Hear now the wondrous account of the Sun’s twelvefold glory, as revealed in the sacred Purāṇa. In the beginning, the one who is radiant with a thousand rays, yet himself unmanifest, willed to become manifest in twelve forms. Thus, he became the Sun, shining forth in the heavens. These twelve forms are named: Indra, Dhātā, Parjanya, Tvaṣṭṛ, Pūṣan, Aryaman, Bhaga, Vivasvān, Viṣṇu, Aṃśa, Varuṇa, and Mitra. By these twelve forms, O best of the twice-born, the Supreme Self—the Sun—pervades the entire world with his many manifestations. Each form has its own divine role and presence. His first form is Indra, king of the gods, who stands foremost, destroying the enemies of the devas. The second is Dhātā, known as the lord of all creatures, who creates the various beings that fill the worlds. The third aspect is Parjanya, who dwells in the clouds and, by his rays, brings forth nourishing rains. The fourth, Tvaṣṭṛ, abides in all trees and plants, sustaining their growth everywhere. The fifth form is Pūṣan, who resides in all food and continually nourishes living beings. The sixth is Aryaman, who moves as the wind and is found among the gods themselves. The seventh, Bhaga, abides in abundance and dwells within the bodies of all creatures, bestowing prosperity. The eighth, Vivasvān, is present in fire, cooking the food for embodied beings. The ninth form is Viṣṇu, the ever-present, who destroys the enemies of the gods and upholds righteousness. The tenth, Aṃśumān, is found in the wind, bringing delight to all living beings. The eleventh, Varuṇa, abides in the waters, nourishing all life. The twelfth and final form is Mitra, who stands established on the banks of the lunar river, ever working for the welfare of the worlds. Sustaining himself on air alone, Mitra performed great austerities, ever with the vision of friendship, and granted many boons to his devoted followers. This form, established in ancient times for the good of the worlds, is remembered as the supreme friend, for Mitra stood there as the embodiment of friendship and benevolence. Thus, by these twelve forms, O noble one, the Supreme Soul, Savitṛ, has pervaded the entire universe. Therefore, in the twelve abodes, these forms are to be meditated upon and worshipped by devoted men, their minds ever absorbed in him. He who salutes the twelve Ādityas and recites or listens to this account daily is honored in the world of the Sun. But a question arises: If the Sun is the original, eternal god, why did he perform austerities and seek boons, like an ordinary being? Listen well, for I shall now reveal this supreme secret, once asked by Mitra and narrated to the great sage Nārada. Earlier, I spoke to you of the Sun’s twelve forms. Among them, both Mitra and Varuṇa engaged in austerities. Varuṇa, subsisting on water, remained at the western ocean, while Mitra, sustained by air, practiced penance in Mitravana. At that time, the great yogi Nārada, self-controlled, descended from the peak of Mount Meru, from Gandhamādana, and wandered through all the worlds. He came to the place where Mitra was engaged in deep austerity, and, seeing him thus absorbed, curiosity arose in Nārada’s heart. He beheld Mitra—imperishable, undecaying, manifest and unmanifest, eternal, by whom the three worlds are upheld as one essence, the great-souled father of all the gods and beyond even the highest. Nārada pondered: “Which gods or ancestors should such a being worship?” And so, he addressed the Sun, saying: “In the Vedas and Purāṇas, with all their branches, you are praised as the unborn, eternal creator, the unsurpassed foundation. All that was, is, and will be abides in you; the four āśramas, beginning with householder, are likewise established in you. Day and night, all beings worship you, taking refuge in your forms; you are the eternal divinity, the father and mother of all. Which ancestor or god should you worship? We do not know.” This is a supreme and eternal secret, not to be spoken lightly, yet because you are devoted, O Brahmin, I will declare it to you as it is. That which is subtle, unknowable, unmanifest, unmoving, and constant—devoid of senses, sense-objects, and all beings—he is called the inner self of all, the knower of the field, distinct from the three qualities, and conceived as the Person. He is known as the blessed Hiraṇyagarbha, as intellect, as the great principle in yoga, and as primordial matter. In Sāṃkhya he is described, and in yoga by many names and forms; he is threefold, the soul of the universe, remembered as Śarva and the imperishable. By him, who is of single essence, this threefold world is sustained; bodiless, he dwells within all bodies. Though residing in bodies, he is not tainted by actions; he is the inner self of mine, of yours, and of all others who dwell in bodies. He is the witness of all, yet cannot be grasped by anyone anywhere; possessed of qualities and without qualities, universal, he is known as attainable through knowledge. Thus is the supreme secret of the Sun and his twelvefold manifestation, O wise one, as revealed by the sages.