Ravi or Raama

Here are some more descriptive words (not in their order of occurrence in the stotra) which can be interpreted to be the Sun or Naarayana. In each description, the first one refers to the Sun and the second one refers to the supreme lord.

Rashmi

The word Rashmi is used twice, Rashmi mantham and Rashmi bhaavanaha. While the word rashmi is commonly used to refer to rays, it can be attributed to the Sun, the one with the rays. But Rashmi also refers to ‘jeevas’.

So the first phrase can be interpreted as ‘pray to the rising sun at dawn’ or ‘pray to the one seated in a lotus position within the Suryamandala granting us bliss’.

The word bhaavanaha represents the three aspects of creation, nurture and destruction which can be attributed to Naarayana.

Ashwinau

An obvious reference to horses, it can indicate the Sun’s chariot drawn by seven horses or to Raama and Krishna, who loved and protected horses.

Vayuhu

The one who keeps every object in its orbit is Vayu.

But Vayu also refers to Mukhya praana which the Vedas declare is Naarayana himself (Madhya praana being Vayu and Adhama praana being humans).

Khagaha

The one who travels in the sky or the one who has complete knowledge (kha-gnyaana).

Rutukarta

The one whose tilt and distance are the cause of seasons. The one who has created the seasons.

Savitha/Surya

The visible sun or the one who is visible only to the enlightened ones.

Suvarna sadrusho

The one with golden rays or the golden hued lord.

Sahasraarchi/Sahasraanshu

The thousand rays of the Sun or the 1000 forms of Vishnu.

Sapta saptihi

The seven horses of the Sun signifying seven days or the seven metres (chandassu) of the Vedas personified by Vishnu.

Timira

The one who dispels darkness in the physical world. The one who provides inner light.

Shishira

The one who is the cause of winter. The one who is in a state of complete bliss.

Shishira naashanaha

The destroyer of cold (winter) or the destroyer of ignorance (tamassu).

Vyomanatha

The ‘eye of the sky’ or the lord of the sky. The lord of Lakshmi (Vyoma).

Aapamitram

The one who absorbs water and causes rain, thereby sustaining life on earth. The one who is a friend of the devathes.

Vindhya plavangama

The one who jumps over the Vindhyas. The one who spent a long period of time around the Vindhyas during his exile and search for Sita.

Mrutyuhu

The one who finishes 24 hours of our lives by setting every day. The one who causes the destruction of the cosmos.

Sarvataapanaha

The one who burns everything.
The one who relieves everyone’s suffering (tapa).

Agnigarbha

The round ball of fire or the one who is within Agni (the antaryaami within every devathe).

To be continued...