Worshipping Lord Surya Narayana
BY: ARJUNA DAS
Feb 02, USA (SUN) — All devotees delight in the Bhagavata's episode of Dwarakanath Shri Krishna and the Shyamataka jewel, and how the Lord did battle with Jambavan. When the king of the bears realized that Krishna was non-different from his beloved Lord Rama, he immediately surrendered and delivered the Syamantaka jewel. He also presented to Krishna his daughter Jambavati, who was of marriageable age. Right there in the mountain cave, the Lord accepted His new bride. After the marriage, Lord Krishna harranged for her trip to His palace in Dvaraka. He placed Jambavati in a tightly sealed palanquin so that no one could open the curtain and look inside.
Upon its arrival, Krishna's other wives headed by Rukmini hurried to the palanquin, curious to see Jambavati. There they were disappointed to find they were forbidden to open the curtain. Rukmini felt especially hurt. She thought that Lord Krishna's young bride was being kept secluded because Jambavati must be more beautiful than herself. She therefore proclaimed, "May she be as beautiful as me but not more so!"
Clever Krishna, Whose every action is a lesson, then allowed His queen to open the curtain. Rukmini pushed aside the curtain with an apprehensive hand and beheld Jambavati. Now the new queen no longer had hairy bear-like features, but was as stunning as Rukmini Herself. Enchantingly beautiful Jambavati became one of Lord Krishna's eight favorite queens. She would give birth to a daughter and ten sons, led by Samba (sa-amba - like his mother). Samba grew to become very handsome and robust, and an expert in all manners of handling weapons.
One day Durvasa Muni visited Dvaraka. The great sage was emaciated from having executed severe austerities. His bones were visible through his skin; and his disheveled, matted hair was covered with ashes. Samba was proud of his good looks, his strong well proportioned body, his broad lion-like chest and his beautiful curly hair. Thus he dared to mock the sage's appearance. Infuriated, Durvasa cursed him, "You will soon be afflicted with leprosy!"
Tormented with the thought of losing his beauty, Samba consulted Dwaraka's leading physicians and magicians. Though he took all sorts of preventive and remedial medicines, even resorting to various rituals in order to preserve his body, it was of no avail. His once-perfect body began to decompose.
Samba took refuge at the lotus feet of his divine father, Lord Krishna, and humbly submitted, "O my dear Father, I am tortured by this hideous disease! No doctor can cure me. I can no longer tolerate this condition and will surely die of remorse!" Lord Krishna recommended that Samba remain calm and patient. He advised His son to worship the sun-god Surya—the presiding deity of health—as only he could save him.
Samba followed his Father's advice and went to a holy place associated with Surya on the banks of the sacred Candrabhaga River. There he practiced austerities and worshiped the sun-god, daily chanting the Surya Sahasranama or "The One Thousand Names of Surya". He continuously prayed to Suryadeva as follows, "O Paramatma! You are the eye of the three worlds and the source of all life. Time and the cosmic creation constitute your form within the universe. You bathe the world with your effulgence. You protect and sustain all humans, animals and other living creatures. Your powerful sun-rays are full of divine energy, and thus they not only purify and warm everything and they also banish disease. You bestow your mercy on all those who take refuge in you. Please kindly remove this leprosy that is afflicting me."
Pleased with Samba's austerities, Lord Suryadeva eventually appeared before him and blessed him with a remission of his disease. Samba shed his leprosy like a snake shedding its skin. Samba, to his great satisfaction, again became as handsome as before. Further, Suryadeva blessed him that his tapo-bhumi would remain for ever famous due his having practiced his austerities there. He reassured Samba that he would regularly appear to him in his dreams.
Before disappearing, Suryadeva pronounced the following, "With faith and perseverance, you continuously chanted my thousand names, the Surya Sahasranama. Henceforth, this pious act will no longer be necessary for those who pray to me. They may simply chant these twenty-one names that I will now confide to you, and this will give them the same benefits as chanting my one thousand names. Hear now these twenty-one names, which, if chanted with reverence, will have the effect of removing disease and will render the body good health, and also bestow fame and wealth. Thus Suryadeva imparted this mantra to the son of Lord Shri Krishna.
vikartana vivasvan martanda bhaskara ravi loka-prakasaka
sriman loka-chakshus grahesvara loka-sakshi trilokesa karta
harta tamisraha tapana tapana suchi saptasva-vahana
gabhasti-hasta brahma sarva-deva-namaskrita
