God of the sun among the Slavs: name, photo. Sun god in Slavic mythology

Let us praise the Sun God, who competes with flowers in beauty;
I bow before You, O radiant son of Kashyapa,
enemy of darkness and destroyer of all evil

Nava Graha Stotra (Stotra to the Sun). K. N. Rao

From Urya (Sanskrit: सूर्य - ‘Sun’) in the Vedic tradition is the god of the Sun. In the Vedic sources, Surya is mentioned under various names representing different aspects of his manifestation: Aditya (son of Aditi, 'splendor'), Arka (source of energy), Mitra (radiant friend of humanity), Suryaya (highest aspect of Surya), Bhanu (light of knowledge , 'enlightenment'), Savitri (life-giving awakening force), Pushana ('satiating', 'nourishing'), Ravi (giving light, 'shining'), Marichi ('radiant', dispelling doubts), Vivasvat ('brilliant') , Hiranya Gabha (primary source of life, golden universal essence), Khaga (supervising cosmic rhythms), Bhaskara (light that eradicates ignorance). For example, the name of the Sun “Arch” is found in the names of temples in Northern India and in its eastern parts: the Konark temple in the Indian state of Orissa, the name of which comes from the Indian phrase “Kona-arka”, which means ‘territory of sunlight’.

According to the Vedas, Surya is the creator of the material Universe (Prakriti). The epic "Mahabharata" opens its chapter about Surya by honoring him as the Eye of the Universe, the Soul of all things, the source of life, a symbol of freedom and spiritual enlightenment, the personification of the victory of good over evil, and life-giving force. According to myths, Surya is the son of the sage Kashyapa and Aditi (the embodiment of the light energy of the Universe). The sun is the luminary that gives the great light of Ra, the original light of the Universe, is a manifestation in the material world of the light body of the god Surya. Symbols of the sun, as a rule, are all the signs of solar symbolism, as the personification of the victory of the life-giving, creative light over the destructive darkness.

He who knows the One who dwells in a red lotus, surrounded by six vowels, with a six-part bija, the charioteer of seven horses, golden-colored, four-armed, holding two lotuses in his hands, (gestures of) blessing and fearlessness, the leader of the wheel of time, he (truly) is Brahman

("Surya Upanishad")

The Sun God is depicted riding a chariot drawn by seven horses, which represent either the seven primary colors of the rainbow, as the spectrum of visible colors of the rays of sunlight, reflecting the essence of the sevenfold nature of the Sun; or 7 meters of versification in Sanskrit (gayatri, brihati, ear, trishtubh, anushtubh, pankti, jagati); perhaps these are seven planets: Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Earth and Moon; it can also be assumed that these are Adityas - the seven brothers of Surya, who, under the name Marthandu, was the eighth, rejected, son of Aditi, from the cosmic womb who gave birth to: Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Ansha, Daksha and Indra - they represent the divine Spirits , whose abode is the seven planets known back in ancient Vedic times. Surya always appears as a brilliant, radiant deity. As a rule, he holds a lotus flower and the wheel of time in his hands.

The Brihat Samhita states that Surya should be depicted with two hands and a crown on his head. In the Vishnu Dharmottara Purana, Surya is described as a four-armed deity holding a lotus in two hands, a staff in the third, and a feather in the fourth as a symbol of knowledge. Surya's charioteer, Aruna, acts as the personification of the dawn; on the sides of Surya's chariot one can see the dawn goddesses Usha and Pratyusha, who strike the attacking demons with arrows from their bows, which symbolizes their initiative to challenge the darkness. In some Buddhist works of art, Surya stands in a chariot drawn by four horses and is sometimes depicted next to Chandra (the moon god).

In Vedic astrology, Jyotish Surya is revered as Ravi (the root of the word "ravivara" - 'Sunday' - the day dedicated to the sun). Surya is the lord of one of the nine celestial houses ("navagraha"). Navagraha is the 9 planets (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu), but rather astrological forces that reside in physical, material, manifested form in the form of celestial bodies or lunar nodes (in the case of Rahu and Ketu). The sun is given a special place due to the fact that Surya personifies the soul of a person, his inner world (Karaka of the soul; “karaka” - 'carrying the corresponding qualities, properties'), and indicates what level of spiritual development a person has achieved, which in turn is determined the ability to accept the Dharma and comprehend the truth.

Surya is the main graha (‘planet’, ‘invader’, ‘possessor’) and the third most important in the birth chart after the lagna (ascendant; the sign located in the east at the time of birth) and Chandra (Moon). The harmonious Sun on a person’s birth chart reflects how strong a person’s connection with God is and what is the opportunity to comprehend one’s purpose in life and follow the Dharma. The sun bestows nobility, generosity, willpower, cheerfulness and the desire to follow lofty ideals. Surya is also considered Krura-graha ('cruel'), and this is due to the fact that, manifesting itself in our horoscope, it indicates that it will contribute to the occurrence of such events in life that we need so that we can cope with our shortcomings ; she is cruel but fair. Thus, the lessons taught by Surya lead to positive changes in our lives.

