Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 5
अध्याय ५१: सूर्यादिप्रतिमालक्षणम्
Characteristics of the Images of Sūrya and Others
वरुणः सूर्यनामा च सहस्रांशुस् तथापरः धाता तपनसञ्ज्ञश् च सविताथ गभस्तिकः
varuṇaḥ sūryanāmā ca sahasrāṃśus tathāparaḥ dhātā tapanasañjñaś ca savitātha gabhastikaḥ
« (On l’appelle) Varuṇa; et aussi, de nom, ‘Sūrya’; et ‘Sahasrāṃśu’ (aux mille rayons); de même ‘Apara’; ‘Dhātṛ’; ‘Tapana’ comme appellation; ‘Savitṛ’; et ‘Gabhastika’ (aux rayons éclatants). »
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana frame: Agni instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Stotra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Nama-japa and stotra-recitation of Surya epithets for daily sandhya, arghya, and temple worship; supports memorization of solar names used in liturgy.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Surya-nama (Solar Epithets): Varuna, Surya, Sahasramshu, Apara, Dhatr, Tapana, Savitr, Gabhastika","lookup_keywords":["Surya nama","Sahasramshu","Savitr","Tapana","Gabhastika"],"quick_summary":"A compact list of Surya’s epithets for praise and japa; useful as a name-sequence in stotra practice and as identifiers of solar functions (creator, illuminator, thousand-rayed)."}
Alamkara Type: Nama-mala (enumerative praise); Anuprasa (light alliteration in name-flow)
Concept: Nama as upasana—invoking the deity through functional epithets (illumination, creation, sustaining order).
Application: Use as a short Surya-nama chain in morning worship; integrate with arghya and pranayama/sandhya recitation.
Khanda Section: Nama-stotra / Surya-nama (Solar epithets and devotional recitation within Purana-style praise lists)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee recites a garland of Surya names before a radiant solar deity; the names appear as a flowing mala around the sun-disc.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Surya with glowing mandala halo, devotee in añjali, name-garland motifs encircling, warm reds and ochres, devotional stillness","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Surya bust or full form with heavy gold halo, devotee offering arghya, the eight names inscribed as decorative bands, rich ornamentation","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, elegant Surya with soft shading, a scroll-like band listing epithets, calm worship scene with lamp and water-offering","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined courtly devotee at dawn offering water to the rising sun, delicate calligraphy-like name band, luminous sky gradient"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav (morning Surya upasana)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सहस्रांशुः (सहस्र + अंशुः); तपनसञ्ज्ञः (तपन + सञ्ज्ञः); सविता + अथ → सविताथ
Related Themes: Agni Purana 51 (Surya-nama continuation in adjacent verses); Agni Purana stotra/nama sections for other deities (parallel lists)
FAQs
It provides a curated set of Sūrya-nāmas (solar epithets) intended for stotra-style recitation and japa, a common Purāṇic ritual technology for invoking the Sun’s protective and life-sustaining power.
By cataloging functional divine epithets (creator, sustainer, regulator, energizer), it preserves a compact theological-ritual index—typical of the Agni Purana’s wide-ranging, reference-like presentation of practices and doctrines.
Reciting and contemplating these solar names is traditionally held to purify intention, strengthen inner vitality (tejas), and align one’s conduct with cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) embodied by the Sun.