Worship of Sun- A Study Based on Sanskrit Sourcse

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Dr. Alphonsa Chacko was born on September 16, 1988 in Thottakkad, Kottayam District of Kerala as the daughter of Mr. P.V. Chacko and Mrs. Rosamma Chacko. She has done her B.A Degree from Baselius College, Kottayam. M.A. M.Phil. and Ph.D. from Sree Shankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady. About 20 papers have been presented in National and International seminars inside and outside Kerala. Also, several research papers have been published in many Research Journals related to Sun Worship. She has been served as a Sanskrit teacher in Mar Kauma Higher Secondary School, Vengoor and Newman College, Thodupuzha. Currently she is serving as a Sanskrit teacher in Deva Matha College, Kuravilangad.

Dr. Alphonsa Chacko, a very ardent, industrious, and dedicated young scholar, is known to me from the day she has joined as a post graduate student in my Department. After completing the P.G she continued her studies as a research scholar in the Department and submitted her thesis and awarded Ph.D by the University. This work is an offshoot of her research work under the guidance of Dr. Reeja B. Kavanal, a senior Professor in the Department.

From ancient time itself, man admired and worshipped the powers which were superior to them, till it continues. Primitive man worshipped natural forces like thunder lighting, rain, wind and fire, and attributed all the natural calamities as the rage of these Gods. In order to prevent it, they offered man and animals as 'Bali' to please the Gods. They considered one of the Gods were more important than the others and, started rituals and customary practices. As time passes some Gods were gained important status and some of them were replaced with new one.

In many parts of the world there are people who are worshiping the Sun as the important deity. Even though there are certain changes in the rituals and practices, the essence of the Sun worship is transferred from generation to generation. The Sun god and worship of the Sun too follows this tradition. Worship of the Sun can be said to be started since emergence of mankind. The period of mentioning about the Sun god is almost similar in Vedic literature and other literatures.

In the journey of my research in Sanskrit Sahitya, the topic on Sun Worship and related study inspired me very much and I have chosen this as my project theme. When we go in depth, one can see heliolatry or worship of the Sun has got centuries dotage. However, there is no clarity or evidence about the dawn of this worship. Perhaps, it might have started at the age when human beings were born. The importance of the Sun worship is versatile in Vedic documents as well period. There are references on the Sun and devotees of the same mentioned in the works which are written post Vedic period. Normally, the aborigines might have prayed to the Sun, protect them from every peril and for having better weather. Later, their solicitations have changed during the advent of agriculture such as not to ruin their agricultural crops, for having prosperity, for getting children without any disabilities and to cure them from diseases. Likewise, in most of the works these kinds of people are seen, who believed in the Sun and admired him just to lead a happy and peaceful life with all facilitating sort of things. This tradition is still continuing in different parts of the world even having centuries' oldness. It is obvious through a thorough envisagement on the previous history that, the aborigine lived wandering everywhere in the forest to hunt and eat animals and had everything which is edible when he was starving. They started living as a society forming groups, when farming became their occupation by giving an end of being vagabonds. On the one hand, they began to control everything with their power; on the other hand, they were afraid of the natural powers as it was more powerful than them.

**Contents and Sample Pages**