In Vedic astronomy, Surya appears as the dominant celestial body, appearing in various Vedic astronomical treatises: “Aryabhatiya” (5th century AD), “Romaka-siddhata” (6th century), “Paulisha-siddhanta” (6th century) , “Khandakhadyaka” (VII century), “Surya-siddhanta” (V-XI century) with mythological personifications of divine celestial bodies. In these treatises of antiquity, in particular in the Aryabhatiya, we already encounter the statement that the planets of our solar system revolve around the Sun and move in elliptical orbits, but the model of the “Surya-siddhanta”, which was told by the messenger of Surya at the end of Satya- Yuga - geocentric, their difference lies only in the relativity of “points of view”, all the information stored in these treatises is reliable and contains valuable astronomical knowledge.

Surya in the Russian Vedic tradition

In the Russian Vedic tradition, Surya corresponds to four sun gods - as hypostases of the solar deity (4 seasons and changes in the phases of the Sun). Khors (Kolyada) - the winter sun, one of the main solar gods of the Vedic pantheon, revered from the Winter Solstice (December 21–22) to the Spring Equinox (March 20–21), Yarilo - the god of spring and sunlight, the awakening of nature from winter sleep, is the embodiment of the spring Sun, full of life-giving energy, revered from the day of the Spring Equinox to the day of the Summer Solstice (June 21–22), Dazhdbog (Kupala) is the summer sun, the god of fertility, personifying the heavenly light pouring onto the Earth, into the world Reveal, revered from the Summer Solstice to the Autumn Equinox (September 22–23), Svarog (Svetovit) - the god of fire, creator of the Universe, whose sons are the fiery solar gods Khors, Yarilo and Dazhdbog, was revered from the Autumn Equinox to day of the Winter Solstice.

Surya Temples

One of the most famous temples of the Sun is the Indian temple of Surya in Konark (built in the 13th century), in the Orissa region, where there are also two more temples dedicated to the solar god: the so-called wooden Konark - Biranchi Narayan, located in Buguda, Ganjam district, and the temple Sri Biranchinarayan (13th century) in the village of Palia, south of Badrak, there are Surya temples in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan. In addition to them, there are more than a dozen temples of the Sun God in India. Outside of India, there are also sun temples in Nepal, China, America, Thailand, and Pakistan.

The Sun Temple in Konark is built of sandstone, surrounded by twelve pairs of stone wheels, with a diameter of just over three meters (a pair of wheels and an axle between them is a symbol of the connection between heaven and earth), built into the walls of the temple and personifying the twelve months of the year, or 24 hours in a day, giving the impression that the entire temple is the Vimana, or celestial chariot, of the solar god, thus the temple is a symbolic image of the Sun. Seven stone sculptures of horses are installed on the sides of the temple stairs, as if harnessed to Surya's chariot. Statues of Surya decorate the niches on the outside of the temple, they represent the morning, midday and evening Sun. On the temple you can see a sundial, allowing you to determine the exact time. The main building of the Konark temple was completely destroyed; the surviving structure was once located in front of the main building.

A set of sequentially performed asanas called “Surya Namaskar”, which literally means ‘sun salutation’, is a small warm-up that precedes the practice of yoga. Represents the worship of Surya as the deity of light and the source of life on earth. This practice developed in the 20th century, was first mentioned by Krishnamacharya, who taught it to his students B.K.S. Iyengar, Indra Devi, Sri K. Pattabhi, they brought it to the West. The greeting is performed at sunrise and, as a rule, represents the following sequence of asanas:

1. Pranamasana (Praying Pose).

• Perform while exhaling;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Mitraya Namaha” (chant in a state of friendliness, devotion and fidelity).

2. Hasta Uttanasana (back bend).

• Perform while inhaling;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Ravaye Namaha” (turn to the Sun as a source of light).

3. Padahastasana (deep bend with palms on the sides of the feet).

• Perform while exhaling;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Suryaya Namaha” (we worship the highest aspect of Surya).

4. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Horseback Pose, right leg back).

• Performed while inhaling;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Bhanave Namaha” (we glorify Surya, the giver of enlightenment, the spreader of the light of truth).

5. Parvatasana (Mountain Pose).

• Perform while exhaling;
• Concentrating on the Vishuddha chakra;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Khagaye Namaha” (we worship the Sun, which rules time).

6. Ashtanga Namaskara (Greeting with eight points of the body).

• Performed while holding your breath;
• Concentrating on the Manipura chakra;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Pushne Namaha” (turn to the Sun, which nourishes energy and vitality).

7. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose).

• Perform while inhaling;
• We concentrate on the Svadhisthana chakra;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Hiranya Garbhaya Namaha” (we welcome Surya as the source of the universe).

8. Parvatasana (Mountain Pose).

• Perform while exhaling;
• Concentrating on the Vishuddha chakra;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Marichaya Namaha” (praise the radiant Surya).

9. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Horseback Pose, left leg forward).

• Perform while inhaling;
• Concentrating on the Ajna chakra;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Adityaya Namaha” (we address Surya as the son of Aditi - infinite space).

10. Padahastasana (deep bend with palms on the sides of the feet).

• Perform while exhaling;
• We concentrate on the Svadhisthana chakra;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Savitri Namaha” (we honor Surya as an awakening, revitalizing force).

11. Hasta Uttanasana (back bend).

• Perform while inhaling;
• Concentrating on the Vishuddha chakra;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Arkaya Namaha” (we welcome the fiery energy of Surya).

