SŪRYA STOTRA SAṄGRAHA
Sūrya stotra saṅgraha derives from Sanskrit and refers to „a collection of hymns to the Sun”. In the tradition of worshiping Sūrya Deva various prayers and hymns were used in specific manner for centuries. Here we would like to introduce some of the ancient sutras, slokas, stotras, stuti and mantras – in order to bring this rich and beautiful tradition closer and to inspire exploration within the spiritual treasures hiding within the sacred Sanskrit sounds.
A Sutra is a text carrying a coded message. Once understood, it can be described in one’s own words. A Śloka is a type of verse referring to Gods or Goddesses in which words are arranged in a certain rhythm. A Śloka can be a sutra as long as it contains a message. A Stotra is a collection of many connected ślokas – a kind of poem or hymn expressing worship and devotion. A Stuti is a praising stotra made in a decorative manner. It contains descriptions honoring someone’s greatness and glory. A Mantra is a phrase containing deep, spiritual power. A Mantra may contain a traditional meaning, but it is not limited to that.
To achieve complete results from intonating or singing these Sanskrit texts, it is pertinent to treat these texts with respect. Understanding that they are sound manifestations from the Absolute will help maintain the right mood and open our hearts. In fact, we can experience Divine Power in the form of audible vibration, intonating with devotion and concentration. The key is to keep your mind calm and focused on the sound. Meditation can be conducted both by verbalizing the intoned text and by repeating it in the mind.
During spiritual practice it is important to be patient, as results appear with time. Impatience is the enemy of progress. Perseverance is a desirable quality. The power of mantras is always unchanged, since it does not change the God’s Power of the set mantra. Only our exclusive ability to realize mantras determines the manifestation of its power in our lives. A mantra can only be received exclusively from a spiritual master (guru) during the process of spiritual initiation (mantra dīkṣā). Only someone who has evinced its Power is able to infuse sacred vibration within a student (śiṣya). This can be compared to an oil lamp that starts to burn thanks to another fire. Under no circumstance should any of the contents shared on this site (including any audio or video recordings) be taken as mantras or spiritual initiations.