Navagraha Temples - Surya

Information about Surya (Sun) graha

Temple Information:

Temple Name: SURYANAR KOVIL
Deity at place (Sthala devata): Suryanadar
Goddess: Prakash Ambika
Ganapati: Lokatirtha Vinayaka (Icchapurti Ganapati)
Graha name: Shivasuryanarayana Swami (Sun performed here penance by worshiping Shiva, hence the name).
Names of wives of Sun: Ushadevi, PratiUsha Devi
Village Location: THIRUMANGALAKUDI, P.O, Thanjavur D.T, Thiruvidaimaruthur, Tamil Nadu 612102, India
Historical/ Scriptural Name: ARGHAVANAM (ARGHA (durva -- a specific type of blade of grass) + VANAM (jungle/forest))
Deities: (TWO) 1. (ShivaParvati) 2. (Sun God, Ganesha)

How to reach the Temple:

One can travel by road to SURYANAR KOVIL from KUMBHAKONAM or MAYILADUTHURAI. One can also take a train to ADUTHURAI station but it is not so convenient. The temple is 3 km north of ADUTHURAI railway station by road.

Prasad Distribution:

After the noon puja, prasad of curd-rice is served on mandar leaf (white cotton leaf). This is helpful specially to sick devotees who have come to pray for their recovery.

History of Surya Graha Temple:

According to Scriptures, once upon a time, there was a Kaal Rishi (Samaya/ Time) who studied his own horoscope. While studying he found Graha Doshas. To remove these doshas he performed penance and pleased the nine celestial bodies (NavaGraha) and got their blessings that his descendants will not suffer from these Graha Doshas. Thus, he and his family were relieved from Pitru Dosha. Pitru Dosha comes from ancestry.

After knowing about this boon given by Navagrahas, the presiding deities of Navagrahas, namely Shiva, Parvati, Kartik Swami (Murugan), Thirumal (Vishnu), Brahma, Valli (wife of Kartik Swami) got angry. They chided the NavaGrahas that they (the NavaGrahas) do not have the right to grant boon to forgive the Graha Doshas. Therefore, their presiding deities ordained that the NavaGrahas will suffer from leprosy. Realizing that they had gone beyond their bounds to grant the boon, the NavaGrahas asked for forgiveness from their presiding deities. Finding the NavaGrahas to be genuinely repentant, they were told to go to Arghyavanam and to perform penance there. They were told to take vow to fast, to take bath in the Tirth (pond/ lake) there for 11 (eleven) Sundays and afterwards worship Lord Shiva and Parvati and on Monday take only curd rice on the leaf of Mandara. Then they can get rid of this disease. The NavaGrahas did this penance and got rid of their leprosy. Thus there are 9 holy places, one for each of the Grahams, where they performed their penance and attained their salvation.

Importance of Surya Graha:
Surya (Sun) is considered ShubhaGraha, Satwik. In one's horoscope he rules Atma, Father, Head, Body, Employment, Right Eye, Boldness, Fame, Health. Among the Hindi zodiacs, Sun rules very powerfully in the Simha rashi, in Mesha rashi it is very strong (uchcha) and in Tula it is weak (neech). Surya Mahadasha is for 6 years.

Nivritti (Absolution) from Surya Dosha:
If there is PatrikaDosha related to Surya (Sun) then Sun worship should be done in the following manner -- wear (adorn) red color cloth, wear ring with red color stone and worship the Sun god - offer a red color dress for the idol; worship with red color flower; offer prasad/ naivaidhyam -- sweet made of cracked wheat/ semolina, sweet porridge, pongal; worship of Shiva/ Rudra/ Agni also pleases Sun-god and acts as remedy for SuryaGrahaDosha. Temples of other planets (NavaGrahas) are also located on either side of the Sun temple which is very unique. In front of Sun's idol, Guru's idol is also kept signifying that the heat of the Sun is nullified by Guru (normally, one cannot bear the energy emanating from the Sun; Guru acts in between as a necessary filter allowing only those energies to pass through disciple that they can tolerate/ won’t get burnt by). In this temple, all the deities are present without any shastras (their weapons).


NavaGraha Aspect/ Characteristics Summary – Surya (Sun):

#	Navagraha Aspect	Surya
1	Consort	Usha Devi & Prati Usha Devi
2	Cloth color	Red
3	Gender	Male
4	Element	Fire
5	God	Fire
6	Mounts	Seven Horse Chariot
7	Presiding Deity	Shiva (Rudra)
8	Metal	Gold/Brass
9	Gemstone	Ruby
10	Body Part	Bone
11	Taste	Pungent
12	Grain	Wheat
13	Season	Summer
14	Graha deities face this direction	East
15	Flower	Red lotus
16	Kshetra vruksha (tree)	Durva
17	Week day	Sunday
18	Sound	Ga

Rangoli for Surya Graha: 
To be drawn when worshiping Sun god

Shloka for Surya Graha:
This is mantra for Sun god. It is very effective mantra to please Sun god.