12. Pranamasana (Praying Pose).

• Perform while exhaling;
• Concentrating on the Anahata chakra;
• The accompanying mantra is “Om Bhaskaraya Namaha” (we praise the Sun, which leads to the knowledge of absolute truth).

Next, we repeat the sequence on the other leg (in point 4 “Ashva Sanchalanasana” - the left leg back, and in point 9 “Ashva Sanchalanasana” - the right leg forward), and so we perform 24 asanas - this will be the “circle” of Surya Namaskar.

When performing each asana, we concentrate on the corresponding energy center, while mentally pronouncing the accompanying mantra to the Sun. There are 12 solar mantras in total, all of them are saturated with the life-giving power of Surya, and his names carry corresponding vibrations into space.

When performing the Greeting, it is important not to lose your thoughts in unrelated matters, but to concentrate on Surya, with every movement and breath offering veneration to our life-giving luminary! Practicing with concentration on the Sun allows you to transform unbridled, distracting energy into a creative force.

Surya dev

Surya is the deity (devata) of the Sun. It is first mentioned in the ancient Vedic texts “Rigveda” (hymn I.115) as a symbol of light, revered at sunrise, dispelling darkness, imparting knowledge, wisdom, and goodness. Also in the Veda of Hymns, he is described as a precious stone in the heavens, in particular in hymn V.47: “Placed in the midst of the sky, a mottled stone, He came out beyond (the limits). He guards the two boundaries of space,” in hymn VI.51 - as “The pure, beautiful face of the law sparkled brightly in the sky, like a golden ornament at the rising (of the sun),” in verse VII.63 he appears as “The golden ornament of the sky, looking far away (god) rises, whose goal is far, crossing (the world), sparkling,” in some hymns he appears in the form of an eagle, a hedgehog, a horse, but in most cases he is correlated with a personified deity. It was believed that Surya Dev, riding a chariot across the sky, defeats the forces of darkness.

The bright face of the gods arose, the Eye of Mitra, Varuna, Agni. He filled the sky and earth, the airspace. Surya - the breath of life of the moving and motionless (world) (“Rigveda”, I.115.1)

Surya-Narayana

Surya manifests itself in a trinitarian aspect (the early Vedic Trimurti, which existed before the system of the three great gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, of which it is the forerunner), was formed, together with Agni and Vayu, and in the triad appears as a single solar light deity. In Vedic times, Surya was revered as one of the three main gods, but was later replaced by gods such as Shiva and Vishnu. However, he remains a revered deity in India and Nepal. sometimes appears in the form of the Sun, as an aspect of the creation of divine light. The Sun is also a cosmic male principle, the form of manifestation of which is the pratyadhidevata (super-deity) of the Sun, personifying eternal goodness, light outside of time, moksha (liberation), universal peace. However, Vishnu is also a super-deity of the Sun, as the guardian of the Universe, maintaining cosmic order. It gives the power of light and warmth to the Sun God, the power of love and protection. Vishnu in the Vedic pantheon of gods later replaces Surya to a large extent and is referred to as Surya-Narayana. It represents the light that governs the cycles of creation in the Universe.

The wife of Surya-Vivasvata, according to legend, was Sanjna, with whom Surya had three children: Manu Vaivasvata (one of the fourteen Manus - the ancestors of humanity), Yama (the god of the underworld, the personification of the setting Sun) and Yami.

Yami, or Yamini (Sanskr. यमी - ‘night’) is the goddess of the sacred river Yamuna. As a rule, she is depicted with a dark face, since she is the patroness of the night, her vahana is the turtle as a water, female symbol, but also as a symbol of the universe, the embodiment of endurance, strength and immortality; sometimes she is depicted with a mirror in her hand, personifying the illusory world, Maya, sometimes she holds a jug of water, since Yami is the goddess of the river. Yami is also the personification of spiritual consciousness.

Surya nadi and Surya chakra

The right side of the human body is “solar” and is controlled by the fiery energy channel - Surya Nadi, or Pingala Nadi (activated by breathing through the right nostril), which controls the left hemisphere of the brain. In the modern world, with its tireless rhythm, the right side of the body (usually the muscles and the right side of the spine) suffers most from overstrain and undergoes uncontrollable compression due to the fact that solar (male) energy is depleted, requiring the expenditure of physical strength. Due to the fact that the right side of the body is associated with social life, while the left is associated with personal and family life, any problems of a social nature, as a rule, at work and in business, form clamps on the right side. Yoga offers us to cope with such negative manifestations through special practices, in particular, in this case, “Surya-bhedana” pranayama, or “increasing solar power”, which involves carrying out the breathing process as follows: inhaling through the right nostril, holding the breath, exhale through the left nostril. The “Surya Bheda Pranayama” technique is described in detail in the “Hatha Yoga Pradipika” (Chapter II, slokas 48–50). Thanks to it, Surya Nadi is strengthened and restored, which contributes to the development of endurance and increased performance. According to the texts of the Gheranda Samhita, this pranayama stops the aging process, increases heat in the body and awakens the power of Kundalini. Also on the right side of the body is the physical aspect of the Surya Chakra - the energy center located between Manipura and Anahata, the physical area associated with the chakra is the liver. Surya chakra is secondary, complementing the action of Manipura (whose governing celestial body is the Sun), and also manifests itself in union with Chandra chakra, located symmetrically in the opposite direction (the physical area associated with the chakra is the spleen). Surya chakra promotes digestion and is responsible for willpower and determination.

