प्रचण्डं कश्यपात्मजम् । श्वेतपद्मधरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥2॥ लोहितं रथमारूढं सर्वलोकपितामहम् । महापापहरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥3॥ त्रैगुण्यं च महाशूरं ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वरम् । महापापहरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥4॥ बृंहितं तेजःपुञ्जं च वायुमाकाशमेव च । प्रभुं च सर्वलोकानां तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥5॥ बन्धूकपुष्पसंकाशं हारकुण्डलभूषितम् । एकचक्रधरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥6॥ तं सूर्यं जगत्कर्तारं महातेजःप्रदीपनम् । महापापहरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥7॥ तं सूर्यं जगतां नाथं ज्ञानविज्ञानमोक्षदम् । महापापहरं देवं तं सूर्यं प्रणमाम्यहम् ॥8॥ इति श्रीशिवप्रोक्तं सूर्याष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् । सूर्याष्टकं पठेन्नित्यं ग्रहपीडा प्रणाशनम् । अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रं दारिद्रो धनवान् भवेत् ॥ अमिषं मधुपानं च यः करोति रवेर्दिने । सप्तजन्मभवेत् रोगि जन्मजन्म दरिद्रता ॥ स्त्री-तैल-मधु-मांसानि ये त्यजन्ति रवेर्दिने । न व्याधि शोक दारिद्र्यं सूर्य लोकं च गच्छति ॥
Transliteration
Adideva namastubhyam prasida mama bhaskara | Divakara namastubhyam prabhakara namostu te ||1|| Saptashvarathamarudham prachandam kashyapatmajam | Shvetapadmadharam devam tam suryam pranamamyaham ||2|| Lohitam rathamarudham sarvalokapitamaham | Mahapapaharam devam tam suryam pranamamyaham ||3|| Traigunyam cha mahashuram brahmavishnumaheshvaram | Mahapapaharam devam tam suryam pranamamyaham ||4|| Brinhitam tejahpunjam cha vayumakashameva cha | Prabhum cha sarvalokanam tam suryam pranamamyaham ||5|| Bandhukapushpasankasham harakundalabhushitam | Ekachakradharam devam tam suryam pranamamyaham ||6|| Tam suryam jagatkartaram mahatejahpradipanam | Mahapapaharam devam tam suryam pranamamyaham ||7|| Tam suryam jagatam natham jnanavijnanamokshadam | Mahapapaharam devam tam suryam pranamamyaham ||8|| Iti shrishivaproktam suryashtakam sampurnam | Suryashtakam pathennityam grahapida pranashanam | Aputro labhate putram daridro dhanavan bhavet || Amisham madhupanam cha yah karoti raverdine | Saptajanmabhavet rogi janmajanma daridrata || Stri-taila-madhu-mansani ye tyajanti raverdine | Na vyadhi shoka daridryam surya lokam cha gachchhati ||
The Sun as the first god
Surya is the visible god, worshipped daily with arghya (water offered at sunrise) since Vedic times. The Surya Ashtakam is a short, easy hymn that its closing line says was "spoken by Shiva". Each verse describes the Sun and ends tam suryam pranamamyaham, "to that Sun I bow", which makes it simple to learn by heart and to recite while offering water.
What the verses say
- 1: "Salutations to you, first god; be gracious to me, Bhaskara; salutations, Divakara; salutations, Prabhakara."
- 2: riding a chariot of seven horses, fierce, son of Kashyapa, holding a white lotus.
- 3: on a red chariot, grandfather of all the worlds, remover of great sins.
- 4: of the three gunas, the great hero, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara in one.
- 5: a vast mass of radiance, who is also the wind and the sky, lord of all worlds.
- 6: red like the bandhuka flower, adorned with necklace and earrings, holding a single wheel.
- 7–8: maker of the world, kindler of great radiance, lord of the worlds, giver of knowledge, wisdom and liberation.
The phalashruti
Whoever reads it daily is freed from the affliction of the planets; the childless gain a son and the poor become wealthy. The closing verses also give a traditional Sunday discipline: on Ravivar, avoid meat, alcohol, oil, honey and physical relations; one who keeps this is free from disease, sorrow and poverty and reaches the Sun's world.
When to recite it
- At sunrise on Sundays, while offering arghya from a copper vessel with red flowers and akshat.
- During Chhath Puja (Kartik shukla shashthi and saptami), at the evening and morning arghya.
- On Makar Sankranti and Ratha Saptami.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to recite Surya Ashtakam?
At sunrise, especially on Sundays, while offering water to the Sun.
Who composed it?
The closing line says "iti Shri Shivaproktam Suryashtakam", spoken by Shiva.
Does it help with planetary problems?
The phalashruti says daily recitation destroys "graha pida", the affliction of the planets, since Surya is king of the grahas.
What are the Sunday restrictions it mentions?
Avoiding meat, alcohol, oil, honey and physical relations on Sundays, a traditional Surya vrat discipline.
Can it be recited during Chhath?
Yes, it is often recited at both the evening and dawn arghya of Chhath Puja.
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