Surya Yantra and solar mantra Gayatri

What allows us to concentrate on the solar deity is his material manifestation, which we can see every day in the sky. However, there is a certain geometrically structured image that reflects the essence of the Sun. Yantra is a geometric design designating a specific deity. When addressing a revered god, it is prescribed to concentrate attention on a magical drawing - a yantra representing this deity. The yantra pattern is geometrically harmonized with the center of symmetry, to which the power of the gods descends. Surya Yantra is a visual representation of the energetic structure of the Sun. The Yantra, dedicated to the Sun God, allows you to increase the solar energy in the body, which causes a desire for self-development, strengthens faith in one’s own strength, develops self-esteem and uncriticality in us, helps strengthen willpower, leads to awareness, enhances the fire in the body, the lack of which, as usually leads to vision problems, poor digestion, chills in the body, heart problems and blood diseases.

If you place a yantra at home, then the best place for it will be the eastern part, and on the altar the image of Surya should be placed in the center, as befits the all-seeing eye of the gods.

The mantra, in the sound of which the vibrations of the life-giving bright Sun spread, is the Gayatri mantra. Its description and translation can be found at the following links:

It is sung in the tenth hymn of the Rig Veda (Hymn III, 62.10).

It is believed that verse III, 62.10 must be recited three times a day: at dawn, at noon and at sunset. The same mantra is recited during important ceremonies. There are three ways to repeat mantras: you can read them out loud, say them silently, or simply focus your thoughts on them. Reading aloud is the most primitive way, concentrating your thoughts on their essence is the highest

(Swami Vivekananda)

Let us bring glory to the divine life-giving Surya! May he illuminate our path to spiritual insight!

P.S. Get up early in the morning at sunrise, offer veneration to Surya, receive the power of the Sun - the power of bright truth. And may Surya resonate in your hearts with the warm light of love and the joy of being.

The oldest cosmic symbol, known to all peoples, means life, the source of life, light. Such characteristics as supremacy, life-creation, activity, heroism, and omniscience are associated with solar symbolism. The solar cult is most developed in the Egyptian, Indo-European, Mesoamerican traditions. The image of a solar deity traveling in a chariot drawn by four white horses has been preserved in Indo-Iranian, Greco-Roman, and Scandinavian mythology. At the end of the Roman era, many deities were endowed with solar characteristics (Mithras, Christ). The Roman holiday in honor of the deity Sol Invictus (the invincible Sun), celebrated on December 25, the day of the winter solstice, was converted into Christianity as the holiday of the Nativity of Christ.
Augustine and Gregory of Nyssa associate the symbolism of this holiday with the birth of a new light in the world and the disappearance of darkness. The sun often acts as the original symbol of the supreme deity or is identified with him.

In Ancient Egypt, the sun god Ra is the presiding deity of the pantheon.
He was depicted as a man with the head of a falcon, above which was a solar disk. The sun crosses the heavenly ocean - at dawn it is the young god Khepri, at the zenith - Ra, the solar god in his prime, at sunset - the old god Atum.

The sun is the giver of light and life, the ruler of the upper and lower worlds, which he goes around during his daily circulation: “Although you are far away, your rays fall on the earth; although you are on people’s faces, your traces are invisible”; “The world exists through you,” say Akhenaten’s hymns addressed to the solar god Aten.

In the Indo-European tradition, the sun personified the supreme deity. In various traditions it is described as the “eye of the sky” (or the sky deity): in India, Surya is the eye of Varuna;
Surya (Sanskrit: सूर्य - “Sun”) is the sun god in Hinduism. Son of Dyaus and Aditi, one of the Aditya brothers. He occupies a very prominent place in the Vedas; in the Rig Veda ten hymns are dedicated to him. He was revered as a bearer of light, a healer, and also as the all-seeing eye of the gods and the heavenly guardian. His attribute is a chariot drawn by seven horses, personifying the rays of the sun.
The Vedas glorify the great god Surya, all-knowing and all-seeing, in whose face the stars disappear like thieves. One of the Vedic hymns dedicated to the sun says: “Here it rises, the wondrous eye of the sun, water and fire, the focus of the power of the gods, it fills the sky, earth and air with its radiant network, it is the soul of everything that moves and does not move.” Surya banishes not only darkness, but also illnesses and bad dreams.

In the Greek tradition, the sun appears as the “all-seeing eye of Zeus” (in Homer); in Persia it is the eye of Ahuramazda; in German mythology - “through the eye of Wotan (Odin).”
Apollo - Greek god of the sun, light, fertility, guardian of herds, roads

Solar deities and divine personifications of the sun are endowed with the attributes of omniscience and all-vision, as well as supreme power. The all-seeing eye of the solar deity embodies the guarantee of justice. It sees everything and knows everything - this is one of the most important qualities of the solar deity.

Because of its almost universal association with enlightenment or illumination, the sun appears as a source of wisdom. These qualities - beneficence, supreme power, justice and wisdom - are associated with the elite of society within the framework of a developed solar cult. Monarchs ruled in the name of the sun and traced their origins to the sun.

Often the solar cult turns out to be associated with the ideology of sacred rule (the ruler of Peru is the personification of the solar god, the pharaoh is the sun god, in Japan the solar goddess Amaterasu, the supreme deity of the pantheon, was the guardian of the imperial family). In addition, the sun represents the heroic principle. Many heroes of mythology are endowed with pronounced solar characteristics (Hercules, Samson, etc.).

The image of the sun can be considered in relation to the moon, which in a number of mythologies acts as its divine wife.
The sun dominates the moon; In English and a number of other languages, Sunday is named after the sun, while Monday is named after the moon.
The sun is indestructible and immortal, unlike the moon, which is fickle and flawed, dying and being reborn. The subordinate nature of the moon is also manifested in the fact that it only reflects the light emitted by the sun. In general, the masculine, active and positive principle is associated with the sun, and the feminine, passive and negative principle is associated with the moon.

In Greek mythology, Selene (“selas” - light, shine; brilliant, radiant; also known as Mena) is the goddess of the moon (or the Moon itself), the daughter of the Titan Hyperion and Theia. Later she was identified with Artemis as the goddess of the moon.

So, for example, in ancient Indian mythology, the solar dynasty is peace-loving, while the lunar dynasty is warlike. Of the metals, the sun corresponds to gold, and of the colors, yellow, while the moon corresponds to silver and white.
The disappearance of the sun at night can be seen as death: “The sun, which is considered to set, die daily, was the first creature to travel the path of life from east to west. It was the first mortal, the first to show the way to people. When the course of our life is completed, our own sun sets in the far west” (Vedas).
The Indian goddess of death is Kali, the goddess of death, destruction, fear and horror.

The “night crossing” of the sun personifies the inevitability of death, darkness, sin, just as the existence of white presupposes the presence of black. However, the death of the sun is not final and necessarily includes the idea of ​​resurrection; in fact, it cannot be considered a real death.

In Christianity, the sun becomes a symbol of God and the word of God - life-bearing and eternal; bearers of the word of God have it as their emblem; the true church is shown clothed in the sun (Apoc. 12). The righteous man shines like the sun (according to the tradition representing holiness, the spirit in the form of light).
The sun is depicted on the coats of arms of many states; the rising sun is the state emblem of Japan.

Supporters of the divine theory of the origin of the world believe that everything that surrounds our Earth: the sun, moon, air appeared or was created only for the sole purpose of generating and maintaining life on our planet. And the very existence of man is still viewed through the prism of uniqueness, as the central axis of the Universe in general. But is this really so, are we alone in the universe, and most importantly, how much life is there on Earth? Thousands of astrologers, predictors and soothsayers tried to answer these questions, and according to some of them, the end of the world should have already happened more than once. Most forecasts, however, have no scientific basis and are based only on speculation and assumptions. Let's try to understand the essence of the issue from a truly scientific point of view.

If you look at all objects, both our universe and the Earth in particular, everything has an end and a beginning, or birth and death. Our solar system is no exception. Having originated 4.5-5 billion years ago, it must inevitably die. The only question is timing. Astronomers have even established the sequence of events preceding the death of our system and the Earth in particular.

The sun has not yet lived even half the time allotted to it by nature - from birth to death. However, it has already consumed almost half of the hydrogen, which in the core of the star turns into helium, releasing gigantic energy. Instead of 70.6 percent, which was originally hydrogen in the mass of solar matter, its share has now dropped to 36.3 percent. The pressure in the central regions of the star opposes the gravitational forces of its upper layers.

This constant struggle between the core and the periphery - and only in the center of the star, due to high pressure and temperature, the processes of fusion of atomic nuclei are possible - over time brings victory to the central forces. The volume in which nuclear fusion occurs is constantly expanding. Therefore, the luminosity of the Sun is steadily increasing. “Soon after the Sun became a star,” scientists conclude, “its luminosity was only 70 percent of what it emits today. Over the next 6.5 billion years, the luminosity of our star will steadily increase in direct proportion to time.” When nuclear fusion reactions die out in the center of the Sun, a new battle will begin between the center and the outer layers of the star. “Burn out” hydrogen, astrophysicists write, will succumb to external pressure and the center will shrink. But then the concentration of residues of hydrogen that has not yet entered into a nuclear reaction will increase. It will burn “hotter” and the center will expand again. Eventually, at 7.5 billion years old, the Sun will “inflate” and enter the red giant stage. It is expected that its diameter will exceed the diameter of the current Sun by 160 times. In this state the star will live for several million years. The shell of this ball will be relatively thin and heated by only 3000 degrees - hence the red color of the star. The surface layers will dissipate relatively quickly. A very dense ball will remain in the center, which will begin to warm up even more. At 100 million degrees, nuclear reactions will cross a new threshold: helium nuclei (derived from hydrogen) will begin to fuse into carbon nuclei. Helium as a fuel releases disproportionately more energy than burned hydrogen. The Sun will go from a red giant to a white dwarf in a short time. It will be ten times smaller in size than the current Sun, but 40-50 times more luminous. In this form, our star will probably live for about 100 million years.

But when the reserves of both hydrogen and helium come to an end, the rapid expansion of the star will repeat - it will again become a red giant. The helium combustion zone will move closer to the periphery. The luminary into which the Sun will turn will lose stability: individual flares will begin, occurring because previously unaffected helium residues will be included in the nuclear reaction. The luminosity will either sharply increase or decrease - this is shown by observations of other stars. In some cases, the luminosity of the star increases by more than 5000 times. Usually this is the last bright act of dying of small and medium-sized stars. Then the “solar wind” begins to intensify, that is, the scattering of particles of the stellar shell. Thousands of years will pass - and only a small hot core will remain from the red giant. In about 75,000 years, our star will again be in the stage of a white dwarf, which radiates less and less. The remaining mass will be half of what the Sun has now, its diameter will decrease to 80,000 kilometers (instead of the current 1,391,980 kilometers), and the density of matter will reach two million tons in each cubic centimeter. The entire history of our gentle, and sometimes rather harsh Sun, sung by shamans, priests, and poets, will take 12.4 billion years.

Horse is a smiling, middle-aged man, ruddy from the frost. He is dressed in cool but gentle colors, his shirt and pants are the color of light cumulus clouds, and his cloak is like the piercing azure sky that only appears on a clear afternoon in winter. At the same time, Horse is always a little sad, since his strength is not enough to protect people from the atrocities of Chernobg’s servants on cold winter nights. However, our ancestors believed that by praising Khors, they gave him the strength to fight the Navi fiends.

A horse can calm down a blowing blizzard, or calm a snowstorm. It can easily raise or lower the air temperature. Animals also obey this god to some extent. For example, if in a snowy forest a person accidentally met a connecting rod bear, then he asked for help not only Veles, but also Khors. In this situation, the winter sun could calm the animal and drive it away from the person.

Khors was also considered the patron of winter crops, which is quite logical. Therefore, Khors was especially revered by people working on the land. Holidays in honor of Khors were always accompanied by swimming in an ice hole and large round dances. It is believed that such words as good, mansions, choir, banner came from the name of this god. The city of Korsun was formerly called Khorsun.

Khors, more than other solar gods, is associated with the movement of the sun across the firmament. This may be a consequence of the fact that our ancestors perceived the too short winter day as a constant struggle between Khors and other Yasuns and Dasuns. And if it were not for this god, who led the heavenly army during the difficult winter months, darkness would have completely hidden the earth at this time.

It is curious that Horse has a dark incarnation - Black Horse, a creation of Navi, which is responsible for destructive snowstorms, avalanches and severe frosts. However, the legends clearly define the fact that Horse is much stronger than his evil double. Horse Day is Sunday. Its metal is pure silver.

In the Christian apocrypha, the Walk of the Virgin Mary through torment is recorded as follows: the pagans are those who were called gods; the sun and the month, the earth and the water, animals and reptiles, who in their hardness of heart gave the gods names like people, and those who revered Utrius, Troyan, Khors, Veles, turning demons into gods. And people believed in these evil gods.

This historical evidence gives reason to believe that the Slavic gods could be related to both the sun and the moon.

Scientists for a long time could not determine the nature of the Russian god Khors. It turned out that at least three sun gods existed in Rus' at the same time: Dazhdbog, Khors and Yarilo.

This is how the god Khors is depicted and the symbolism of the holiday dedicated to him: The deity is depicted as a young red youth. In this case, as in the story about Jesus Christ, this is a metaphorical transfer of an optical phenomenon observed by the ancients, known as diffraction. On a new moon or during an eclipse, the moon turns red.

Thus, all objects symbolizing the god Khorsa convey his horned lunar origin. From a linguistic point of view, the word Horse is a homonym of the English horse, which means horse. The connection between Slavic gods and horses can also be traced in the description of the god Svarog. depicted as a warrior on horseback, a blacksmith god.

Not all gods of the ancient Slavs were common. For example, before the Russians came to the banks of the Dnieper, Horses were not known here. And only Grand Duke Vladimir installed his image next to Perun. However, it was known among other Aryan peoples: among the Iranians, Persians, where they worshiped the god of the rising sun - Khorset. This word also had a broader meaning - “radiance”, “brilliance”, as well as “glory”, “greatness”.

Dazhdbog opposed the world of Darkness, Navi. He personified the heavenly light spilling onto the earth, into the world of Reveal. It is always there, even on a cloudy day when the sky is overcast. It was directly the White Light, which our world was called, and they said: “Go around the entire white light.” It’s a completely different matter when the sun is shining: your soul immediately becomes more cheerful, and life seems wonderful.

Khors is the god of yellow, sunlight. The sunny mood and the name of God are reflected in many of our words: good, prettier, preening, as well as round dance, mansions. For many peoples, the word “horo” meant the solar disk, a circle. Hence the name of dance in a circle and circular structures. Even the ancient city of Korsun was previously called by the name of the god of sunlight - Khorsun.

At the same time, Horse never appeared alone, but always in company with other gods. For example, the sun cannot exist without daylight, so Dazhdbog and Khors are always nearby. But light and solar heat alone are not enough for a good harvest; rain is also needed, and this is the direct work of other gods. Stribog will blow, catch up with Perun's clouds, they will rumble, lightning will flash and heavenly moisture will spill onto the field. And then there will be a good harvest.

Sources: radogost.ru, arira.ru, vk.com, world-of-legends.su, vsemifu.com

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In ancient Egypt, the sun god Ra was the supreme deity. The most revered gods of Egypt are its children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The earthly rulers-pharaohs were also considered his descendants.

According to legend, Ra first reigned on earth, and that was the “Golden Age”. But then people became disobedient, which is why the Sun God went to heaven. Sufferings unknown before came upon the human race.

However, Ra did not allow all the people to die and continued to provide them with benefits. Every morning he sets off on his boat on a journey across the sky, bestowing light on the earth. At night, his path lies through the afterlife, in which his worst enemy, the huge serpent Apep, awaits God. The monster wants to devour the sun so that the world is left without light, but Ra defeats him every time.

In art, Ra was depicted as a tall, slender man with the head of a falcon. On his head he has a solar disk and an image of a snake.

Throughout Egyptian history, Ra was not the only “solar” deity. There were also cults of gods:

• Atum is an archaic god who was widely revered before the establishment of the cult of Ra. Then he began to be identified with the latter.
• Amon is originally the god of the night sky. The center of his worship was in the city of Thebes, and after the rise of this city in the era of the New Kingdom (XVI-XI centuries BC), the role of Amun changed. He began to be revered as the sun god Amon-Ra.
• Aten is the sun god, whose monotheistic cult was tried to be established by Pharaoh Akhenaten (XIV century BC)

Mesopotamia

In Ancient Mesopotamia, the sun god was considered Shamash (Akkadian version), or Utu (as the Sumerian people called him). He was not the main deity of the Sumerian-Akkadian pantheon. He was considered the son or even a servant of the moon god Nanna (Sin).

Nevertheless, Shamash was highly revered, because it is he who gives light to people and fertility to the earth. Over time, his importance in the local religion increased: Shamash began to be considered also as a fair god-judge, establishing and protecting the rule of law.

Ancient Greece and Rome

The sun god in Ancient Greece was Helios. He played a subordinate position in relation to the main deity of the Greek pantheon - Zeus. In Ancient Rome, the god Sol corresponded to Helios.

According to legend, Helios lives in the east in magnificent palaces. Every morning, the goddess of dawn Eos opens the gates, and Helios rides out on his chariot, which is harnessed to four horses. Having passed through the entire sky, he hides in the west, transfers to a golden boat and sails across the Ocean back to the east.

On his journey above the earth, Helios sees all the deeds and actions of people and even immortal gods. So, it was he who told Hephaestus about the betrayal of his wife Aphrodite.

The rich Greek mythology contains many stories related to Helios. Perhaps the most famous is about his son Phaeton. The young man begged his father to allow him to travel across the sky once. But on the way, Phaeton could not cope with the horses: they rushed too close to the ground, and it caught fire. For this, Zeus struck Phaethon with his lightning.

In addition to Helios, in Ancient Greece the god of light Apollo (Phoebus) also personified the sun. During the Hellenistic period, the ancient Indo-Iranian god of light Mithra began to be identified with Helios and Phoebus.

India

In Hinduism, the sun god is Surya. It has many functions, including:

• disperses darkness and illuminates the world;
• supports the sky;
• acts as the “eye of the gods”;
• heals the sick;
• fights Rahu - the demon of solar and lunar eclipses.

Like Helios, Surya travels across the sky in a chariot. But he has seven horses. In addition, he has a charioteer - Aruna, who is also considered the deity of dawn. The wife of Surya is called the goddess Ushas.

As is typical for many ancient cults, Surya was also associated with other solar deities. Thus, at the most ancient stage of the development of Hinduism, Vivasvat was considered the solar deity. Then his image merged with Surya. In later centuries, Surya was identified with Mithra and Vishnu.

Ancient Slavs

There are few sources preserved about the beliefs and myths of the Slavs, and very few ancient images of the Slavic gods. Therefore, scientists have to collect Slavic mythology bit by bit. And in popular literature, gaps in genuine knowledge are often filled with speculation.

The names of many deities in which the Slavs believed before the adoption of Christianity are known. But the functions of many of them are not entirely clear. As the personification of the sun, the Eastern Slavs call:

• Dazhdbog;
• Horse;
• Yarilo.

According to Russian chronicles, in the 10th century. Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich (the future Saint) ordered the installation of idols of Dazhdbog, Khors and other deities for worship. But why are there two sun gods in one pantheon?

Some researchers believe that “Dazhdbog” and “Khors” are two names of one deity. Others believe that these are two different gods, but related. It is also possible that Khors is the personification of the sun itself, and Dazhdbog is the personification of light. In any case, there remains a huge field for research here.

Nowadays, it is often written that the Slavic sun god was Yarilo (or Yarila). Images are also created - a sun-headed man or a young man with a beautiful radiant face. But, in fact, Yarilo is associated with fertility and, to a lesser extent, with the sun.

Germanic tribes

In German-Scandinavian mythology, the sun personified the female deity - Sol (or Sunna). Her brother is Mani, the divine incarnation of the Moon. Salt, like Helios, travels across the sky and illuminates the earth. In addition, the god of fertility Frey is also associated with sunlight.

Civilizations of America

American Indians also practiced polytheistic religions. Naturally, among the numerous higher beings, the sun god was among the main ones.

• Tonatiuh is the Aztec sun god, one of the central deities of the pantheon. His name translates to “Sun”. The cult of Tonatiuh was extremely bloody. The Aztecs believed that the sun god must receive sacrifices every day, and without this he will die and will not illuminate the earth. It was also believed that it was nourished by the blood of soldiers killed in battle.
• Kinich-Ahau is the Mayan sun god. As with Tonatiuh, he required sacrifices.
• Inti is the sun god of the Incas, the progenitor of life. He was a very important, although not the main deity in the pantheon. It was believed that the supreme rulers of the country trace their origins to Inti. Images of this deity in the form of a solar face are placed on the modern flags of Uruguay and Argentina.

Related article

Sources:

• Myths of the peoples of the world

Many religious beliefs have a mythological basis. To this day, legends about ancient gods endowed with omnipotence and supernatural strength, passed down from generation to generation, have been preserved. Such legends arose in various parts of the planet and became part of the culture of the peoples who inhabited it.

Instructions

One of the most revered gods in Egypt was Osiris. He was in charge of the forces of nature and the afterlife. As one of the many legends says, his brother, the god Set, decided to destroy Osiris. Acting by cunning, Seth made a sarcophagus and announced at the feast that he would give it only to those who would like his creation. Unsuspecting Osiris tried to fit into the tomb. At this moment Seth and the other conspirators cap off. The treacherous Seth threw the lead-filled sarcophagus into the Nile. Subsequently, Isis, the faithful wife of Osiris, was able to revive her husband.

In Ancient Greece, the supreme Olympian god Zeus was especially revered. Many legends have been preserved about the Greek gods, in which Zeus takes an active part. It was believed that it was he who gave conscience and shame to humanity. In his relations with other deities, Zeus always acted as a formidable and punishing force. He was able to decide the destinies of other gods and

The main deity of the Indians of South America was Quetzalcoatl. It was believed that he could change his appearance, turning into a green snake and other strange creatures. Indian legends and traditions told how Quetzalcoatl, turning into an ant, stole delicious corn grains from an anthill to give them to people. The main Indian god more than once entered into battles with his powerful opponents who tried to harm people. In one myth, he goes into distant exile, promising to return. It is interesting that the superstitious Indians mistook the first Europeans for the retinue of Quetzalcoatl, whose return had long been expected.

The Indian god Shiva, along with Brahma and Vishnu, is part of the divine triad. Its task is to regulate the world order. Very often Shiva uses dance for this. Tired of dancing, Shiva stops for a while and indulges in rest. The Indians believed that at this time the world was plunging into chaos and darkness. Legend says that Shiva appeared in the human world more than once, but most often he was not recognized. Once Shiva was even cursed by the sages when he demanded worship from them. Only after the miracles performed by Shiva did people rush to his feet, recognizing him as a god.

The mythology of the Ancient World is so intricate and multifaceted that it is no longer possible to determine exactly what the ancients believed. Let us turn to such an important character as the Egyptian god of the Sun, because the sun is life, light, and they attached considerable importance to it.

Various sources speak of two different gods of the daylight. One of them, about whom most have heard, is Ra, and the second, faded in the shadow of his “colleague,” is Horus. Both of them have the title of the Sun God, but their images are so intertwined that sometimes the differences between them are not visible. Let's try to understand why such confusion arose.

He was considered the creator of all things: the Universe, life, light. An interesting fact is that he himself created himself from the lotus that appeared on the first stone, which, in turn, arose from the primordial waters. After which the Sun created air and humidity, from which other gods began to appear, for example, Heaven) and Geb (god of the Earth). Subsequently, Ancient Egypt began to emerge. And man appeared from the tears of the god Ra.

Only one myth concerning the birth of this god is discussed above, but there are a great many of them. In some ways they are similar, but in some ways they are completely opposite, because over time one myth is superimposed on another, and it is almost impossible to find out what the original source was.

But some stories about the Sun God are known to everyone. For example, that Ra on a chariot during the day sails along the heavenly goddess Nut, and at night in the underworld he fights with the serpent Apophis so that morning can come again.

The symbols representing the god Ra are almost identical to those representing the god Horus. Only in this case, the idea of ​​its specific species is a little blurry: a falcon, a hawk or another large bird.

There is an image where Horus stands on the boat of the god Ra and fights with the enemies of light, represented in the form of hippopotamuses and crocodiles. But the image of Horus nevertheless faded into the background. They say that when the power in Egypt changed (namely, a person not from the royal family came to power), myths appeared that it was Ra who was the supreme god of the sun, and Horus was just his son. That is why the images of Ra and Horus are mixed into a single whole.

Other ancient sun gods

1. The personification of the Sun God in Ancient Greece is Helios. He, like Ra, crossed the sky every day in his chariot drawn by four winged horses. The most positive god - everyone loved him.
2. The four sun gods bestowed life and light in Ancient Rus'. Khors, Svetovit, Jadbog and Yarilo - from the oldest to the youngest. Horse - The sun of the underworld, winter and night. Svetovit - Sun of sunset, old age, autumn, evening. Jadbog is the Sun of summer, fruits, day, maturity. Yarilo - morning, beginning, spring, youth.